Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: car5car on 27 October 2013, 04:37:49

Title: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: car5car on 27 October 2013, 04:37:49
Fluid doesn't leak, but looks dark.
Thanks.
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: Andy B on 27 October 2013, 08:05:05
It could be the pump, but it won't be the rack because they're a steering box  ;) ;)

Try a fluid change first before you condemn the pump.

There a guide re changing the pump here .... http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90607.0 though obviously on the other side of the car from yours  :y
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: tunnie on 27 October 2013, 08:32:07
Try using brake as the clutch, give it more revs, see if steering becomes lighter  :y
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: Andy B on 27 October 2013, 08:33:44
Try using brake as the clutch, give it more revs, see if steering becomes lighter  :y

 ??? You've confused me  :-\ cars5car's car will be auto anyway  ;)
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: biggriffin on 27 October 2013, 08:40:51
What tunnie is trying to say is increase the revs to see if the steering becomes lighter,if it does then pump is on the way out.
fluid change will make no difference,ensuring there is enough fluid will,
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: tunnie on 27 October 2013, 08:46:20
Try using brake as the clutch, give it more revs, see if steering becomes lighter  :y

 ??? You've confused me  :-\ cars5car's car will be auto anyway  ;)

Yeah, as it's American, being auto not a manual. Normally you can just have more throttle using the clutch. But cannot do that with an auto .

As you are reversing/forward, left foot brake (ie using it as a clutch) to allow more revs, yet doing the same crawl speed.

Should tell if its the pump, as tired pump & low revs steering can be heavy, often sorted with a few more revs  :)
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: car5car on 04 November 2013, 12:54:46
Thanks!
I'll add engine oil, it always helped before, used it many times.
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 04 November 2013, 13:49:27
Thanks!
I'll add engine oil, it always helped before, used it many times.

I worry if that will be compatible with the seals in the system, though. :-\

Replacing the PAS pump isn't really much of an issue, but if the seals on the steering box go... ;)
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: VXL V6 on 04 November 2013, 20:21:14
Fluid doesn't leak, but looks dark.
Thanks.

Flush through some nice fresh DEXII as a starting point.
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: Andy H on 04 November 2013, 20:33:02
It could be the pump, but it won't be the rack because they're a steering box  ;) ;)

Try a fluid change first before you condemn the pump.

There a guide re changing the pump here .... http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90607.0 though obviously on the other side of the car from yours  :y
Clearly the location of the steering box is dictated by the location of the steering wheel but I assumed that the pump and reservoir would remain on the same side of the engine as the battery :-\
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 04 November 2013, 20:57:30
Exactly, engine bay layout identical to a UK car except the brake servo and steering box are opposite :y
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: chrisgixer on 05 November 2013, 13:23:25
Thanks!
I'll add engine oil, it always helped before, used it many times.

Ignoring why on earth anyone would do that for a moment.(and indeed vice versa with ATF in the engine oil iirc from previous posts)

Be aware there is an update on TIS regarding leaking pas pipe when upgrading to Dex 3, so a service bulletin states superseding back to Dex2. So who's to say the pipes will cope with engine oil? ???

Also if your car has servo tronic pas, you will also want to be aware there are extremely small jet holes and filters in the servotronic valve that will depend on the correct grade of oil to give the right steering feal.

Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: car5car on 05 November 2013, 14:14:33
I used engine oil so many times before, nothing to worry about for me. I pumped fluid out from steering tank (bottle) and poured 20W50 oil to right level. Concentration of oil/ATF is probably about 1/3. My wife said problem was gone. If leak shows up, I'll let you know.
I am pretty sure steering system will leak in about 5-10 years, so whoever was warning me about possible leaks was right. ;D
P.S. About using ATF to flush engines and clean lifters:
I successfully used atf in hundreds of cars and motorcycles. The only problem it can create is leaks from old hardened shrunk seals, which were covered by oil deposits. In the case I use "stop leak" fluid and in worst cases "stop smok"
Here is instructional video about using stop smoke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz68KvMtHOA
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: dbug on 05 November 2013, 15:05:49
I used engine oil so many times before, nothing to worry about for me. I pumped fluid out from steering tank (bottle) and poured 20W50 oil to right level. Concentration of oil/ATF is probably about 1/3. My wife said problem was gone. If leak shows up, I'll let you know.
I am pretty sure steering system will leak in about 5-10 years, so whoever was warning me about possible leaks was right. ;D
P.S. About using ATF to flush engines and clean lifters:
I successfully used atf in hundreds of cars and motorcycles. The only problem it can create is leaks from old hardened shrunk seals, which were covered by oil deposits. In the case I use "stop leak" fluid and in worst cases "stop smok"
Here is instructional video about using stop smoke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz68KvMtHOA

Maybe thats contributed to your problem!  Car manufacurers don't specify a particular lubricant and grade for nothing.

Still its your car and each to their own ::)
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: VXL V6 on 05 November 2013, 17:41:23
I used engine oil so many times before[/highlight], nothing to worry about for me. I pumped fluid out from steering tank (bottle) and poured 20W50 oil to right level. Concentration of oil/ATF is probably about 1/3. My wife said problem was gone. If leak shows up, I'll let you know.
I am pretty sure steering system will leak in about 5-10 years, so whoever was warning me about possible leaks was right. ;D
P.S. About using ATF to flush engines and clean lifters:
I successfully used atf in hundreds of cars and motorcycles. The only problem it can create is leaks from old hardened shrunk seals, which were covered by oil deposits. In the case I use "stop leak" fluid and in worst cases "stop smok"
Here is instructional video about using stop smoke:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz68KvMtHOA
Guess you don't need any advice from us then  ::)
Judy Garland has all the answers  :y
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 05 November 2013, 18:03:58
We're not in Kansas any more that's for sure ::)

Still nothing a piece of string won't fix :-X
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: car5car on 06 November 2013, 01:55:37

Guess you don't need any advice from us then  ::)
Judy Garland has all the answers  :y
I do! My wife likes the Cadillac, so I'll fight it forever! I promised to fix cold blowing right side(US passenger side), I still don't know where blend motor is. You, guys, told me on right side. My service manual is not good.
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2013, 06:27:14
Pull the centre console and you'll see it just below the heater matrix, towards the bulkhead under the radio end of the glove box :y

The maintenance section contains pretty much everything you need to know ::)
Title: Re: Hard to turn steering wheel in the morning. Is it pump or rack and pinion?
Post by: car5car on 06 November 2013, 18:51:12
Thanks!