Hey guys. I've been having an ongoing concern with my power steeing not working when first started, usually but not always int he morning and sometimes in the afternoon, and it doesn't always do it. I replaced the pump a few months ago- no help. I replaced the rack yesterday, and this morning same problem. It seems like when I give it some gas at idle it starts to work a little but it really has to go a few blocks be fore it is normal. it's been suggested to me that I may have an obstruction in the hoses or cooler but I didn't see anything wrong with them, and the fluid is nice and clear. Any thoughts?

 

It is possible the inner lining of the power steeringhose could be collapsing, I've seen brake lines do this, but you can't look at them and tell though.

 

Do you hear any cavitation (whine)? If so, then you either have a restriction on the return hose or the pump you put on is junk. Is it an Autozone pump? No whine, then you still might have a bad pump. Your description sounds like pump. Might have originally had a bad rack and you could have created another problem with a bad pump. The only way to be sure is with a p/s pressure gauge installed to see what load pressure it has. Check hoses first though.

 

Sounds like 'sleeping sickness'. I saw the term used in a c4 add a few years ago. The ad didn't say what the exact problem was - just that they had the fix (a whole new system).

 

sounds like pressure restriction to me somewhere in one of the lines[:-]