I just can't turn left?????

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:48 pm

Well not totally true but occasionally more often than not I struggle to get the car to turn left, it's almost like a total loss of power steering??? then all of a sudden whilst I'm yanking the wheel left it suddenly frees up???? and I turn into the kerb because of the effort it's taking

.

Is this a common problem as my old bx did this too, it's mainly after arriving at a junction where I have had to brake in order to give way or after traveling in a straight line for a period and then coming into a left hand bend which I hsave to slow for. Right hand tuning is not a problem

Is it due to the brakes taking most of the pressured lhm supply or a sign of a knackered sphere somewhere???

Cheers Steve

mike st gilles · Post by **mike st gilles** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:50 pm

Only a measured guess but it could be a sign that your acc sphere needs replacing....have you done the 'turn car off and sit in the boot/back bumper test' to see if it brings it back up to where it was before you sat in it?
If not; try it out, run the car and bring it to normal height then turn the engine off....go round to the back and sit on/in the boot bumper....the car will sink and then the car should rise to the level it was at before you sat in it........if it doesn't then its your acc sphere ....if it does then it sounds like you might have a tired lhm pump or loose belt.
Hope that helps......if not then someone else who knows more than me will be along in a minute I'm sure.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:39 pm

this is more than likely one of four things,

(1)
power steering flow valve

(2)
pinion gear valve

(3)
pump getting a bit worn out (dont think its this as it it would also affect the right turn's) as would No. 4

(4) dirty tank filters

the acumalater sphere flat should not cause this

regards malcolm

mike st gilles · Post by **mike st gilles** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:42 pm

There you go...told you someone with more knowledge than me would be along in a minute

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:18 pm

What about track rod end

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:14 pm

Can't see it being the track rod ends as there is no clunk in association with the sluggishness, will look into some of the suggestions cheers fellas'.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:16 pm

I had strange steering for a while, almost like the power steering would kind of go on & off, especially when turning corners such as you've described. Cant honestly remember if it was more so one side than the other. I cured this by following the changing lhm (correct proceedure) in the diy section of the site, & then re-filling with hydraflush. Steering is now sorted, so i reckon its dirt in the system (fdv?). Either way i reckon thats probably the cheapest way to see if you can sort the problem.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:49 pm

I'm far from a hydraulic expert (never had to delve into the BX hydraulics in terms of fault finding, so I only have a rudimentary understanding of how the system works), and my understanding is that the power steering ram is the only item fed directly from the pump and not from the accumulator. Therefore I would have initially said that a flat accumulator would have no effect on the steering. However, after reading Mike's reply I started wondering that if the accumulator is flat, the pump has to use more of its flow to keep the system pressure up, leaving less for the steering.
Could anyone with more knowledge please either tell me I'm barking up the right tree, or point out where my theory falls down?

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:02 am

I can't see why turning in one direction should put more load on the pump or require an accumulator to provide reserve pressure than turning in the other, but I'm very willing to be proved wrong. An accumulator is relatively cheap though, should you want to try.

I experienced a very "floppy" track rod end with considerable play recently, and it messed the steering around considerably as it "flipped". Easy to check - grab, yank, twist hard on both track rod ends. If it's as bad as you say it'll be very obvious.

Less easy is power steering fault diagnosis: it's one area where "black box" reasoning comes into play on a BX - and if the track rod ends have no play the clean filters/tank & refill with hydraflush route is the first I'd try, rather then replace or refurb hydraulic components stepwise until the fault goes away. It's worked once for me, on a BX with the same fault but with resistance steering to the other side.

It may work, it may not - and it's unlikely to be an immediate cure, but otherwise you're into scurrying around for parts that may be difficult and/or expensive to find, and a chunk of downtime. Your other BX, if you still have it, is ruled out as an immediate parts donor if it had the same fault, but could provide parts to fit, but only after refurbing them if possible.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 8:19 am

as DLM says it would not hurt to go the route of clean tank filters and install HYDRAFLUSH as a first line of attac,

but if this was the fault it would give the same/simular symtons both directions,

as what dirty filters cause is restricted fluid supply to the pump, and this would affect the hole system

regards malcolm

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:12 am

I can't remember if I posted it above, but the filters and hydraflush method did work on a similar problem with someone else's BX that I occasionally do the odd job on.

This BX had the same problem but with heavy steering turning right. The resistance gradually reduced as the hydraflush worked its way through the system, stayed healthy when refilled with lhm, and hasn't recurred, even in cold weather.

There are two internal filters in the Flow diverter, and my gut reaction was that the hydraflush might have dissolved an obstruction in one of these. Someone else who's more familiar with the internals of the Flow diverter may be able to advise if this is a realistic hunch.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:47 pm

one failing i have seen of the flow valve is if people are not very carefull when conectting the pipes to the flow valve, they pinch the pipe seal and the torn of piece of rubber get blasted through the tinny filters in the kneck's of the pipe ways, which blow the filters to bits, then the nylon and rubber particals get lodged in the valve,

then it is this which stops the flow valve working properly

regards malcolm

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:44 am

I shall try some hydra flush stuff first then, is this obtainable from the likes of halfords or an internet type of purchase??? Cheers guys.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:56 pm

I got mine from GSF.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:29 pm

It's made by Total if I remember correctly and will probably come in a 5-litre container labelled "Hydraurincage".