Power Steering Syncro Lefty - Can I Convert

[Iamsyncrodude]

Hi

Is it possible to convert to power steering and what would be involved.... fitting pump, , pipes , powerrack ??

[Ye Olde Syncrospares]

tis possible and easy,ive usually got all here just not at the moment, but apart from the resevoir bracket its all bolt on,cj.

[Iamsyncrodude]

What kinda price are you thinking for the bits

[..lee..]

you may be able to run a electric pump off a pug 106 up front to save on the pipe work to the rear of the van.

a lot of the old escort rally boys are running fully electric power steering situated in the steering column this system works well as can be made speed senitive or a lot run a moddified ecu and a dash adjuster to set the feel.

fancy putting it on the westy as its running porche rims and the steering is bloody heavy parking.

[Iamsyncrodude]

This is an electric hydraulic pump that connects to a reservoir and steering rack ? Is it noisy ?

[..lee..]

106 style pump runs the std t25 power rack make some pipes up and away you go.it just replaces the pump you`d normally have in the engine bay.

corsa style electric column runs std non power rack and you cut and shut the steering column and fit the motor inline then you will need to fit and wire up a modified ecu unless you can run a speed sensor.

have had problems with both systems and i dont think they are as reliable as std power steering system, both systems should run quietly. they only tend to get noisey when they are about to die.

[irish.david]

I fitted one of the electrical pumps from a Saxo VTS onto my van and it works pretty well.

First thing to bear in mind is that you should try to get the bracket that the motor/pump lives in as well as the unit itself. These brackets have rubber mountings that absorb most of the vibrations produced by the motor. If you have watercooled the bracket can be adapted and mounted next to the radiator in front of the passenger footwell (on a LHD). This way it's out of the way and will benefit from airflow over it to keep it cool.

These things can use a lot of juice though so you have to be careful how you wire it. I ran a separate feed from the main battery to the pump and installed a high current relay to switch the supply on and off. I installed a switch in the dash and used the alternator charge signal as a supply to the switch with the other side of the switch connected to the relay. This way the pump can only run if the engine is running and if you don't need it (like on a motorway) you can shut it down and save some petrol.

My experience is that this is superior to the original setup as the mechanical pump is "always on" and reduces mpg on long runs when power steering isn't needed and, with the new setup, you lose all the hydraulic pipes running the length of the van. As far as the noise goes, you can hear it if the engines not running but with the engine running it's definitely background noise. No worse than the heater on min speed.

Dave

PS: One other thing you have to bear in mind is that you'll need a different secondary steering shaft and universal joint from the steering transmission box to the rack. It's a different length and type than the non PS. This one caught me out.

[Iamsyncrodude]

Thanks all for your knowledge, I like the idea of the electric pump.
Apart from using a switch for on and off , was wondering if there is a control unit to sense the speed and control switching automatically... could it be asking for too much

[..lee..]

dont think you can speed sensitive the saxo/106 style pump, it certainly isn`t controlled this way on the std car saying that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

the corsa style column motor is speed sensitive std, but most use moddified ecu`s and a variable switch so you can vary assistance from very easy (called city mode with fiats) to off and possibly 4 or 5 settings inbetween.

saxo/106 system is much less work

[andysimpson]

9N polo's also use speed sensitve hydro electric but lots of wiring to do. There is no reason why you could not make a saxo pump variable.


I have done 2 with saxo pumps, very easy and no pipes to rust away. Pump seams made to fit on syncro sub frames.