Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: zirk on 29 March 2018, 20:05:44

Title: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: zirk on 29 March 2018, 20:05:44
So picked up a Astra G Van today, coming back from London all is well, popped in BP for some Jungle Juice, come out started fine, but total Loss of Power Steering shortly followed by Batt Light, popped bonnet expecting to see no Aux Belt, nope fine thats spinning all nice and tight.

Had no tools on me, so now thinking Alternator has gone, is the Power Steering Electric Pump?, why would this go straight away if Alt has packed up or is it designed to do this?, ie heavey Current drain?, anyway drove off, using really heavy steering, thinking not going to get back Home on the Battery alone, Heavy Traffic, Coolant Fan Switching on, wipers and its starting to get dark, lights etc, so found somewhere to park and Trained it back.

going back to recover / fix tomorrow, any thoughts, can measure the volts but wont be able to fix Alternator roadside, but a few extra batteies on a quiet Good Friday might see me getting back  :-\.
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: shyboy on 29 March 2018, 20:46:44
?Electric power steering?
Have you checked for a blown fuse.
On SWMBO's Corsa you have to re-programme by turning steering fully one way then t'other.
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: zirk on 29 March 2018, 20:57:04
I did a quick wrecky for blown fuses, found nothing obvious was more of a shot in the dark, no volt meter with me but did do a put lights on, rev etc, to see any variation in volts etc, no difference, so assuming Alternator?, dont understand why it went just by being parked up for a few mins whilst paying for fuel.

I'll take my ODB2 and ScanMyOpel app with me but it as yet didnt throw any Codes?

Tell me more about this reprogramming using steering?  :-\

Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: Andy B on 29 March 2018, 21:42:46
There are 2 different diseasal engines fitted to the Astra G .....
I had the GM 1700 lump. It had an electric powered pump with it's own belt (which initially broke on a regular basis). What you describe is what would happen to mine, alt light would come on & no assistance.

I think Margarets Corsa is an electric motor on the column
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: Lazydocker on 29 March 2018, 22:21:05
Check voltages... Alternator is likely :y
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: zirk on 29 March 2018, 22:48:44
There are 2 different diseasal engines fitted to the Astra G .....
I had the GM 1700 lump. It had an electric powered pump with it's own belt (which initially broke on a regular basis). What you describe is what would happen to mine, alt light would come on & no assistance.

I think Margarets Corsa is an electric motor on the column
This a 1.6 Petrol......

.......in fact just to piss LD off even more, its actually a Factory fit Dual Fuel.  ;D
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: zirk on 29 March 2018, 23:10:14
Check voltages... Alternator is likely :y
yea, plan too, hoping thats the issue, so will be an nice eay fix if and when I get it home.  ;)
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: Lazydocker on 29 March 2018, 23:20:31
There are 2 different diseasal engines fitted to the Astra G .....
I had the GM 1700 lump. It had an electric powered pump with it's own belt (which initially broke on a regular basis). What you describe is what would happen to mine, alt light would come on & no assistance.

I think Margarets Corsa is an electric motor on the column
This a 1.6 Petrol......

.......in fact just to piss LD off even more, its actually a Factory fit Dual Fuel.  ;D

No it’s not ;) You know as well as I do that Vx never, ever fitted LPG at the factory ::) :D
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: Andy B on 29 March 2018, 23:33:08
There are 2 different diseasal engines fitted to the Astra G .....
I had the GM 1700 lump. It had an electric powered pump with it's own belt (which initially broke on a regular basis). What you describe is what would happen to mine, alt light would come on & no assistance.

I think Margarets Corsa is an electric motor on the column
This a 1.6 Petrol......

.......in fact just to piss LD off even more, its actually a Factory fit Dual Fuel.  ;D

Why did I assume diseasal?   ???
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: Keith ABS on 30 March 2018, 07:31:21
 99% of Astra vans are diesel. Thats why you assumed

Keith ABS
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: zirk on 30 March 2018, 08:42:33
99% of Astra vans are diesel. Thats why you assumed

Keith ABS
Excellent News, Ive just got a rare Collectors one, just need to get it Home now.  ;D
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: tunnie on 30 March 2018, 08:49:24
99% of Astra vans are diesel. Thats why you assumed

Keith ABS
Excellent News, Ive just got a rare Collectors one, just need to get it Home now.  ;D

Collectors and AstraG don't really go well together  ;D
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: TheBoy on 30 March 2018, 08:56:11
My 2002 Zaffy-A is leccy steering, so I'd assume a similar vintage Astra-G would be as well.  Irrespective of engine fitted.
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: TheBoy on 30 March 2018, 09:02:08
For an Astra-G 2002 Z16SE (lots of assumptions in there!!), TIS shows main fuse 7 80A (one of the big fusible links), and fuse f3.23 10A as the 2 fuses involved in the power steering.


However, given the other symptoms, sounds like alternator, so lots of batteries, in daylight, in the dry ;)
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: zirk on 30 March 2018, 09:55:13
For an Astra-G 2002 Z16SE (lots of assumptions in there!!), TIS shows main fuse 7 80A (one of the big fusible links), and fuse f3.23 10A as the 2 fuses involved in the power steering.


However, given the other symptoms, sounds like alternator, so lots of batteries, in daylight, in the dry ;)
Thanks TB, thats good info on the Fuses, will check when I get there.  :y

This one is 1.6 8V, I believe most of the Astra Vans of that era were 8V, low end Torque maybe, anyway wouldn't have thought the Fuse layout would be much different though.
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: TheBoy on 30 March 2018, 13:44:04
For an Astra-G 2002 Z16SE (lots of assumptions in there!!), TIS shows main fuse 7 80A (one of the big fusible links), and fuse f3.23 10A as the 2 fuses involved in the power steering.


However, given the other symptoms, sounds like alternator, so lots of batteries, in daylight, in the dry ;)
Thanks TB, thats good info on the Fuses, will check when I get there.  :y

This one is 1.6 8V, I believe most of the Astra Vans of that era were 8V, low end Torque maybe, anyway wouldn't have thought the Fuse layout would be much different though.
The Z16SE is the 8v one I believe, as I assumed the Astravan would have that :y
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: dave the builder on 30 March 2018, 15:04:28
z16se is 8 valve multi point injection , electronic throttle 85 hp
x16szr is 8 valve single point injection ,cable throttle 75 hp , many cheap code readers (elm327 etc) don't work on x16szr
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: BazaJT on 30 March 2018, 19:28:41
Has he made it home yet? :-\
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: henryd on 30 March 2018, 23:38:14
Electric power steering on the astra wont work if the alternator goes dog due to high current consumption
Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: zirk on 31 March 2018, 06:09:52
Has he made it home yet? :-\
Didnt even make it out,  ::) Thames Water and Essex Police decided otherwise due to a sudden fountain escaping through the Tarmac in the middle and at the end of the road this morning.

Did politely point out that had they have parked their Vans and Police Cars in a more sensible fashion that one could probably drive around it but they were having none of it. The Road is now closed so thats me stranded at home for a while  >:(

Title: Re: Astra G - Broke Down, Power Steering Q
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 03 April 2018, 07:56:54
Electric power steering on the astra wont work if the alternator goes dog due to high current consumption

As Henry says, the EPAS setup shuts down when the alternator output fails (its actually an electro-hydraulic system with an electric motor driving a hydraulic circuit all of which is mounted on a bracket with the steering rack, Astra H is the same).