Heavy power steering

[pritch]

Hello there folks,

Seems the steering on my 200TDi has gone rather heavy all of a sudden.  A quick peek under the bonnet this morning has revealed a rather fuller PAS reservoir than I recall.

So, any ideas what gives?  More importantly, any ideas how I can fix it when I'm working until 6pm this evening, and rather need the vehicle for visiting family tomorrow?  I'm tempted to just drive it as is; will that be OK?

[muddyweb]

Check the belt tension before much else... can make the steering feel heavy.

[pritch]

Check the belt tension before much else... can make the steering feel heavy.

Harumph.

Just had a quick look now.  I've got a nasty feeling that it's new PAS pump time.

[Andy.]

I had this prob a few weeks ago, checked and tightened the belts and also checked my tyre pressures and now all is fine.

HTH.

[Wanderer]

I had exactly the same symptoms and solution.

Ed

[TUFFTEE]

I have simular cept only when i hit a really big puddle and the steering gets really hard for a couple a seconds? confusing innit?

[muddyweb]

Sandman,

Hitting a big puddle gets all the pulleys wet, and as such the belts will start to slip.

Giving the pulleys a clean-up, or changing the belt if it is old will often cure that.  Again, check the tension.

[TUFFTEE]

Thanx again! I got plenty of time today! so i think i will go out and do a little maintenance before the weather hits!!

[Wanderer]

Don't over tension the belt as that can end up with other problems.

Ed

[Range Rover Blues]

The fluid gets hot in use and expands, that might be why there is more there than you expected.  Before you blow your cash on a new pump, try replacing the fluid as well as the belts.  Clean the pulleys with degreaser or a peice of wet/dry paper.

If the belt slips and the pump stalls completely you should see your rev counter go to zero, but often they run slowly which is harder to see.

Normaly I think pumps get replaced because they leak rather than stop working.

[lee celtic]

If I were you I would check the condition of the rubbers on your track rods as these can split and the ball rusts and the steering gets sort of notchy you know stiff coming out of junctions then ok for a bit then heavy again , just changed mine and it made a world of difference

Worth a look .cost nothing to look . and you can get the ends for less than a fiver in the landy mags if you look.

[pritch]

Cheers for all the replies, folks.

A little incident today has pretty much shown it to be pump related.  Looks like the bearings have gone (and god knows what else), leaving me with quite a wobbly PAS pump, which has thrown the alternator belt off.

In Birmingham.

Still, the Disco used very little fuel on the way home, what with being on the back of a breakdown wagon!

[Range Rover Blues]

Well that should have saved you some money, which is useful given the cost of a new pump.  'Every little helps'