Stearing Box?

[Talyn]

I got a nice clunk sound when I turn the wheel.
You can feel the power steering give out and come back, but its not the PS pump. The sound is coming from the drivers side, not passenger side.

Is it known for the steering box to go bad on here? It sounds like a knock when you turn the wheel. That's the best way I can describe it. It drives and turns fine, cept you can feel the power steering give out and come back while you are turning. like it's loosing pressure in the steering box.

 

[Bob Gervais]

No steering box on these, it's a rack and pinion assembly. The clunk is going to most likely be suspension related. Check strut mounts, ball joints, strut rod bushings, subframe bushings, sway bar endlinks and bushings. Also, check your tie rods. Something most likely has play in it or is broken.

The intermittent assist/no assist feeling is fairly common on these cars, they have speed sensitive steering (less effort at low speeds). This system is called VAPS (variable assist power steering). Things that can affect this are the VSS, dirty fluid, or a bad steering rack. Make sure the VSS is plugged in, flush the power steering if it's dirty, and see what happens.

Good luck, and welcome to SHOForum! I'm an FTE member too.

 

[Talyn]

No steering box on these, it's a rack and pinion assembly. The clunk is going to most likely be suspension related. Check strut mounts, ball joints, strut rod bushings, subframe bushings, sway bar endlinks and bushings. Also, check your tie rods. Something most likely has play in it or is broken.

The intermittent assist/no assist feeling is fairly common on these cars, they have speed sensitive steering (less effort at low speeds). This system is called VAPS (variable assist power steering). Things that can affect this are the VSS, dirty fluid, or a bad steering rack. Make sure the VSS is plugged in, flush the power steering if it's dirty, and see what happens.

Good luck, and welcome to SHOForum! I'm an FTE member too.

Must be in the rack and pinion then.
It does it stationary or moving.
It's a definitive clunk that only goes when turning the wheel, either way.

Power steering fluid was flushed 2 times. I'm picky about it. It looked bad, but its all good now. It didn't help any for the stearing assist.

How does the steering assist work? Perhaps that has gone bad then?

As for effort vs speed steering, a sensor is either failing, or the system is.

It goes from manual to full power randomly with the clunk. It's always in the same place on the steering wheel, and speed doesn't matter.
Really annoying on the highway.
Easy to take curves to the left, really f-ing hard to take curves to the right.
The break point is just into turning right and then the steering will loosen up. Gotta be carefull.

I don't have a haynes/shop manual for this.
Does anyone have any links on the VAPS system for our cars?

As for suspension parts and replacement. I have full history from owner who is neighbor, he bought it new. Needs new shocks bout best I can tell there. everything has been replaced recently.

 

[sperold]

I had the same symptoms on a 90 and it was the sub-frame bushing (rear). It also made a clunk noise when I applied the brakes. Don't ask me how it affects the steering, but it did.

 

[Talyn]

I'll check that one out as well.

 

[rubydist]

Also, it will clunk if the rack is loose in the subframe, and possibly if one of the u-joints on the steering column is bad. Bad strut bearings are another possibility to check out as well as tie rod ends and ball joints.

If the rack is going bad, one of the possible reasons is the boost stepper motor, which can cause the combination of noise and varying assist levels simultaneously.

 

[Ashley_MTX]

Is the suspension stock? I don't know about stock suspension SHOs but I know I hear a clunk when I turn the wheel (mostly when it's cold) and it's just struts binding. Apparently it's nothing to worry about. I would still check out the suspension in case you've got something loose or that needs to be replaced.

 

[Talyn]

I was listening last night, and it sounds like a binding sound actually.
Thanks for clearing that up Ashley.

I need to find out more about the variable assist though. That is really messing up. I need to get that fixed. It could be dangerous the way it acts.

Why can't there be more room under the hood? hahaha.

 

[Ashley_MTX]

Do a battery relocation

I would still say check your suspension to make sure that it isn't anything else!

 

[Talyn]

Well. After driving yesterday as well.
I think i have a ball joint issue.

So I'll have to get the nerve to go out in the cold and jack it up and mess with it.

Now, what do I do about the stearing assist to make that work right?

 

[Ashley_MTX]

I don't know. You lost me at go out into the cold.

 

[rubydist]

You lost me at go out into the cold.

LOL!

The reasonable response to the bad rack causing variable/surging boost is to replace the rack.

 

[89 black SHO mtx]

Sounds like its just a bad strut mount. They will pop like that and cause strange issues. An easy way to check this is to open the hood and lay your hand on the top of the strut mount. Have someone turn the wheel you'll feel it if its there.

 

[Talyn]

Will the mount move when you apply the brake?

I can make it clunk when i press the brake. So i was figuring it was a ball joint.

The Power assist works though the Rack then?

 

[Ashley_MTX]

Mine was clunking at low speeds when I turned the wheel and was particularly noticeable in the wet and cold. I thought it had something to do with the break at first but...after a little more messing around with it/driving it that wasn't it. I did end up having a bad ball joint and when we had it fixed the suspension was checked over. The struts still bind but everything's pretty solid.

 

[89 black SHO mtx]

It could clunk when the breaks are applied if it is already in a bind and "pops" free.

 

[SHOspazz92]

Mine was clunking at low speeds when I turned the wheel and was particularly noticeable in the wet and cold. I thought it had something to do with the break at first but...after a little more messing around with it/driving it that wasn't it. I did end up having a bad ball joint and when we had it fixed the suspension was checked over. The struts still bind but everything's pretty solid.

Edit: Bad wheel bearing.

-Sam

 

[Ashley_MTX]

Edit: Bad wheel bearing.

-Sam

Ha I realized last night after I turned off my computer I'd done that. Oops. Thanks for the edit.

 

[SHOspazz92]

Ha I realized last night after I turned off my computer I'd done that. Oops. Thanks for the edit.

I rarely get such an opportunity. I take what I can get!

-Sam

 

[Talyn]

Im talking about producing the noise when you were rolling, and you wack on the brake really quick enough to stop hard, but dont leave it on long enough to stop the car, and you can keep doing this and you can hear it clunk every time you press the brake.

I figure if i get it up in the air I can check the strut mounts easier? Anything I should look for? It's got the vibration sound of a bad ball joint going down the road. Nasty noise on a smooth road like the tire is wobbling back and fourth. *shrugs*
Stearing linkage is fairly new on here. but not the rack, hopefully thats my steering issue.