4200 Spyder Power Steering Failure

[Mike the Bear]

Gentlemen, please can anyone advise.... I completed a long trip (500 miles plus) in my '03 Spyder but next day on starting up there was a grinding noise when turning the steering wheel, followed by a horrendous clattering. I had PS problems with an Alfa so recognised the grinding but the clattering was something new. On inspecting the PS reservoir the fluid was most unusual in appearance, it looked as if it had a suspension of copper particles in it, like gold leaf paint before you stir it. Any ideas or recommendations gratefully received!

Mike the Bear

PS Happy New Year by the way

 

[BennyD]

I suspect it's the rack that's gone phut and contaminated the fluid with bits of copper bearing. Unfortunately, this could also wreck the pump. My advice is not to run it again until you get a definitive prognosis from a trusted source. Btw, where did the clattering come from, from the top, or bottom of the engine? Also, did the clattering match engine revs or steering input?

 

[Parisien]

In mine it was a leak in the powersteering cooler unit, but fortunately it was caught before any further damage occurred, the unit concerned gives up the ghost in nearly them all at some stage!


P

 

[BennyD]

On mine it was the power steering pump that went. It announced itself by making the steering quite 'notchy'. It didn't make any strange sounds though.

 

[Parisien]

So an unrelated failure in your case B ie, no powersteering fluid loss?

P

 

[BennyD]

No. The level was normal, no strange sounds just a notchy feel to the steering. The gold leaf effect may well be ground up copper bearings so, personally, I wouldn't run until it is positively diagnosed.

 

[philw696]

Best advice guys change your fluids every two years.
By that I mean gear box, diff, coolant, power steering, brake fluid.
Not expensive to do.
We wouldn't dream of not changing the oil and filter !

 

[conaero]

The PS radiator on the 4200 is notorious it could have gotten in from there.

Right hand drive PS rads are extortionate but you can modify a US left hand drive.

 

[Parisien]

Could have sworn I paid less than £100 3 years ago...........price now?

P

 

[Mike the Bear]

Thanks BennyD. Good point - the clattering matched the steering input rather than the engine revs thank goodness. There is a slight fluid leak from the bottom of the pump. I've sourced a second hand pump for starters.

Mike

 

[Mike the Bear]

Thanks Conaero, I'll check out the PS rad

Mike

 

[BennyD]

Whatever you do, drain as much as you can out of the system before refilling and then flush the system through until you are happy that pristine fluid is coming out of the bleed. Steering fluid is cheaper than steering racks!

 

[Mike the Bear]

Power Steering Failure Solved

Whatever you do, drain as much as you can out of the system before refilling and then flush the system through until you are happy that pristine fluid is coming out of the bleed. Steering fluid is cheaper than steering racks!

A replacement pump has solved the problem, which was caused by the one of the bolts holding the plate behind the pulley wheel working loose and fouling the pulley wheel as it was turning. This caused the clattering noise as the bolt caught in the pulley wheel holes. This it put an asymmetric load on the pulley shaft bearing which ground away and leaked. Not easy to explain! Anyway all fixed now, thanks guys.