Difficult steering wheel turning when cold - '87 5KCSQT

[Brett Dikeman]

At 6:02 AM +0000 4/12/03, David Balbirona wrote:
>I'm back with yet another question.  This time regarding difficult steering
>wheel turning only when the car is first started.
>
>The model is an '87 5KCSQT.  If I don't let the car warm up sufficiently
>(i.e. 4+ minutes) the steering is harder than a manual steering wheel to
>turn.  If I do let the car warm up about 4 minutes (1/4 normal operating
>temp) then the system has had enough time to charge and steering is normal.

Nothing 'charges' in the power steering circuit.  The fluid is
warming up and hence it is thinning out.

The pressure accumulator is for the brake system only- they are two
separate circuits coming off the pump.


>Now, I *DO* get the red warning triangle and this has been going on in this
>vehicle since before I purchased it.

-Which- 'red warning triangle'?

By the way, "red triangle", if you read the owner's manual, means
"stop driving the car NOW"- it implies immediate danger to vehicle
components or to your safety; that's why it is accompanied by several
screeches.  Yellow = "something's wrong but no damage likely".

It is probable that you just have a sensor wire shorting out or a
defective switch, but at the same time, because that feature in
autocheck is now showing a false positive all the time, you have no
protection from an actual failure from systems that circuit monitors.

People constantly ignore the auto-check/idiot lights because they
know what the problem is, failing to fully think through the
consequences of doing so.


>The type of fluid is heavy mineral oil.  This was used by the previous owner
>for cost purposes due to the leaking from the old bomb.

Non-synthetic oil is fine except for extended temperature ranges- hot
or cold.  Exceeding the cold-pump limit will result in zero(or
little) assist; exceeding it will result in possible damage to
components since the oil may not be thick enough to provide
protection.

I've noticed around freezing steering does take a minute or two to
get to 'normal' using Mobil DTE-13M.  If you're experiencing pumping
problems at warmer temperatures, yes, you might want to consider
having a pump pressure+delivery test performed.  It is -possible- you
might just need new o-rings in the pump, rebuilding the pump is
pretty easy from what everyone says.

B
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