Running without power steering

[Ranko Banko]

Hi,

An electric fault has taken out the power steering on my 09 plate Mazda3 which is a combined unit hydroelectric/electric & I won't be able to do anything to it till after Christmas.
I still need to run about in it over the Christmas period & as you can guess the steering is a real swine at the moment so I was thinking of draining the fluid.
My question is which will do damage? Running it with or without fluid or both?

Regards
Mike

[anonymous-user]

The EH unit (electric pump) includes a bypass valve that allows the rack to push fluid past the pump elements and hence allow the system to still be moved by the driver should the pump not be turning. However that valve introduces some resistance and hence adds some load to the system.

You could drain the system completely, but i'd not recommend that due to the possibility of damaging the racks fluid seals (if they were to run dry)

I'd suggest disconnecting the feed and return pipes from the EH unit, and looping them together with a bit of pipe, that way, the fluid in the rack will just be looped round in circles, and maintain lubrication.

However, the steering will be heavy, and also the resistance level may vary because the rack is likely to cavitate or find air pockets as it moves. In all circumstances, driving with additional care and "safety margin" is needed!

[Ranko Banko]

Thank you for taking time out to give me advice.
If the steering is going to be on the heavy side when I tie them togeter anyway It maybe as well keeping it the way is is for the time been then I guess.

[Ranko Banko]

Max_Torque said:

The EH unit (electric pump) includes a bypass valve that allows the rack to push fluid past the pump elements and hence allow the system to still be moved by the driver should the pump not be turning. However that valve introduces some resistance and hence adds some load to the system.

You could drain the system completely, but i'd not recommend that due to the possibility of damaging the racks fluid seals (if they were to run dry)

I'd suggest disconnecting the feed and return pipes from the EH unit, and looping them together with a bit of pipe, that way, the fluid in the rack will just be looped round in circles, and maintain lubrication.

However, the steering will be heavy, and also the resistance level may vary because the rack is likely to cavitate or find air pockets as it moves. In all circumstances, driving with additional care and "safety margin" is needed!

u


Hi,

I was wondering if you may give me some more advice.
I am looking at second hand pumps on eBay & any pump (diesel or petrol) before 2006 is a lot cheaper but has three ports when anything after including mine has two.
So two questions really.

1, what is the third port & is it relevant?
2, Do you think these pumps are ginerick i.e. petrol, diesel, 1.6, 2.0 etc?

Mine is a 2.2 diesel sport of which there is only one £185 where as I can get a 2004 1.6 petrol with the three ports for &40.

Pics coming

[Ranko Banko]

Ranko Banko said:

Hi,

I was wondering if you may give me some more advice.
I am looking at second hand pumps on eBay & any pump (diesel or petrol) before 2006 is a lot cheaper but has three ports when anything after including mine has two.
So two questions really.

1, what is the third port & is it relevant?
2, Do you think these pumps are ginerick i.e. petrol, diesel, 1.6, 2.0 etc?

Mine is a 2.2 diesel sport of which there is only one £185 where as I can get a 2004 1.6 petrol with the three ports for &40.

Pics coming

[Ranko Banko]

Ranko Banko said:

[stevieturbo]

Buy the correct part for your car...end of story.

[paintman]

stevieturbo said:

Buy the correct part for your car...end of story.

^^^This.

And if a Mazda franchised dealer is prepared to give you in writing that your car is safe with defective steering then drive it on a road.
Some bloke on an internet forum saying it's OK isn't good enough & the police & your insurers will take the same line.

A quick google suggests that steering problems on this vehicle is a known issue & was a dealer recall.

Edited by paintman on Sunday 23 December 22:01

[Mikey G]

Ranko Banko said:

Hi,

An electric fault has taken out the power steering on my 09 plate Mazda3 which is a combined unit hydroelectric/electric & I won't be able to do anything to it till after Christmas.
I still need to run about in it over the Christmas period & as you can guess the steering is a real swine at the moment so I was thinking of draining the fluid.
My question is which will do damage? Running it with or without fluid or both?

Regards
Mike

I had a power steering pipe burst many years ago on a Peugeot 405 Mi16, at the time I had to do a 60 mile round trip for work and when it happened it would drain the fluid by the time I got halfway to work. Went to order one next day from the stealers and not one in the country and had to wait a week for delivery. Couldnt find a second hand one (car becoming rare at the time and the internet was new..) so instead of pouring the fluid basically straight out underneath the car I had to find a way around it, fortunatly the pump is seperate to the the main auxillary belt on the Mi16 so pulled the belt off and drove it for a week.
I was turning up for work with arm pump for that week, felt like popeye by the end of it
New pipe fitted and no other damage done probably because of the residual fluid left in the rack and the fact the pump wasnt running dry.