Intermittent Power Steering
 

Before anyone says anything, I did the search but didn't find a suitably similiar problem.

I have an 87 s4 GXL. Today, on the way to work, my power steering began to work intermittently. I noticed it going around a turn and suddenly had no power assist. Then it came back on. Then it went off. Fluid level is ok. No leaks. No beeping.

I haven't had a chance to really check it out beyond those. My theories are: loose belts (slipping under load), loose connectors, burned fluid (overheated like auto trans fluid can be, but no reason for it to have burned). Does anyone have other ideas on what it could be, if not one of these? Or has anyone experienced this?

Thanks-
opelbits

check you speedometer cable on your tranny. Mine was doing the same thing. Once I had it check it was loose and then everything was fine. Might be the problem might not but that is what i did.

Thanks. I'm headed home, so I'll see what happens and start checking more thoroughly.

Cross my fingers!

Well, it didn't do it again on the way home. I checked the belts and they did seem a little loose. The power steering belt tensioner is at the end of it's travel, so the belt seems to be worn, stretched, or too long to begin with. The belt is good shape (no cracks, no signs of slippage) and the 'teeth' look good, too. So I'm leaning towards a belt that is slightly too long that has relaxed and doesn't have the same tension it did when new.

I tried tightening it, just to make sure, but couldn't get it any tighter as far as I can tell. Put a few miles on it and it still has not repeated the 'loss'.

bah take it out you'll love the feeling after about a week of driving :)

That's what I have my Opels for:D . The RX7 is my nice luxury, boulevard cruiser......;)