jndnaps Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 On my 96 DeVille, When the car is stopped and my hand is on the steering wheel at 12:00, I then turn the wheel to the left to about 9:00 and back to the right at 3:00 and I do that a few times, It is very hard to do. It pretty much feels kinda close to having a car with no power steering, It's a very stiff wheel.. But once I start driving It's fine. Does that sound like a bad Power Steering Pump? Or maybe a fluid change? The car has 60K on it. I just picked it up Monday, I'm not the original owner so I don't have any service records. Car looks like new and looks to have been taken care of very well. Thanks in advance, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Fenwick Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 You could try turning the wheel with the rpms a little higher. If there is no change, it isn't the pump! Is the fluid level ok? What about the condition of the belt. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 My 96 is stiff in the cold weather and loosens when it warms up, I plan to purge the old fluid out in the spring. Take a look at your serp belt to see if it could be slipping, see if the ribs have voids and cracks and look to see if the tensioner is within its 'good' range... maybe your belt has stretched. Early on sailors navigated by the stars at night and the North star became the symbol for finding ones way home. Once you know where the Northstar is you can point your ship in the right direction to get home. So the star became a symbol for finding ones way home or more symbolically even finding ones path in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RalPh Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 Mine did that a couple of years ago, but it was harder to turn left than right at no/low speeds. It's a variable power assist (more in a parking lot, muchless on the highway changing lanes) Anyway, since it was still under warranty, the dealer replaced the Rack to fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jndnaps Posted January 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 Scotty, Mine seems to start up more when the car is warm. The belt looked good and the fluid level is fine. I'll have to recheck the tensioner Friday.. Ed Fenwick, I tried that today. After the car was pretty warmed up I was in a parking lot and it was very hard to turn the wheel back and forth with my foot on the brake and the car in drive. When I put the car in park, It was easier. I then put it back in drive and it did it again, Very hard. This time I kept it in drive and with my foot on the brake I gave it some gas and it got easier to turn again. RalPh, Mine is the same either way I turn it. But again, Once the car is warmed up it acts up. I do feel it at very low speeds, Like you said, in parking lots.. Maybe at like 5mph and stopped.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 Scotty, Mine seems to start up more when the car is warm. The belt looked good and the fluid level is fine. I'll have to recheck the tensioner Friday.. Ed Fenwick, I tried that today. After the car was pretty warmed up I was in a parking lot and it was very hard to turn the wheel back and forth with my foot on the brake and the car in drive. When I put the car in park, It was easier. I then put it back in drive and it did it again, Very hard. This time I kept it in drive and with my foot on the brake I gave it some gas and it got easier to turn again. RalPh, Mine is the same either way I turn it. But again, Once the car is warmed up it acts up. I do feel it at very low speeds, Like you said, in parking lots.. Maybe at like 5mph and stopped.. It sort of sounds like the pump is not putting out enough pressure at idle, make sure your belt isnt stretched however. By the way, what is your RPM at idle in drive? You should be around 650 Early on sailors navigated by the stars at night and the North star became the symbol for finding ones way home. Once you know where the Northstar is you can point your ship in the right direction to get home. So the star became a symbol for finding ones way home or more symbolically even finding ones path in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jndnaps Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Scotty, Yep, My RPM's are 650.. I've been busy since I posted but I'll re check the belt. It's not cracked up but could be stretched out. I may just change it anyway.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Scotty, Yep, My RPM's are 650.. I've been busy since I posted but I'll re check the belt. It's not cracked up but could be stretched out. I may just change it anyway.. Some of these cars have a filter on the power steering, look around to see if you have one and maybe change it. I see you are in florida so cold weather should not be a problem, you may want to purge out your fluid and refill with new fluid use GM recommended fluid for your car Early on sailors navigated by the stars at night and the North star became the symbol for finding ones way home. Once you know where the Northstar is you can point your ship in the right direction to get home. So the star became a symbol for finding ones way home or more symbolically even finding ones path in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regis Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Like Mr.Scott suggested you may want to check/replace your power steering filter if you have one. My 94 has one located just behind the passenger side fog lamp. Looks just like a fuel filter canister. 2 years ago I had a groaning ps and stiff steering and replacing the filter cured the problem. Hopefully your problem will be that simple as well. -kg "Burns" rubber " I've never considered myself to be all that conservative, but it seems the more liberal some people get the more conservative I become. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Like Mr.Scott suggested you may want to check/replace your power steering filter if you have one. My 94 has one located just behind the passenger side fog lamp. Looks just like a fuel filter canister. 2 years ago I had a groaning ps and stiff steering and replacing the filter cured the problem. Hopefully your problem will be that simple as well. -kg Hey from your description I have one also, I was wondering what that was! LOL Early on sailors navigated by the stars at night and the North star became the symbol for finding ones way home. Once you know where the Northstar is you can point your ship in the right direction to get home. So the star became a symbol for finding ones way home or more symbolically even finding ones path in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry94 Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 My neighbor has an Olds Intrigue with the "mini" northstar V6. His power steering was acting exactly like yours. Hard to steer at idle, and not a problem with rpm above idle. He/we flushed the system and added new fluid, no improvement. I called a friend that is a Tech at an Chev/Olds/Caddy dealership and he said it is a very common problem. It's the pump. He said he has changed several on Olds and Cadillac. That pump is common to both. My neighbor had the pump replaced and the problem was solved. Barry 2008 STS V82016 Colorado Z711970 Corvette LT-1 Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmac-etc Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 My 95 etc exhibited that behavior. Pump, rack, electronics ???? Hard to know, but I started out by replacing the pump. It corrected that problem > 90%. Still not perfect, but good enough. I expect that it is a combo of the pump and the rack. My guess is that over time the rack needs more pressure than the pump is delivering. The new pump produces more than the old and nearly solves the problem. It will probably be good enough. My wife could not park the car previously and now drives it regularly (need i say, with a smile on her face). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jndnaps Posted February 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 My problem seems to come and go now also. Usually by the time I get to my shop it acts up. Today it was fine. The belt seems like it may be a little loose. I also noticed my RPM's fluctuate from 650 to 625 to 600 when the car is warmed up. Maybe the belt is stretched a little. I'm just gonna replace the belt and flush the system. I found the filter on the pass side mounted to the frame area.. Now, if that will fix that, Then I can hit the right front hub bearing.. Just started hearing some noise from it.. Other than that, The car is great.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
32v_dohc Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Definately try the fluid and belt but from the symptoms you describe add another vote for pump. Hot fluid plus worn pump clearance equals low pressure at low pump speed. HTH John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Definately try the fluid and belt but from the symptoms you describe add another vote for pump. Hot fluid plus worn pump clearance equals low pressure at low pump speed. HTH John Good thought, maybe this is why some people have gotten good results from adding Lucas to the power steering pump, hmm, increase the viscosity slightly, increase the pressure in a worn pump...problem "solved" (not that I am recommending using any additives)... This could also be the reason why flushing the system and changing the fluid has worked for some here.... Things that make you go hmmm, Mike Early on sailors navigated by the stars at night and the North star became the symbol for finding ones way home. Once you know where the Northstar is you can point your ship in the right direction to get home. So the star became a symbol for finding ones way home or more symbolically even finding ones path in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jndnaps Posted February 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2005 Still haven't gotten to it yet. Probably sometime next week.. Changing the Belt first.. Then the fluid and filter if the belt doesn't work.. then the Lucas.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeM Posted February 4, 2005 Report Share Posted February 4, 2005 Does a 1992 Eldorado have a ps filter and why would my fluid change from clear to black? Whats making it black? Pump? Why would the pump shake and moan and make grinding noises when idling and turning the wheel stop to stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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