givin the ps the boot...

[sw20>>s14]

my power steering is shot...damn previous owner and his powersteering fluid...wanted to take it out completely, but dont want the dry rack. want to replace it, but dont want to shell out 370 something. want to replace the rack, but too lazy to go to junkyards. so im going to recirculate the system. saw previous threads, but some questions were unanswered...

-is it a bad thing with a lot of drawbacks? people in the past didnt really come up with real evidence.
-if the ps pump is now out of the system, you just fill the rack with ps fluid right?
-can someone who did it post pics if its not too much trouble?
-can someone who actually did it give some insight into how they like it? (daily driving, spirited, drifting, anything...)

thanks for any advise

ps. since were on subject, my ps is leaking. in a last ditch effort, can i try the lucas stop leak stuff? if the ps doesnt accept ps fluid, will this also make it worse? is it too late to fill it with atf?

[SirWarrior]

from what little I know about taking off the PS, I do recall Honda guys saying that if you leave the fluid in the rack (removing everything else) it will be actually HARDER to turn than if there was no fluid in there.
as far as PS vs non-PS car, they are only noticeable in low speeds. when you're doing 30+ it feels same or close enough where you don't notice.
HTH

[sr240mike]

Why is the PS shot? Was it low on fluid, leaking from high pressure side, pump whining, rack making funny noises? When my PS was disconnected the rack was dry for about a year with no problems.

[g2ic02]

i have been driving my car around with just the belt off for about a year now...no problems...i love no power steering.....in the next couple of weeks i am gonna loop the high pressure line with the low pressure line to make a closed loop(with rack filled) I don't see why this would make it any harder to steer than it with just having the belt off. i can post pics of what i do after i do it, but it may be a couple of weeks before i get around to doing it.

[sw20>>s14]

Originally Posted by sr240mike

Why is the PS shot? Was it low on fluid, pump whining, rack making funny noises?

all of the above. so far i cleaned the lines, and reservoir really well...before, the lines and reservoir were very gritty. now, the lines arent dirty, but my boys driveway (where my cars parked) has little blotches of liquid. not oil and most likely not coolant...on the better side, it hasnt really fully crapped out on me yet...

Originally Posted by g1c02

i have been driving my car around with just the belt off for about a year now

how do you ride without the belt? isnt it connected to the waterpump and and other stuff? did you use a smaller belt? i would assume that you just dissconnect the pulley from the pump and let it run...i dunno...

[g2ic02]

how do you ride without the belt? isnt it connected to the waterpump and and other stuff? did you use a smaller belt? i would assume that you just dissconnect the pulley from the pump and let it run...i dunno...

before you act like a dick....look at your damn car....you will notice that the water pump and the alternator run on a seperate belt

[crioten]

Originally Posted by g2ic02

before you act like a dick....look at your damn car....you will notice that the water pump and the alternator run on a seperate belt

before you act like a dick, first off figure out what car/engine he has

sr's belt goes to ps pump, so no prob

ka24e's belt goes to ps pump, so no prob

wait, wait, wait... ka24de's belt goes to ps pump and water pump....




jackass

[sw20>>s14]

Originally Posted by crioten

before you act like a dick, first off figure out what car/engine he has

sr's belt goes to ps pump, so no prob

ka24e's belt goes to ps pump, so no prob

wait, wait, wait... ka24de's belt goes to ps pump and water pump....




jackass

thanks mang...

[g2ic02]

wait .....don't be a fag...no motor was stated

[g2ic02]

all i stated is that i don't run a belt to my power steering pump....there for i run an sr20det

[Tygma]

That's shitty. If you want to be "hard-core" remove it all. I have a dohc ka, no lines, no reservoir, drained rack, and plugged the inlet/outlet for the rack. Its not TOO bad, to be honest with you. I love it... but i must say i also have 75mm steering wheel spacer which gave me a considerable amount of leverage increase. Oh well.. take it off already

[sw20>>s14]

Originally Posted by g2ic02

wait .....don't be a fag...no motor was stated

did you some how take my above response offensive or something? all i said is that i didnt think it would work because i have a KA and the ps pulley runs with the water pump. yes, it was my mistake for not stating my engine. did you think i was being sarcastic cuz of ? cuz was in response to me not knowing what i was talking about...

Originally Posted by sw20>>s14

i would assume that you just dissconnect the pulley from the pump and let it run...i dunno...

anyways, i think im just going to recirculate it...

[ALTRNTV]

Enough of the jacking off!

I took off the PS in my old s13. Speeds above 25mph without PS felt the same as if you did have it. Any speed less than that, you'll definitely notice it.

[RBS14]

remember, you don't automatically need no PS pump. You become the pump. especially with a rack meant for ps. didn't read through thread all the way, so if it's already been said, bite me.

[sw20>>s14]

Originally Posted by AkademikONE

I took off the PS in my old s13. Speeds above 25mph without PS felt the same as if you did have it. Any speed less than that, you'll definitely notice it.

i know, but im asking how you did it. did you recirculate the fluid? did you plug up the lines and leave the rack dry?

[g2ic02]

alright i am sorry for being a dick...i was drinking and it looked like you were being a dick..my apologies

[g2ic02]

http://www.g2ic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88673 it is on an integra but the theory behind it is the same..

[sw20>>s14]

Originally Posted by g2ic02

alright i am sorry for being a dick...i was drinking and it looked like you were being a dick..my apologies

no worries man...i prolly worded it wrong. but thanks for the link...

[Rennen]

I just did this easter weekend on my KA24E.

The pump seized so I cut the belt, removed the pump/reservoir/lines, and looped inlet to outlet. I looped the lines by simply cutting them off with a dremel, then connecting them with some rubber fuel lines from O'Reilys clamped securely with hose clamps. Right before looping the lines I ran a funnel full of ATF into the inlet and ran the rack back and forth to get all the air out. Then I quickly closed the loop. I also replaced my rack with a good junkyard rack ($40) because the previous owner had put PS fluid in there and all the seals were blown, boots torn, everything leaking everywhere, and general badness.

There is noticeable effort when parking, but nothing I can't handle with one hand. The feel at speed is much much improved (although this could be due to the Moog tie rod ends/new rack/Energy Suspension poly rack bushings) I have been through a couple autoXes so far, and its bearable there too. I makes me think more about steering and causes my inputs to be smoother. I'll be heading out to a rallyX on Sunday so I'll let everyone know how it is for quick countersteering. ( last one I didn't have the wheel pointed straight the entire course )

[g2ic02]

i love drifting with no power steering....it countersteers itself a majority of the time, i just have to make fine adjustment...and cornering at high speeds feels way better, more feedback from the tires.

[sw20>>s14]

Originally Posted by Rennen

I just did this easter weekend on my KA24E.

The pump seized so I cut the belt, removed the pump/reservoir/lines, and looped inlet to outlet. I looped the lines by simply cutting them off with a dremel, then connecting them with some rubber fuel lines from O'Reilys clamped securely with hose clamps. Right before looping the lines I ran a funnel full of ATF into the inlet and ran the rack back and forth to get all the air out. Then I quickly closed the loop. I also replaced my rack with a good junkyard rack ($40) because the previous owner had put PS fluid in there and all the seals were blown, boots torn, everything leaking everywhere, and general badness.

There is noticeable effort when parking, but nothing I can't handle with one hand. The feel at speed is much much improved (although this could be due to the Moog tie rod ends/new rack/Energy Suspension poly rack bushings) I have been through a couple autoXes so far, and its bearable there too. I makes me think more about steering and causes my inputs to be smoother. I'll be heading out to a rallyX on Sunday so I'll let everyone know how it is for quick countersteering. ( last one I didn't have the wheel pointed straight the entire course )

thanks for the tip...one question, you still have to put ATF into the system? i thought ps fluid only affected the pump. it affects the rack too? if so, i might have to find a rack myself...sounds like a good and cheap way for "ghetto speed sensing steering"...lol

[crioten]

i dont know if it will actually do anything... but i dont know...

id recirculate it just to keep crap out and i guess keep the seals good in case you want ps back.

i had no ps for about 5 months, and it was cool sometimes, but all in all, not my cup of tea

[Rennen]

Originally Posted by sw20>>s14

thanks for the tip...one question, you still have to put ATF into the system? i thought ps fluid only affected the pump. it affects the rack too? if so, i might have to find a rack myself...sounds like a good and cheap way for "ghetto speed sensing steering"...lol

Well when Nissan designed the system they (were on crack and) spec'd the whole system for ATF instead of PS fluid. So it made sense to me if I was re-doing everything I might as well do it right. I would hate to put all that effort into changing the rack just to have a lower than spec viscosity fluid start leaking out through the rack seals again. The fluid also lubricates the rack, so it makes sense to go with spec there too.

-Matt

[fujima]

I was wondering is it safe to drive around with a seal leaking on my PS rack? Can I just drive and fill up the resevoir whenever it's low? Is it necessary to replace the rack?

[thejester03]

Eventualy, the rack will wear out and cause it to hesitate when turning, which in theory could cause an accident if you werent paying attetion by turning too much cause it didnt straighten out. And you will also eventualy feel play in the rack when turning on a bumpy surface.

The "genious" that inspected my car when i first got it, told me that it actualy took PS fluid, now i need to flush the system, damn I hate when mechanics try to act smart and tell you the WRONG thing!!!

[projectRDM]

You can run a 26.5" belt around the water pump and crank to bypass the PS pump, but since there's no way to tension the belt it will slip from time to time. If you keep the pump in place as a tensioner, make sure you cap off each inlet and run it with fluid, otherwise you'll burn up the bearing by running it dry and it will seize. Trust me. The rack can be run dry, but over time it too will begin to deterioate without lubrication. You'll also have to get used to how it feels, it's very different than a car without power steering, and there's a lot of skittish feel at higher speeds. I tried it for a week and hated how it felt, while the OE setup doesn't give much feedback, a dry rack gives way too much feedback in my opinion. Leaving it full makes turner the wheel more work because you're forcing the fluid through the rack yourself.
Best bet, PM me, I've currently got eight S14 racks and I'm tired of looking at them. Be nice and I'll send you a spare to use as a core or sell to a friend you don't like.
Seriously, I need to move these damn things and it seems like the West Coast never has enough of them. Get a few more guys in and split the shipping costs, then you'll have a stockpile.