Intermittent power steering...

[Pupp]

... and fluid pretty discoloured. Pump?

[phazed]

I would change the fluid and discharge the return into a container until all the contaminated fluid is expelled.

Refill and test.

Pumps usually just get noisy.

Good luck.

[shake n bake]

Mine was flushed last year, made a noticible difference.
If yours is intermittent, are any of the pipes starting to break up on the inside? I think I read on here recently that the resivoir has a gauze at the bottom or something that can get blocked?

[Pupp]

Ok, cheers - shouldn't be pipe breakdown as they've been replaced with the usual upgrade jobs. Maybe the pump valving just needs flushing through.

Pump is not unduly noisy and loads up ok at full lock each side so I think is pressurising as it should

[Sardonicus]

Back flush the res Gary the internal strainer is possibly choked, carb or brake cleaner work wonders, like Peter says purge out the old fluid too.

[Pupp]

Ok, will try that too... it's an aftermarket reservoir so not sure it has a strainer in it. Weird thing is the fluid looks cloudy in situ but extracting a pipette full and it's pretty clean

Tempted to change the pump anyway as it's the original as far as I know - anyone know a source for OEM ones or a decent pattern?

[Hedgehopper]

Possibly there is nothing wrong with the power assistance? Maybe just a seized up universal joint?

[chimyellow]

Hedgehopper said:

Possibly there is nothing wrong with the power assistance? Maybe just a seized up universal joint?

I had this a while back and it was pretty severe , the steering would not even centre itsself after going around a roundabout.
A good squirt of WD40 on the joints made a massive difference and replacing the universal joints solved the issue.

[Pupp]

Woth a look, thanks

[Alexdaredevils]

I'd say UJ

But i'd still fit a inline filter on the return on the PS line

[zed4]

chimyellow said:

Hedgehopper said:

Possibly there is nothing wrong with the power assistance? Maybe just a seized up universal joint?

I had this a while back and it was pretty severe , the steering would not even centre itsself after going around a roundabout.
A good squirt of WD40 on the joints made a massive difference and replacing the universal joints solved the issue.

Yep, me too. I was amazed at how heavy the steering became and how quickly the problem arose. I was convinced it was the power steering until someone mentioned the UJ.

It sits very close to the exhaust and gets covered in crap from the wheel so I can see how it would get dirty quickly.

[Pupp]

Front up and, yep, looks like a stiff joint. Just when you thought you had seen the full range of gotchas... And it's started raining right on cue!!

[KateV8]

+1 for the UJ theory. We had this last year and the car was borderline undriveable , certainly not safe till the UJ's were replaced.

[Sardonicus]

Pupp said:

Front up and, yep, looks like a stiff joint. Just when you thought you had seen the full range of gotchas... And it's started raining right on cue!!

Good find

[Pupp]

Good soaking of Plusgas has got it feeling something like again but will change the joints; anyone know the gen for a facelift Serp car (97)?

[phazed]

Pupp said:

Good soaking of Plusgas has got it feeling something like again but will change the joints; anyone know the gen for a facelift Serp car (97)?

Just renewed mine. Sourced from Powers, about 100 squid the pair delivered.

Warning, there are different length joints available from other suppliers that require a different length shaft!

Pay the right price and get the correct fittings, IMHO.

[Pupp]

That's why I asked; I know there are some variations

[KateV8]

...And some variation in how they left the factory. I tried every combination of UJ over the two different shaft lengths Powers had in stock and still couldn't replicate what she'd left Blackpool with. So had to have a new shaft custom made by a local engineering firm who could do splining.

[Pupp]

I was waiting for that! What fun...

[Pupp]

Okay... bottom joint from Power a good match, top one only 100 long as against the 115 that was on the car (obviously, only verified this after stripping the thing out). Splines are the same thankfully.

Seems like that length (the 115) is no longer obtainable so stuck with the 100mm joint to renew but the intermediate shaft is now too short. Is it as simple as whistling up a shaft (H0042 is listed) and assume that will be the right length for the currently available shorter joints or will that be the same length as the one I have (I know what my money is on)? Or do I need to get one made?

Before anyone suggests it, I have spent the afternoon pressing the spider and bearings/cups out of the new UJ and installing into the original joint forks and re-staking. It's okay and got me going again but it's still not feeling 'right' so want to renew properly...