Power Steering woes

[majestikmoose]

Im having a major issue with my power steering at the moment and I have no Idea what could be causing it. When Turning the wheel i get a horrible screeching and ratchet noise from the belt at low speeds occasionaly followed by the power steering cutting out as the belt slips and the battary light coming on. It nearly stalls the car if you are at low revs.

I am unsure if it is the aux belt causing the problem as it is well tensioned and recently renewed, or a a fault with the power steering pump jamming or steering rack. I thought it might be a problem with the valve that releases the pressure in the system when near full lock being jammed close and hence stalling the pump this might be rubbish though! anyone on here had similar problems?

Any help appreciated before I go mad and start pulling bits apart! Its getting worse... :(

[16v_paddy]

Sounds like the pump, mine done exactly the same, the bearings in the pump had collapsed, it still pumped but occasionally cut out, same with the revs dropping & battery light coming on

I've got a couple of spare pumps for sale - 1 of them a matbrown special :wink:

[majestikmoose]

Cheers, I'll invistagate if its the pump this wekend. What a way to spend a bank holiday! Im not going to cause ireprable damage to owt by still driving with a duff pump am I? certainly hope not.

I'll drop you a PM about the pump when I've got the old one off, how much are you asking? Whats so special about a Matbrown pump?

[16v_paddy]

Never did any damage to anything on mine when it died, was quite embarrasing to drive though, with the god awful noises coming from the pump and it nearly cutting out all the time

I suppose it could **** the belt so replace that as a matter of course

[Wobba]

As paddy says it wont do anything except maybe damage the belt. Cheap and easy tbh!

Crap job replacing the pump with engine in car...may as well do water pump at the same time really as you have to take all the PS brackets off, which exposes the water pump bolts anyway.

[cliokiz]

I find i'd dead easy i've done it that many times! :lol:

[majestikmoose]

Looks like a fun bank holiday weekend of taking the clio to bits again then. Little bit miffed though because I only recently had it all apart to do the cam belt and aux belt etc, could have done this at the same time. It all worked fine at the time though :roll:

[cliokiz]

Bring it to me i'll do it for you in an hour

[white16valver]

Weirdly, I'm wondering if mine is about to have this go as well - it's stalled twice in the last two days for no particular reason, just when near idle and steering slowly (with new steering noises :roll: ), so I fear that's more expense...

If it goes then I may just say **** it and go manual ( pikey sealed rack) lol