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89 Accord power steering problem

I have an 89 Accord SEI, fuel injected that started leaking fluid from the power steering pressure hose. It was about in the middle of the radiator area. I bought a replacement at Auto Zone and after much struggling I got the new one all hooked up and the fluid topped off with Honda type. I fired it up and drove it around the block. At first it was jerking the steering wheel and power assist was intermittent. I tightened the belt and got rid of the jerking. I then jacked up the front end and turned the wheel, lock to lock about 20 times with engine off to bleed it. That helped some but I ended up with power assist to only a right turn of the wheel. I did the bleeding again with the engine running. I had a lifetime warranty on the pump so changed that. Same problem.

Does this sound like a pump problem or maybe a stuck valve in the rack and pinion, (which worked fine before changing the pressure line). I also would like to know what affect the little screw-in sensor in the pressure line does and could that be causing a problem? The steering worked absolutely great before the changing of the hose.

I need to use the car tomorrow and have read here and there, that the belt can be removed and car driven. Is that OK to do? Won't hurt the rack and pinion and is safe?

Thanks for any replies.

Reply to
Forrest
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"Forrest" wrote in news:igddqh$202$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

Sounds like you got a bit of dirt in the system, which then ended up in the valve body under the rack's gearbox. That dirt is preventing one or both of the control valves from sliding freely. Luckily, the valve body is accessible separately from the rack.

No problem at all with the rack, but your steering is going to be awfully heavy. PS gearing is different from manual-steering gearing.

Reply to
Tegger

"Forrest" wrote in news:igddqh$202$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

What screw-in sensor? You mean the one that goes to the transmission housing and has two hoses?

Reply to
Tegger

Yeah, it sure does sound like that's it. After fighting to get that metal part of the hose down behind the engine and to the rack, I must have scooped up some crud. It was about midnight and out in the driveway ... got tired, lazy and stupid and didn't crank some fluid through the hose. Do you think I will be able to take that apart now, clean and reassemble without having to order some new O - rings and gaskets? I replaced the rack and pinion about

10 years ago when I first got the car.

This car (SEI) has a different parts listing for the hose than the DX and others. The hose for them was about $30 and this one was about $90 and has a fitting in the metal part of it just about where it gets to the firewall. It is a threaded thing that has a sensor of some sort, screwed into it. The sensor has two wires coming from it and going into a harness to who knows where. My Honda books don't show it and make no mention of it. It's not the speed sensor with the hoses.

Reply to
Forrest

Is there any way to back flush this thing or some way to get the crud out without taking it apart?

Reply to
Forrest

"Forrest" wrote in news:igdk46$98g$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

Do you have 4-wheel steering? The sensor may have to do with 4WS.

I've never actually had to do that myself, but when I study the diagrams, it looks like you'll need to remove the valve body and basically rebuild it in order to do a proper clean. That would mean pulling it apart, cleaning it thoroughly, then reassembling. It doesn't look that difficult, actually (assuming the dirt's all in the valve body and hasn't migrated anywhere else...).

I'm not at all sure I'd want to try just flushing the dirt out. I'd say there's a good chance you'd leave something behind, which would eventually score and scratch various precision parts, eventually leading to a destroyed rack and valve body.

Reply to
Tegger

No 4-wheel steering. I aired the front tires up to 38 and removed the belt. My son drove it to school, about an 80 mile round trip, and said that the check engine light came on when he was about half way home. That leads me to believe that it's a sensor to tell if the pump has any pressure. It sure took its time about it, though. I'll check it for codes later today. Well, got lucky ... removed the controller and took the cap off of the end. The (O) ring was fine as was the large one that goes around its base for attachment to the rack. I removed the springs, slider valve, do-dads and Jesus pins and springs. I hosed them all down with WD-40 and slid them all back and fourth dozens of times and put it back together. It's working just fine now and no leaks. Knock on wood ...

Thanks Tegger, for the replies and help.

Reply to
Forrest

"Forrest" wrote in news:igl628$fan$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

.

You're welcome. Glad it's fixed.

Reply to
Tegger

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