Help with steering diagnosis

[tery]

Ginger goes down the road totally straight when the road is straight, now that she has four subframe bushings and the body isn't shifting on the frame. Now I can, I think I can isolate that the steering box, rack or something is worn. So...when I'm traveling say 30-40, and I start to turn to take the curve in the road, I can feel the steering resist me and like it wants to go back to straight ahead before I'm ready, It's not a big tug or anything, but it does do it in both directions, curving right and curving left. Is that the Rack needing to be replaced. I know it has one slightly bad lf bearing, but this is not that cause it is the same in both directions and you can't hear or feel the bearing, they just said when I first got the car, that they could feel a slight play in that lf bearing..Suggestions for diagnosis fully welcomed!!
Thttp://jelloslug.com/shoforum/hail.gif

 

[kevinspann]

Try disabling the VAPS. I'm sure there is a thread here on it somewhere.

 

[tery]

THank you Kevin,,,that is definitely the problem after reading all the posts, but the link to the SHO times that explains how to disable it at med or any other speed is gone/dead/not found...Do any members recall how ya do that. I suspect the fluid is dirty so I'll go about draining/changing that, but I would like to have that system not controlling my steering assistance...and it clearly sounds like turning it off...ie unplugging the connector at idle can make for a dangerous 60 mph drive...maybe I could put a piece of wire onto the connector and have it just barely on and then pull the rip cord, as it were, at 35 mph...Help is needed, thanks in advance,

 

[rubydist]

one of those threads on vaps discussed a method to get the connector removed at the right speed, but I don't recall exactly what it was. (I do recall it did not include driving down the road with your head out the window because the hood was up so your buddy could lay on the engine to pull off the connector at the appointed time...)

I second kevinspann's thoughts on the vaps being the issue - my red 94 had that same symptom but it got destroyed before I got that part fixed. I think the vaps is in a state of "I don't know how much boost to give you, so I'll just cycle through them all.."

 

[tery]

Thank you,
I am going to uber-clean out the system this weekend and see if it makes a difference. I made a hook-up so I can just run the return line to the reservoir into a bucket or, and I'll keep pouring in new while my daughter pretends she is driving, she's 23 but hasn't yet got her license, So I'm sure it'll be legal, especially since the tires will be barely touching the driveway...

Is it true that type F is a bit more detergent than mercron??

I like your image of driving down the road with someone on the engine, but I more imagined that I would have a secret ripcord threaded through the firewall that would pull off, or maybe snip the connector at just the right speed. I wish that old sho post still worked, but I've tried several times from several places and it is just gone/broken/removed.
Thanks for all your help.
T

 

[Slo-Sho]

I believe the page you are looking for is here.

 

[tery]

Today I had a friend come over and turn the wheel while I poured in ATF into the ps reservoir, Man, that stuff really comes out fast, I was able to fill fast enough that the pump was never dry, but I ran through about a gallon and a half and it is still not all the way clean. I DID however, notice a 60-70% improvement in the steering problems that I began this thread with. So I'm sure now it is the VAPS and cleaner and cleaner fluid should finish fixing the problem. Next time, I'm gonna have him turn the wheel even more and more often to circulate through the system more, ...seems like sometimes I was just emptying the reservoir...And maybe have the wheels have just a little more tension/touching the ground some to slow down how fast the fluid goes through the system while he's turning??? Does that make any sense. I'm just trying to think of how to get more flushing done with less than gallons and gallons of fluid. I used the ..plug the reservoir and run the extended return line into a bucket..method. Made a big difference in how it steers, Just needs to be done again and somewhat more completely. The old fluid was a black as too old oil,
tks in advance,
T

 

[rubydist]

the oil flow is related to how fast the pump is turning (how fast engine is running) not whether there is pressure on tires or not. so, it is usually better to have the front wheels off the ground as the "steering" person can then turn the wheel left to right and back more quickly, so you run less through the system while that happens.

what I would do at the point you are at is just cycle the steering left to right a number of times to get the oil all mixed together well, and then just run the return line into the bucket again until the stuff coming out looks reasonably clean. you will never get 100% of the old oil out without taking it all apart, so you are looking for a reasonably close approximation of that without buying 6 gallons of atf to do it...

 

[tery]

thanks Fred for the info about the flow and...a full turn is just as good as a turn and a half...correct.. I'll run two more gallons through and then I[ll bet I don't feel any of the former issue at all, judging from the difference the first work did,
The color now is darkish gray, before it was pretty black.