Audi 80 Avant

[V6quattro]

I drove my mother's lexus hybrid suv for a couple of weeks and only once I have been in the rs2 I can tell how quick and light it feels!!!

Haha i always thought my avant was a big car but i now have a A8 for daily use. And when i drive my avant it feels smal and light now

[A80Avant]

Guys a bit of a question.

After a short drive today my power steering went. Steering wheel became quite stiff and I drove like that home for about 2 miles and it was a bitch to park of course.

Took a photo of the steering pump from the top.

Brian had custom made a bracket to use this single vane pump as I have transplanted into using vaccum servo. The bracket is a bit off which was one of the things that we were going to mend this July making the belt be at a slight angle. However it seems to me that the actual wheel may have moved out a bit perhaps from tension of the belt and now it's not sitting fat enough in the pump to make the pump operational. Of course I may just be completely wrong.

So should I try to push it back in in a gentle Clarkson moment? Or am I looking at a pump replacement? Trouble is that as it sits the wife cannot drive the car and I fear if the wheel moves any further the belt may be chewed up and more harm could be done.

What can I do in the interim?

[newsh]

I don't *think* the shaft can come out of the pump (but could be wrong..) maybe the pulley is coming off the shaft. Can you get any movement on the pulley? Any play up, down, sideways?

[A80Avant]

I didn't try yes as he engine was hot not to allow me to play. I will attack it tomorrow. I have a spare pump to measure the shaft hat is visible and judge if that is plausible. Good point though and I'll check it tomorrow.

If everything is tight hence an internal pump problem, would driving the car as is be dangerous for any other components ? I know the steering is dreadful but I don't want to wreck anything else in the process

[newsh]

If you do need to drive it I think I would take the belt off the pump, just in case the pulley comes off completely and damages something. Or rubs on that braided hose?

[A80Avant]

OK. Sounds right

[Error404]

The shaft can't slide out and disable the pump unless the pump was assembled wrong. the shaft is splined and passes through the vane plate and is retained by a circlip.
The pulley boss is a press fit on the shaft, so as John said that could be slipping on the shaft, although it sounds unlikely - the few I have pressed off have been tight as ****!
A broken control valve spring in the pump would mean you had no fluid pressure, but again sounds unlikely. You need to have a proper look really mate

[A80Avant]

This pump being on with the belt at a slight angle could it have worn something internally to damage it? Can this be a rack issue? I see no leaks and the steering fluid level is normal.

[Error404]

Does the pulley and shaft rotate with the engine running?

[A80Avant]

Yes. They do

[Tonks4x4]

I suspect the shaft in the pump has snapped and allowed it to move outwards of the pump.

Having done lots of pump mods to run the servo like you had it originally. I suggest going back to the 20vt pump and bracket is the way to go


Tonks4x4 - The Land Rover Specialist

[A80Avant]

But if you recall we tried 2 20vt pumps before going this single way pump because of leaks through the top nut of the dual system and noises of the pump.


Edit: thus is by how much the shaft has moved.



Looking at it though makes me think that some of that length was already there as the belt misalignment is not that different. The current pump was one we used off Brian's stack without any previous history and was a bit noisy to start with. I'd say it lasted long enough. I will have to try to get it fixed locally for now. How do I tackle the existing situation until I take it to the garage? Loosen the belt and push the shaft in? Leave it loose so that it doesn't push the shaft out anymore?

[Pirvu Eugen]

the pulley support is pressed on the shaft....is possible that this support to come loose and slide out from the shaft.
If this is the case...new pump i am afraid.
Goodluck!
BTW! I think i asked you why you didint used the oem pump with high pressure pistons removed?

[A80Avant]

the pulley support is pressed on the shaft....is possible that this support to come loose and slide out from the shaft.
If this is the case...new pump i am afraid.
Goodluck!
BTW! I think i asked you why you didint used the oem pump with high pressure pistons removed?

That's because on 2 pumps we tried with this method both leaked from the top cross nut and made terrible noises. Both were known working units from the original system. I suppose you could weld that top nut and have no leaks but he noise was there any way.

It looks that this method we did should work. No reason why a bracket wouldn't make it work. It's been like that for over 2 years now.

[Pirvu Eugen]

Pistons removed? from under the crossed bolts?
Anyhow...is true that is no reason why the new pump will not work...
I am sure that the pulley support became loose and spin from the shaft....is hot pressed on the shaft...
Goodluck!!