Hello,
I am new and was hoping I could get some advice. I own a 93 volvo 850 w/197,000 miles. This week while driving the steering started to get hard at times. I have power steering. I tried adding power steering fluid thinking that to be a cheap fix. But it still seems hard while driving. Not a constant hard but intermitent. There is no squealing when I turn the wheels right or left. There is a sound like air kind of. I am sorry but I am not sure how to describe it better. I am unemployed at this time so I cannot afford a mechanic to check it out or buy the wrong part. And since I am a woman and am not a auto mechanic I always seem to get ripped off. But this is the only transportation I have and need it very badly. Someone said it might be the power steering pump or the rack? Since I have no clue how to try and elimanate one or the other I was hoping I could get some pointers. Sorry this is so long but I want to give as much info so someone might be able to help. Is there a place I can get parts that are really cheap? Thanks in advance.

 

With the car running remove the power steering cap. Look inside and see if you can see the fluid moving around in the pump. If the fluid is moving then it is in the rack.

The description you give sounds like the rack. But check out the pump first.

 

Thanks Tech,
I looked and the only movement seemed to be from the engine vibration. The pulley w/belt was turning. Is there anything else I might need to check?
Otter

 

Not really.Did it run low on fluid?

When it gets hard to turn does it feel like it is pulsating?

 

Would bleeding the system help? How do you even do that? Turn from lock to lock?

 

It bleeds by itself while you are driving it.

 

Well, it doesn't get any easier than that!

 

No it doesn't.

Since the system works in a circle it bleeds it all out itself.

 

Tech,
Yes it does seem to pulsate a little, plus it does seem to squeak like a loose belt sounds. I did add a little power steering fluid maybe 2 o3 cap fulls. Never saw any leaks where I park car. I think your call on the pump was correct. I saw on EBAY a pump for $9.99 on auction and ends on Sunday. I am going to try and win the auction. It is cheap enough that I can risk it, might solve the problem. You guys have been so helpful the words THANK YOU do not seem to be enough.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Otter

 

Thats what we are here for keep us posted on the progress.

 

How difficult is it to change out that pump? Don't you have to put the car on jackstands and get a special tool to pull the belt drive pulley off?

 

Yes you need a special tool to use in the tensioner.It is a square drive adapter that makes a 1/2 into a 3/4.

You would also need a special tool to change the pulley over if the new one doesn't have one.

Other than that it is easy and doesn't even need to be on jack stands.

 

Thanks!

 

I notices that some people have trouble with steering and I had exactly same probles with my sister's car steering was very had to turn. Power steering pump was working ok but when you turn steering it was very hard to turn and it was intermitten. What I found out is that streering joint that connects to the steering rack has greese dried up and was very hard to bend. The part at the dealer costs $180CAN but I was able to move mine back and forth by hand until it got better and then added greese to help it more. I wiggle the joint for about 15 minutes and it was moving freely. The problem is fixed now!

 

just diggin up oldies here... did you remove the joint? if so how'd ya go about it?

I have some what of the same problem, i don't really see much action on the power steering fluid with the cap off but i think that the pump is working because it is not hard to turn the wheel with the car parked.

I've had this symptom before in an old dodge work van, and it was a stiff U-Joint in the steering column and once it was lubricated it was OK.

the symptoms to my 850 are somewhat similar, there is stiffness in certain spots but not in complete revoloutions. I hafe sprayed some lubricant on the joint and it's not really doing too much to help.

Is the removal of that joint that tough of a job? what has to come off to gain access to remove it, didn't really size it up yet. I'm thinking if i can get it out i could really work it loose to see if that is what's causing my minor problem

THX,
-Mike

 

Hello Ms. Otter,

Greetings from windy Chicagoland.

When you add power steering fluid, use "Dexron-3 or Ford Mercon" automatic transmission fluid, that's what the owner's guide calls for. Go to a local auto parts store and ask the store rep for transmission fluid section. Most fluid bottles clearly say "Dexron-3/Ford Mercon", so you can't miss it. I wouldn't use generic power steering fluids, as they may not be compatible, though they probably wouldn't hurt anything either.

If you are not mechanically inclined, do you have someone in your family/relatives/friends/ex-colleagues who is good at cars? If so, have him/her help you. If not, keep asking here. Changing the pump is not too difficult, but may require special tools that are usually found only at Volvo dealer, if the pulley has to come out and put on the new pump.

When relaxing the serpentine (accessory) belt tensioner, there is actually a hole where you can insert an allen-wrench or drill bit so it keeps the tensioner at max-relaxed position. When I do mine, I do it IAW the following procedure:

1. Disconnect battery.
2. Wait about 6 minutes, then remove ECU's (computers that are in a box on passenger-side, NEVER touch the electrical connections).
3. Remove the ECU box.
4. Remove the coolant reservoir (don't have to disconnect the hoses, just pull it out of the way)
5. When there is enough room, I use a breaker bar with 3/4 adapter attached, relax the tensioner and insert an allen key into the little hole on the tensioner. This may take some getting used to, as generic 3/4 adapter may keep slipping out.

If you don't want to get taken at auto shops anymore (who does?), buy one book on cars (i.e. Automotive Repair for Dummies, etc...), a book that is written easy enough to understand. This is a good investment, self-teach the basics, that's all you need and when you talk to mechanics, talk like you know what you're talking about, use some tech words here & there, but don't go too far or he/she'll find out you are an easy candidate. When you have a repair done, make sure to get the parts that they took off, or tell them that you want to see where the repair was done. Conscientious shops should be happy to do that. If they are reluctant or come up with excuses, find another shop.

Does your car have Owner's Manual? If you plan to keep the car for longer than a year and the car doesn't have one, buy one (I found mine on-line) and peruse it. Most people neglect reading the Owner's Manual and face unnecessary troubles because he/she neglected scheduled maintenance.

If you want to know your car better, buy a maintenance manual (about $20), buy a basic set of metric tools at Sears and try doing simple jobs. But if you don't feel confident, let someone with expertise do it.

Good luck and let us know your progress.


P.S for experts: Is 850's PS speed-sensitive or RPM-sensitive (I assume most cars are now speed-sensitive)? Could it be electrical malfunction too?


Best regards,


JPN