my power steering is cutting out gradually worse and worse. it is fine about 60% of the time. the rest of the time, it's floating between working and not. there is no jittering or noise, it just gradually gets stiff! i used a fluid a while back for top off that had a leak stop in it (which did actially stop the leak) but i think it was mostly for american cars. think changing the fluid would help? i don't even know what other components to the system there are other than the pump.

 

If theres no other lights or sounds or smells I would have to go with your PS pump going bad.

 

You know what I think happened? You added a POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK STOP product... not realizing that our power steering system DOES NOT TAKE POWER STEERING FLUID!!! You killed your pump.

 

well that's possible... what does it take then.... if it's not power steering fluid? any chance that putting the right stuff in would fix it? you can't really say that this is a stupid mistake either lol. who knew that the power steering system didn't take power steering fluid!

 

ok i looked it up and found ATF suggested. should i just go out and get some "ATF"? WTF is that? i see it all the time, but what is it actually for?

 

Automatic Transmission Fluid.

Get some and hope it solves your problem... it may. (PS Fluid is not a lubricant for our type of system, which could explain why your steering has been behaving as it has.)

And using ATF in the PS system is VERY common... you should never add any fluid to any car without checking to see what kind of fluid it takes.

 

yea true that. i did a stupid thing and assumed on this one. i thought it was pretty safe.

but here's the update: i took a hose off the reservoir and ran all the fluid out (by turning the wheel with the engine running and having my dad watch to see when it stopped so i didn't run it with no lube.

then i filled it up with some ATF that i had around, which happened to be dexron (may have been yet another stupid assumption). didn't have quite enough of that so i ran out and got a quart of plain napa ATF. topped it off.

i think it's worse now. every time i turn left it gets stuck for a second before the power assist comes. and at speed, there is pretty much no power assist...

i did run it and get it topped off so i'm pretty sure all the air is out. maybe the pump is just bad?!...

 

*beats head on desk*

 

Sounds like the damage has been done.

And it takes ATF Dexron III (stop making assumptions).

 

i tried to look it up but in my haste i couldn't find it. it got a little better today, but i'm officially looking for a new bleepity-blooping pump. i'm so ready for a motorcycle.

 

New through Coz - $435 + shipping, new through AutoZone - $152, used through Randy - $65 + shipping





It worked when I pulled it off my old TT.

 

same as N/A? anything you want in trade? i'm very interested. no, i WILL buy it. thanks for mentioning it.

want some paintball stuff for part of that bill? electric guitar? amp? name something you are interested in!

 

Wait, is your car NA? (If it is, I'm sorry I forgot.) NA and TT pumps are not the same...

 

AHHHHH! that sucks. thanks for mentioning it anyway

 

do you have a TT fuel pump off your old TT by chance?

 

thread jack.... jk i don't care

but i have a question. how can i be sure that it is the pump its self? there is something on the other end of that pressure. the symptoms are weird because it really goes out when there is a speed or rpm change. if i'm going slow, it doesn't work, but if i speed up it doesn't, then i slow down and it may or may not work. so possibly a problem with what ever part takes care of the speed dependent assist?

i just want to make sure that it's the pump before i get a new one