Subaru power steering mod.

[phazed]

I think I have some piccies at home. Will check later.

[Fenderer]

Thanks, I think I've cracked it. I 'adjusted' the sharp lower edge of the U section of the wishbone with a large hammer, and it's created a good 5mm clearance. Bit of grinding here and there for the UJ and it's all fitted.

Did you use nylon bump stops on your rack? I'm wondering whether I'll get away without them as I they weren't on my old TVR rack, so can't use those.

Getting my hoses made up tomorrow.

[phazed]

No, don't use them, just have a feel for the tyres touching the arches, (235 wide).

[Fenderer]

Great I should be OK then as I only have skinny 205s.

Well it's all connected up, pipes in and pump mounted, just the wiring to do now.

Got some questions on the Astra pump wiring,

1. Where did you take the switched ignition live from?
2. The blue/white wire that does the engine running signal. Did you wire this directly to the alternator charge light terminal?
3. The big red wire to the battery. Did you literally go straight to the battery through the bulkhead or pick up the starter motor cable?

Thanks for your help.

[phazed]

I took a feed from the fuel pump feed through a separate fused link to trigger the pump so pump only works when engine runs.

I took the main heavy cable through a 100amp fise direct from the battery.

[carsy]

I found this on an Astra forum.

Thick
Red - Battery positive via 80A fuse
Brown - Ground

Thin
Brown - Diagnostics (Should be Brown/White)
Black - 12v Ignition via 10A fuse
Blue/White - Alternator check light



The brown diagnostics can be left out.

I would have thought going to the starter or alternator would be fine for the main power feed.

You also have to have the thin black and blue/white connected to 12v for the pump to run. These could come from the fuel pump feed as Phazed did OR is there any reason why they both cant be run off the alternator check light wire. This would be easier and the pump would still only run when the engine did.

[Fenderer]

Thanks, that's great info. Finding the fuel pump feed wiring doesn't look easy.

Putting both the black and blue/white wires to the Alternator charge light seems the easiest but I'm not sure what the current draw is on the black wire. You don't really want to pull down the voltage on the alternator check light but I guess it's only a signal wire to the pump.

[phazed]

Just go to the back of the fuel pump relay and find the line for her when the ignition turns on but goes dead when the fuel pump stops.

[Cerberus90]

Fenderer said:

Thanks, that's great info. Finding the fuel pump feed wiring doesn't look easy.

Putting both the black and blue/white wires to the Alternator charge light seems the easiest but I'm not sure what the current draw is on the black wire. You don't really want to pull down the voltage on the alternator check light but I guess it's only a signal wire to the pump.

If it's anything like the Taimar fuel pump I've got on the alternator charge light, it may come on when the engine isn't running.
I've got the fuel pump on a relay, which takes its signal from the alternator light, which in theory should mean it only runs when alternator light goes out ... BUT, it doesn't always work, pretty much every time you turn the key, the ign light comes on and the fuel pump comes on too, if you then turn off and back on, usually only the ign light comes on. It's something to do with how much current the ign light draws and how much the relay draws and that the electricity flows in a certain way around the circuit thereby activating the fuel pump relay.
Need to stall the car on purpose to see if the pump does actually stop when the engine stops but ign still on.

Not sure if it'll be the same on a chim as the ign light (2.2W piddly bulb) and alternator might be different.

[Fenderer]

Just thought I'd update this to say my install is all done. I went straight to the battery for the pump wiring, found the fuel pump relay for the +12v and used the charge light on the alternator for the pump run signal.

It all works brilliantly! It's much easier to drive now, and doesn't do too much in the straight ahead position so still feels nicely weighted. The Astra pump also makes a nice engineered whine when manoeuvring.

Very pleased, thanks for everyone's help on this thread.

[phazed]

Well done!

You mounted the pump in the same position that I did on my 4.6.

[Chuffmeister]

Fenderer said:

I went straight to the battery for the pump wiring, found the fuel pump relay for the +12v

Got an image of the wiring and how you connected it?

[carsy]

Excellent well done.

What did you do with the shaft from the rack to the column. Did your original fit or did you have to source a different one.

[Fenderer]

Wiring ended up being easier than I thought. Picture above shows the mess of wiring but it's really easy once you find the fuel pump relay which is relay in the blue socket in the picture.

-Main pump feed via 80amp fuse direct through the bulkhead to battery +
- Black wire wire from pump via 10A fuse to pin 86 on the Fuel pump relay to pick up the IGN switched +12v
- Blue/white wire connected to the brown (middle) charge light terminal on the back of the alternator.

For the steering shaft I bought this one from Motorsport Tools which was the perfect length .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231555676851?_trksid=p20...

Edited by Fenderer on Sunday 1st November 20:22

[Top Gear TVR]

Hi - I wondered if you found any difference in the way it drives? the track rods are longer and wondered how this may have affected bump steer or any other behaviours??

[phazed]

Almost identical in my opinion.

In fact, asking me now I couldn’t tell you if there was any difference at all!

All in all, a win-win situation and a very cheap modification!