Power Steering that isn't power....

[McGyver777]

To anyone that might be able to help me,

I'll start by giving a short story bring you up to where I presently am, and then hope that someone on here has an idea of where I should go next.

Started with a "partial" loss of power steering. It just wasn't helping at lower speeds like it should. "Back-yard" mechanic like me says, "gotta be power steering pump...nothing else could break," so I get together with the father-in-law and we put a new power steering pump on her.

Didn't help.

She still isn't acting right. Still had the "helps sometimes, but mostly not helping at lower speeds." Now, not to be mean or anything but the power steering is mostly needed AT the lower speeds. Tell my mechanic to tell me what else could it be. He says he doesn't know, try ford dealer.

Took her to the Ford dealership. They say, "we get a signal saying there is a stuck valve in the rack, you need a new rack and pinon." They want around 1200 bucks....no way.

I get my own rack (rebuilt one) and have it installed. The "new" power steering pump (pump 1) has had "back-pressure" from the old rack having the stuck valve and caused it (pump 1) to start leaking. Have to go and buy a brand new pump (pump 2) to replace the "new" leaking pump (pump 1). Lucky I have warranty and get the "new new" pump (pump 2) for free with return of "old new leaking" pump (pump 1).

So, here we are:
1. new rack and pinion with seliniod? speed sensing with...
2. new power steering pump.

Picked her up today. I'm like awesome the "grimlin" is out of the system. THIS has GOT to be the day she is like she was.

Drive her out of my mechanic and she isn't fixed. NEW rack and pinion, NEW pump, and she is (&&* &^(* %$%$ %^&* mother &^^&*&^ a*^&^*^ son of a motherless goat not working right, still. ( :censor: Edited for content so everyone's eyes wouldn't bleed at the level of profanity I wanted to type).

So where am I now?

What in the "heck" could be wrong now?

Where do I go from here?

Do I take her back to Ford :help: and get ANOTHER 85.00 diagnostic :mad2: done to tell me "your new rack and new power steering pump wasn't the problem after all, give us a thousand dollars to try another answer we pull from our nether regions." :lol:

UGH.

Frustration.

Any ideas?
Anyone else been through this?
What did you do?
What fixed yours?

Thanks,
McGyver777
AKA: "Out of money in NC with no vacation because the crown vic ate it all."
AKA: "Could have taken the entire summer off with what I have been putting into the Vic this summer."
AKA: "Bent over in NC and not enjoying it."

[ctrlraven]

When I replaced the PS pump and rack unit on my 89 5.0 it took a while to get the air out of the system. Kept the front up in the air with the motor running and just went back and forth from left to right almost full lock. Then took it out on the road and found and empty parking lot and just kept driving around turning left and right, stop recheck fluid and add if needed. I did all this with the cap off, seemed to help a good bit as the steering for more responsive.

Not saying this is whats wrong or could fix it might can't hurt to try.

Rebuilt stuff can also not be good from the start.

[fastblackmerc]

Marauders came with speed sensitive steering aka: VAPS.

I bet the switch is either bad or the connection is dirty. The switch is on the drivers side of the rack.

Here is some info:

"Most systems operate in a similar manner. Ford calls their system VAPS
which stands for variable assist power steering. When the car is driven
at low speed, the power steering gives full assist so the driver can
turn the steering wheel easily. Parking or turning tight corners can be
done with little effort.

As vehicle speed increases, the mount of power steering assist is
reduced and the steering wheel becomes harder to turn. This gives the
driver more feedback about road conditions through the steering wheel
and better vehicle control. If an emergency arises and the driver needs
to turn the steering wheel quickly, the full power assist is provided
almost immediately after the wheel is turned only a few degrees.

In a conventional power steering system, the power steering pump
provides constant oil pressure for the system. The oil pressure is high
so turning the wheel can be done easily when the engine is idling. The
same high pressure is produced as the engine speeds up and the same
effort is required to turn the wheel even at higher vehicle speeds.

Most speed sensitive steering systems vary the oil pump output and the
amount of power assist by rapidly turning on and off an electric control
solenoid mounted on the pump. High assist is provided at low speeds but
the assist is gradually reduced as vehicle speed increases to give the
driver more road feel."

[RF Overlord]

Phoebe had a "P/S event" of some kind a little while ago. I never felt it to any great degree, but Bunny did (it's her DD). What I did feel was like it was "lazy"...seemed to take just a little more effort and didn't return to centre like I thought it should. I doused the intermediate steering shaft (whatever it's called...the one with the little u-joints in it next to the exhaust manifold) with WD-40 and it seems to be fine now. It would suck if that's all it was in your case...

[fastblackmerc]

Phoebe had a "P/S event" of some kind a little while ago. I never felt it to any great degree, but Bunny did (it's her DD). What I did feel was like it was "lazy"...seemed to take just a little more effort and didn't return to centre like I thought it should. I doused the intermediate steering shaft (whatever it's called...the one with the little u-joints in it next to the exhaust manifold) with WD-40 and it seems to be fine now. It would suck if that's all it was in your case...

Yep, I forgot about that.....

If WD40 clears up the problem, I'd replace the shaft....

[Spectragod]

Wow, talk about deja vu, I just went through this with an 06' Vic. The car had no initial power steering problem, it had worn out bushings, causing the inner tie rod ends to rattle against the R&P. I priced a OEM piece, $533 my cost, NAPA $187, so you can figure which way I went, as the NAPA unit has a lifetime warranty.

Easy to install, 3 1/2 hours book time was about 2 hours more than it took, that's the good news, bad news, the VAPS solenoid was not working, made sure it was bled, watched the counts drop via a scan tool, to verify the module was working.

I had to go toe to toe with the store, even though it had a lifetime warranty, the phrase "we have never seen that before" is code for our product is a giant hunk of $#it. They replaced the unit, I R&I'd the rack, all was good after that, but what a pain.

As a general rule, the solenoid is supposed to go to "full assist" when the module or solenoid goes tits up. As was not the case with my first unit, I would suggest that you replace the rack, as the solenoid is not a readily serviceable item. If it has a warranty, it may cover the costs of having to pay to get it R&I'd, generally, you will have to pay up front, but they will reimburse you(hopefully).