Scary steering problem...

[matty_boy]

I've got a couple of problems with my 2002 Cerbie 4.5, most hair-raisingly with the steering.


It's decided to stop steering all of a sudden - I put it in the garage the night before last and when I took it out the next morning it just started playing up.

It's a difficult one to explain, but it feels very heavy and jerky, as if it would much rather carry on going in the same direction it's already going. It feels worse at slow speeds. I have to force it to turn and then it sort of 'snaps' into a position - it's not smooth.

It feels a bit like a flat tyre (but it's not), so I thought it might be a PAS fluid leak or something, but I've checked that and it's all topped up nicely.

So, any ideas?

Also, I'm getting through oil like nobody's business, and my manifolds, weirdly, seem to get covered in the stuff - any thoughts as to why?

Help would be appreciated...

Ta, Matty


>>> Edited by matty_boy on Tuesday 15th March 20:21

[Extra 300 Driver]

First of all DON'T DRIVE IT!

Is the steering wheel tight on it's flange and locator? Also check the universal joint in the drivers wheel arch, gets covered in crap and all sorts.

[matty_boy]

Don't know about flanges, I'm afraid (if you know what I mean), but I think I might know a man who does...

You're right, it does always get covered in crap, especially because I live and work down country lanes - Jamie at TVR Power has said that that can be a real nuisance, too (it regularly causes problems with my anti-roll bars/bushes).

[GreenV8S]

This sounds exactly like a knackered steering column UJ.

[gazzab]

deffo the UJ ! Pretty cheap to fix. Get it down to a garage asap. THe steering probably feels a little 'square'.

[kojak]

It does sound like a UJ joint as others have mentioned.

Was going to suggest the woodruff key has sheared on the PAS shaft, but this was a problem on the earlier cars, not a 2002 model.

[gazzab]

and if it does end up being something more serious with the PAS Then talk to Joolz if you want to avoid the expensive fix ie he can do an electronic PAS instead much more cheaply.

[matty_boy]

Yeah, it does feel a bit 'square'.

I bunged a load of WD40 on the UJ last night and this morning, and gave it a rub down with a cloth - it seems to have loosened it a bit, but it's still not right.

Would that imply that it might be a UJ problem (covered in dried-up crap, perhaps), but that it might need more of the same treatment?

It's got a slight tendancy to the passenger side, which is also the side that locks worst of all.