10year7

I put this up on the Miataphiles forum, just wondering if there is anyone on these forums familiar with this problem on the Miata's



I lost my power steering completely last weekend,

It happened when I was driving the car pretty hard. I noticed fluid collecting on the rack near the fluid lines, but on closer inspection today I cant see where it is leaking from. The level is fine.

I can't really hear the pump, but its hard to hear it in the first place since I have a supercharger on the car. If it is the pump what could that have to do with the fluid that was leaking near the rack????

I removed all the shrouding and am taking a closer look,

Any ideas, are racks or pumps known for failure?????

Any good Miata specialists in Burling ton or Oakville?????

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I had the same experience once - the collection of fluid that is.
My PS also periodically doesn't work until the car (pump) has been running for a minute (although, one hard crank (like backing up and turning 90 degrees) and it's alive.

Possibly air in the lines now?

Top up the fluid, and let the pump run.
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Had another look, checked all the lines, cant see anything leaking. There seems to be no draw from the pump; RPM's don't drop when steering is moved.

My friend is not too familiar with Miata's but a former mechanic. He thinks the PS might have been overloaded and fluid shot from one of the waeker connections and thats why it isnt happening again. Pump is moving inside but not producing anything. He asked me to see if there is a switch that has triggered itself off on the pump.

Is this possible?????

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Had another look, checked all the lines, cant see anything leaking. There seems to be no draw from the pump; RPM's don't drop when steering is moved.

My friend is not too familiar with Miata's but a former mechanic. He thinks the PS might have been overloaded and fluid shot from one of the waeker connections and thats why it isnt happening again. Pump is moving inside but not producing anything. He asked me to see if there is a switch that has triggered itself off on the pump.

Is this possible?????
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I'm not sure if it's the same or not, but on honda preludes, the PS pump had a spring/valve that relieved the internal pressure of the PS system. Sometimes that valve would stay open and cause a complete lose of PS.

This isn't really a fix, but there are pictures of affected parts in the Honda PS pump

http://www.cockyracingguy.com/power_steering_fix.htm

Like I said, I have no idea if this relates to the miata or not. But if the miata pump is the same, it would sort of explain what might have happened to yours.

Excess pressure from hard driving, blows a connection joint just before the PS valve opens. System pressure is relieved but valve doesn't reset to it's normal position.

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Thanks, I will be stopping by the dealership to ask about any switches/valves of any kind

The dealer was nice enough to lend me thier shop manual but i dont see any switches or valves in the diagrams and descriptions. There is something wired into the pump though.

I undid the sending line from the pump to the rack and did see an increase of fluid comming out when the car was started, but I did not have the tools to test any pressure.

_________________
Mark

orion84gsl

iTrader: (5)

My question is why the hell does a car that is lighter than a 1st gen need power steering? Stuff a manual rack in there and be done with it. You'll free up a couple ponies from the parasitic drag the PS pump puts on the engine, and it'll tidy up the bay a bit. Otherwise I can't help you. good luck.