The power steering pump is yowling, producing varying intensity of noise as the steering is turned. I can feel vibration through the wheel as I steer. Despite being replaced a couple of years ago, the fluid is jet black and muddy and turbulent when the cap is removed with the engine running. I sense that the device is eating itself and needs replacing sharpish.
I've never done a power steering pump before. Any advice, tips or comments (disparaging or otherwise most welcome.
I propose syphoning the fluid out with my vacuum drainer, taking the pressure off the drive belt and undoing the bits and bobs (this is the technical secion, right?) and putting on a recon unit. Will the rack self-bleed? It doesn't look too challenging, or are these the famous last words of some hopelessly naïve numpty?
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>> Will the rack self-bleed?
From what I've seen on Wheeler Dealers and the like, you just turn the steering lock to lock a few times.
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Fluid jet black and muddy means the whole pas system will be contaminated.I would de-couple as much pipework as possible.including the oil cooler if fitted,and force flush with an air line .System will self bleed lock to lock ,as suggested above.The only observation about WD is that old China never struggles to undo anything.!!
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Job done. Wasn't as difficult as I feared. No airline, so dribbled some new fluid through the reservoir and caught some of it as it came out of the pump high-pressure union with the pump removed, engine off and my glamourous assistant twirling the steering wheel. I removed a box of relays above the pump which improved access. Taking the pressure of the drive belt was fiddly. Worst mistake was letting the plastic pipe from my vacuum drainer slart fluid across the windscreen.
Steering is now quiet again with jerk-free assistance.
Thank you for your helpful comments,
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It doesn't pay to get too smug when one's Citroen is 12 years old. The weep from the power steering pipe that started after I replaced the pump has now become a drip. It's on the low pressure side after the fluid exits the rack. The pipe heads off along the right-hand chassis leg past the crankshaft pulley where it's held by an ugly plastic clip. Cunningly, the drip turns to a spray when the steering wheel is turned and fluid has coated the sump under the pulley, looking to a pessimist as if the crankshaft oil seal has gone. The low pressure fluid that hasn't escaped then goes into the heat exchanger behind the number plate and back up to the reservoir. Pictures on Ebay show the assembly to be an unweildy, gangly insect comprising 12mm aluminium pipes and rubber hoses. I don't relish the extensive dismantling and reassembly; a scrapper's bit will have the same wear as I've discovered and a new part is close to the value of the car.
I plan to repair this by cutting the pipe and joining it up again with a 12mm plumbing straight coupling as I'm positive the pipe has worn through next to the clip through vibration or whatever. Access is good and my plumbing skills are satisfactory. Yes I know I'm making a corrosion battery but I hope it'll last a year.
Anybody care to offer any advice or rate my chances of success? There's now so much fluid on the new drive that Mrs H has unfeelingly made me park in the street.
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12mm copper pipe is a standard french size not sure you can get in the uk? You can also get plastic and fittings in the same size - but not sure what the resis to PS fluid would be like?
Why does PS fluid go into the heat exchanger?
is 12mm a standard size used for air conditioning?
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>>Why does PS fluid go into the heat exchanger?
Because the action of pumping it to a high pressure generates heat.
I've heard agricultural garages are used to dealing with hydraulics (think tractors, JCBs and such stuff). May be worth the OP trying one of them?
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Sounds as if the repair could be better than the original, if you can get the right pipe and fittings. But if the original pipe is wrong for the fittings and it leaks you have burnt your boats.
For a real bodge, can you get at the bit where the leak is? Could you dry it off, wrap some self-amalgamating tape over it, and tighten a jubilee clip over that?
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Citroen C8 MPV - 20 2.2 Power steering pump replacement - VxFan
