Power Steering Problem

[lyndon]

Now I have found this site I have hundreds of questions.

Right. I am experiencing problems with the power steering on my 1990 200 tdi. If the vehicles parked up overnight or for 8 hours when at work the Power steering doesn't work at first when I start using the vehicle. It takes a few turns and about 100 yards to come into play.

Here we go again. Now I have found you all I have hundreds of questions. lol :?:

I have been advised that its either the belt, pump or steering box. Now the belt feels nice and tight no real slack. A mechanic looked at it and says the belt feels fine and the pump doesn't look like the original.

What do I do?.

A pump will cost me £158 plus fitting

A box nearer £200+ plus fitting.

Is there a way to tell which is not working properly or can the box be refurbed?. Only problem with that I suppose is I need the Disco to get to work.

Any help would be appreciated.

[beast5680]

is there enough fluid in the reservoir? and are all the pipes tight?
i would try bleeding the steering first and go from there
pumps are alot cheaper than the prices you are quoting and you can get a recon steering box from some suppliers for around £80, they wil sting you for a surcharge until they check your old one out though remember

[driftwood]

def try bleeding it first.....theres a little bleed nut on top of the box.

[Cal]

Be careful when you do the top nut back up - v easy to overtighten and strip the thread - it makes a mess everywhere!  :oops:

[beast5680]

Be careful when you do the top nut back up - v easy to overtighten and strip the thread - it makes a mess everywhere!  :oops:

is that the voice of expierience speaking   :lol:

[Range Rover Blues]

It's the belt, mine does it.  The tiniest bit of grease/moisture and they don't work.  Bleed the system by all means but if it start working after 100 yards then it's the belt.

£200 for a PAS box, plus fitting :shock: .  Pop round mate, bring your chequebook :twisted:

[lyndon]

The reservoir is full of fluid which looks okay. I havn't tried bleeding the system yet thats the next thing then. The belt seems fine , but for £4 I'll try puting a new one on. Is that a difficult job?.

I take it that the surcharge on re con boxes means that if yours is refurbishable they refund it. If not it costs you an extra £100. Is that right ?.

[Tyke]

You got it mate.

Shop about for your bits and keep clear of main stealers, unless you have a fat wallet.

Most of what you may need can be found from the guys on here and many of us run our trucks on a bit of a shoe-string . . . . then we go and spend hundreds on the bolt-on bits  :lol:

[lyndon]

Thanks tyke. Is a PAS bely replacement difficult ?

[TDi90]

can be fiddely... but straightforwrd... can be fustrating!

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

Not a major problem, but I found when I did mine that the previous owner had rounded all the 10mm heads off on the adjuster bolts. I replaced mine with 13mm headed blots, and a lot easier to adjust it is to.

[drmike]

It sounds like the problem a friend had and  it was diagnosed as a problem in the box with sticky valves that freed off with a bit of use.

A recon box costs about £150 I think, try the usual suspects like Paddocks etc.

Mike

[Range Rover Blues]

They're £99 last time I looked, the surcharge is for a box, complete so as long as you havn't been messing with it then ok.

The PAS pump needs quite a bit of tension on it, more than can be applied by hand.  I cheat a little and loosen the pulley too which lets the belt go slack, then tightening the pulley after you've adjusted the belt gives that extra bit of grip.

[drmike]

Isn't there a half inch square hole in the mounting that will take a square drive and a breaker bar? There is on mine so you can get some serious tension on that belt!

I only found it by mistake mind you.

Mike