Power steering failure

[ljpviper2]

96 GTS, car drove fine last night. Went to take it out in the morning. Steering does not want to move, you can force it but very ugly binding.

No fluid loss and belt is spinning. I guess the pump failed.

???????

 

[dave6666]

96 GTS, car drove fine last night. Went to take it out in the morning. Steering does not want to move, you can force it but very ugly binding.

No fluid loss and belt is spinning. I guess the pump failed.

???????

Get a turkey baster or something and **** some of the fluid out. Color...? Smell...?

Check the steering rod into the steering box u-joints.

Lift the front of the car and try in with no load.

If it is hard to turn raised with engine off could be steering box.

Or, maybe extract the neighbors cat from the right front tie rod area...

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Somebody pour brake fluid into the steering fluid resovoir in the life of your car....
Dave, did you have this VIper since new?

 

[dave6666]

Somebody pour brake fluid into the steering fluid resovoir in the life of your car....
Dave, did you have this VIper since new?

Umm, DO WHAT?

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Dave...somebody could have poured brake fluid into the power steering resovoir by mistake and your pump seized up. For God' sake...don't you do it! Have you always owned this car?

 

[dave6666]

Dave...somebody could have poured brake fluid into the power steering resovoir by mistake and your pump seized up. For God' sake...don't you do it! Have you always owned this car?

I am now your personal physician. Your first doctor's order is LESS CAFFEINE.

Not my car D'Yank.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Check the pulley too. It could be spinning on the shaft, but would probably have come apart by now. Ya never know, could be an easy fix. Other wise, I think the pumps cost $400.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Dave....have you always owned this car?

 

[dave6666]

Dave....have you always owned this car?

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Check the pulley too. It could be spinning on the shaft, but would probably have come apart by now. Ya never know, could be an easy fix. Other wise, I think the pumps cost $400.

That would be my first guess.

Regardless Dave, when you finally fix the problem swap out the stock plastic pulley and casted ps bracket with an aluminum pulley and bracket.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

2nd owner.....

 

[ViperTony]

I am now your personal physician. Your first doctor's order is LESS CAFFEINE.

Not my car D'Yank.

Yeah no kidding...less CAFFEINE more write ups. Who let you out of the garage DY? Where's out next write up????

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Dave, sorry this happened to your car. Must be all that driving you get to do in TX. You know, the more you drive these things, the more chances something bad could happen. Its best to just park them and throw the keys away. Again Dave, I'm sorry. Have you always owned this car?

 

[dave6666]

I've got to get my memory chip replaced. I think 47 years of drinking has finally killed it. I swear I gave that car to "Bunny" at the holiday party last year.

 

[ljpviper2]

Is it easier to remove the hood to take off the power steering pump. How hard is it to remove with the hood on?


Thanks,
LP

 

[Viper Wizard]

Is it easier to remove the hood to take off the power steering pump. How hard is it to remove with the hood on?
Thanks,
LP

Hey LP,
You can do it with your hood on but you might bang your head a few times doing it! I'm going with Mike as to the pulley being bad. The stock pulley is plastic and the center sleeve/insert comes loose so the it looks like the pulley is turning but the pump is not. If that is the case, go with "Big Brake Dave's" pulley & bracket.

 

[dave6666]

Is it easier to remove the hood to take off the power steering pump. How hard is it to remove with the hood on?


Thanks,
LP

Unless you are tall like I am, then you won't bang your head on the hood a lot when servicing your engine. There is no other reason to remove the hood. The P/S pump has no interference with the hood.

You should replace the OE pump bracket and pulley if you are replacing the pump though. They are prone to failure and 'sploding.

 

[ljpviper2]

Thanks for all the responces. I am going to take a look at it carefully now again. It is not binding right away when you turn the wheel. Only in certain spots it seems.

It may be the pulley engaging and dis-engaging.

Thoughts

 

[99 R/T 10]

Yep, what I said before. Bad pulley. That is exactly what mine was doing prior to exploding.

 

[ljpviper2]

Ended up being a cracked pulley. Got a new pulley from Jon B. Went to take off the pump in the weekend and ran into a snag.

The the hyd. line that goes into the pump will not loosen, broke one wrench already. Sprayed pen. lube, nothing.

Any ideas????

 

[dave6666]

Ended up being a cracked pulley. Got a new pulley from Jon B. Went to take off the pump in the weekend and ran into a snag.

The the hyd. line that goes into the pump will not loosen, broke one wrench already. Sprayed pen. lube, nothing.

Any ideas????

Penetrating lubricant takes time to do its work. Give 24 hours for it if you can.

Breaking wrenches??? Very simple fix. Buy better tools.

 

[red heat]

I have an 02 RT10. my power steering pump failed when I was at pocono raceway last summer at about 125MPH. the hose connected to the pump came apart and ended up spraying oil all over the engine. losing the power steering at that speed scared the s_ _t out of me and fortunately I was able to get the car back into pit lane. after changing my underwear, I opened the hood and found the problem