steering problems -- need an idea of what the cause could be

[HaShfIeNd]

Hey... i have an 4 door 88 honda LX-i..



Anyways a couple weeks ago as i was leaving my driveway my steering went totally bulky.. it was like i couldn't turn the wheel and when i did turn it hard to turn it would go "CHUNK CHUNK" but then as i stopped for a second and backed up (i have to pull out of a steep hill) the steering was fine.. this happend a couple more times... then seemed to have gone away for a couple weeks until today... it happend again coming out of the driveway... and then again when i was trying to park the car.. i check the fluid and anything basic like that and i'm pretty good at keeping up on fluids etc in the car.. so i think it may be something else.. if anyone has any suggestions at what it might be that would greatly appriciated :D

[mouchyn]

those are symptoms of improper fluid flow. possible causes are a failing power steering pump or a worn out steering rack.

[FyreDaug]

What about things like tie rods/ball joints? That could affect steering like that.

[mouchyn]

What about things like tie rods/ball joints? That could affect steering like that.

generally, tie rod ends and ball joints will only affect steering at speed. If there is a problem turning the steering wheel, or the movement isn't smooth, then it's likely a PS issue. Usually a failing pump or a clogged line.

[FyreDaug]

Ah touche. But if his fluid isnt low like he said then it can really only be a bad pump. Ive never seen a blogged PS line before, but I suppose it could happen.

Try bleeding your ps system

[HaShfIeNd]

as soon as it happend outside of where i leave the driveway for the first time while i was trying to park in the bank i quickly popped the hood to take a peek.. fluid was fine.. pump seemed fine.. belt seemed okay.. my insticts were improper flow or something, but does that cause your steering to be so fucked up that it can barely move? when i turn the wheel its almost like i can feel the wheels go "clunk, clunk" or "chunk, chunk" and the steering feels the same way like its really sticky or something... but like i said before it only lasts for a couple seconds.. hopefully it won't be something to expensive to fix or replace LOL but thanks for anyone that leaves input the more info the better...

[mouchyn]

well, rebuilding the PS pump isn't that hard. I did it a couple times on my preludes. That's an inexpensive place to start. All you need is metric wrenches and sockets.

if that doesn't fix your problem, it's probably a busted-ass power steering rack.

[paso100]

when i turn the wheel its almost like i can feel the wheels go "clunk, clunk" or "chunk, chunk" and the steering feels the same way like its really sticky or something... but like i said before it only lasts for a couple seconds

Try turning your steering wheel in P or N after the car's warmed up. If there's a problem there it should be evident then. When you say the wheels go clunk, does that mean when the car is moving? If so, it might be your CV joints. It's worse when your making slow turns, almost disappears when driving straight. I'd check the boots for leakage and move the wheel around (car jacked up) to check for freeplay.

[HaShfIeNd]

i like the tips so far, every bit of knowledge helps.. although its hard to say since its only happend a few times.. its like right as i leave the driveway to turn right.. i'll try and turn and the steering wheel just stops i have to literally force it to turn and when that happends is when it sorta of clinks more and more it almost feels as if the wheel can't turn anymore its hard to explain... But -- i want to try it in P or N (yes it is an automatic) although it only happends for seconds at a time.. as soon as i relize its happening do i put it in reverse and try and back up a bit or something and in a second i can turn the steering wheel freely like normal... which of course makes it hard to diagnos because it only happends rarely and only for a short while... another reason why i was worried when it happend when i tried to park at the bank because i thought maybe it was a warming up issue... anyways any other ideas would be great i'm looking into all ideas because i don't want to be driving down the road 35-40 mph and try and turn and have my steering just not work all of a sudden!! (scary) -- also it doesn't happen every time i leave... like i said at first the symptoms vanished completely for almost a month... and just showed again for the first time today.. but... a new PS pump is like 25 bucks on ebay or something.. so maybe i can start working my way from there... do you think part of the steering linkage could be damaged? -- i'm a total newbie at cars in general i have very basic knowledge of how cars work, this was taken out of a basic diagnostic manual... :uh:

[88Accord-DX]

Check to see if the power steering belt is tight too, then look at the power steering pump. The rack could be going out too.

The clunck thing you said in the first thread reminds me of cv joint. Hard to say with-out looking at it.

*edit* little re-write

[FyreDaug]

Hmm you know what, the more you describe it the more it seems relevant to what has happened to me before. I dont know if youve ever driven a car with power steering off (like someone pushing you when you engine is off) and you try to turn the wheel its stiff like that. Maybe not quite as stiff, but same idea.

This has actually happened to me twice in the time ive owned this car (a month and a half, ~5000km) and it was brief. After I forced it to turn and started to drive it was fine.

I'll keep updated on this thread.

EDIT: And btw I have a blown pass cv joint, the boot is still fine so I'm gonna keep driving it for a while until I get the money.

<unrelated>I was driving one time and my cv clicks all the time, but it made 1 hard click/clunk while I was making a hard left turn doing about 60kmh (45 degree turn?) and its been less clicky ever since, I know the boot is fine, I think the cv joint itself is just old and giving out. But its clicking much less, whats the deal?</unrelated>

[paso100]

For CV joint diagnosis:

http://www.drivetrain.com/frtwhl.html

For steering diagnosis:
http://www.aicautosite.com/garage/symptoms/s157.asp

[HaShfIeNd]

i think i have driven a couple times without PS when i had to back it up a bit to get a jump, etc.. but even without power steering the wheel can move somewhat freely right? even though its much harder to turn then normal..this might be a little different as i start to turn left (sorry not right LOL) its like my wheel just stops as if i had turned it all the way to the left... but obvioulsy i'm not turning so if i cram the wheel hard over it starts to turn but isn't smooth feels "sticky" so it will slip, then stop, slip, then stop.. "chunk, chunk" then by the time i get turned at start going all of a sudden steering is smooth and normal.. but it isn't a noise or anything its more of a feel...

[HaShfIeNd]

hey well i was able to diagnos the PS a little more i think it is definately the pump or something when i came out of the driveway and it started to happen i put it in neutral and it felt exactly like no power steering.. then i put it back into drive and it it did the clunky steering thing.. so definately PS! hmm how would i go about checking what part? the fluids fine.. the belt seems fine.. the line could be clogged or my ps pump could be failing only sometimes or something?

[mouchyn]

well, you have to either rebuild or replace the PS pump. that's the only was to check it, really...

[Oldblueaccord]

well, you have to either rebuild or replace the PS pump. that's the only was to check it, really...


Seems like the pump is bypassing the high pressure side for some reason.Not knowing anything about Honda PS pumps look thru the diagrams and see if there is a check valve that could be replaced maybe. Also use Honda PS fluid there is a differance. I use that bardaly Honda only fluid myself.

wp

[AZmike]

Seems like the pump is bypassing the high pressure side for some reason.Not knowing anything about Honda PS pumps look thru the diagrams and see if there is a check valve that could be replaced maybe. Also use Honda PS fluid there is a differance. I use that bardaly Honda only fluid myself.

wp

The pressure relief valve is in the pump body. I haven't head of one failing before but there's a first time for everything.