[urq] I'm ready to replace the bomb - because I usually havepower brakes for the first few miles.

[urq]

There is a pressure regulator in the "Flow Regulator" what the IST calls the
block underneath the bomb ... and this device has a line that allows fluid a
direct path to the reservoir.

I looked in the IST, and there is a piston which modulates flow to the
brakes depending on the system pressure.  This piston also appears to be
able to modulate flow to the steering assist, but from the description it
sounds as though fluid should always be allowed to flow through to the
steering.  The return line is from a relief valve on the brake assist side
... if the piston was able to completely cut off flow to the steering you
could imagine a scenario where if the brake assist pressure regulator failed
you would not have enough pressure in the brake assist circuit to push the
piston back far enough to allow steering assist to flow ... it almost looks
as though the brake has some priority on getting fluid.  The text clearly
states that the majority of the pump volume goes for steering assist.  

The pump is a pretty easy swap, and it will tell you right away if that is
the problem.  If the pump doesn't change things then the second suspect
would be the flow regulator.

Good luck!
Steve Buchholz

-----Original Message-----
From: Ingo Rautenberg [mailto:ingo.rautenberg at gmail.com] 

Same here.  I suspect the pump, as you say you're not leaking any  
fluid and the pump directly assists the steering and otherwise  
pressurizes the bomb.  May you be so lucky as to have a loose/missing  
belt ;-)

Ingo

On May 21, 2009, at 12:33 PM, SpotatAshleys wrote:

> I would agree with Steve, get the steering working again first.  
> Once you
> know that is OK, concentrate on the brakes
> Regards
>
> Keith
> '87 WR
>
> p.s. If you still have clean underwear, you haven't experienced the  
> "double
> oh-$#!T" experience. You know it when it happens!.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "urq" <urq at pacbell.net>
>
> .. if you don't have steering assist it would point more toward the  
> pump
> .. or the rack.  Chances are that the bomb is bad too, but I'd  
> recommend
> that you figure out the steering problem before going for the brakes.
>
> For the most part, if your hydraulic system was working properly  
> otherwise
> you wouldn't even notice a bad bomb until you had a panic stop ...  
> then
> you'd get the "double oh-$#!T" experience ... the first one happens  
> when you
> stomp on the brakes and don't have sufficient assist, and the  
> second one is
> when the pump catches up and provides assist based on how hard you are
> pressing the pedal and you lock the wheels ...
>
> Steve Buchholz
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> I lost my powersteering and then the next day the power brakes but  
> I'm just
> going to focus on the brakes fom now. Perhaps these problems are not
> related but concurrent. I'm checking the ATF fluid regularly,  
> pumping on
> the pedal a bunch of times before checking but never noticing any real
> change in feel. I've learned that I don't seem to be loosing fluid  
> and I
> often have powerbrakes for a while after restarting. Yesterday I  
> finally
> got my hands on the lower woody filter for the resevour and change  
> that out
> and today i went pretty far before loosing the power assist. I did  
> possibly
> overfill the reservoir though, its a bit over the line now.
>
> I've owned the car for 5 years, but have no idea on the age of the  
> existing
> accumlator. I saw one place selling a Leomford one for $80.
>
> ETKA shows a round seal under the accumulator - you guys buy that  
> seal also?
>
> 83 urq build in 1982. So does the 'have power brakes after startup'  
> point
> to the bomb at all?
>
> steve