No power steering - just before two hairpins !

[S2central.net]

Well that got your attention... Root cause was a 'suicidal idle' which has been getting worse when the car is warming up in this colder weather.

About 2 mins drive from cold start is a short sequence of hairpins and I'm just cruising along with one of the kids in the car... Slow slow in 2nd gear just about to turn in and the damn thing stalls - the extra load of steering effort must have pulled it over the edge - it doesn't normally stall - you just get that annoying rev bounce....

Anyway - there was sod all reserve assistance from the bomb - I thought it would have had some capacity to help, but nope so I had to muscle it round then with enough forward motion I was able to bump it back to life. Bloody stupid car - its a really dangerous hairpin if you meet someone else and I was lucky even though I was almost stationary.

I'm on my 2nd ISV after picking up a bargain used on eBay - maybe they are both dead, but I'm wondering if the throttle body / idle switch isn't getting triggered early enough.

But for this thread... Can anyone else give any description on howmuch power assistance effort they get when the engine has just died... I always thought it provided support for PAS and brakes, but maybe all the stored energy in the bomb is directed to the brake servo ?????

[Pirvu Eugen]

If the engine stalls....you have only brake assist with a good bomb servo syistem... the steering assist will die instantly.
Good that didint hapend at higher speeds!

[Pirvu Eugen]

Dont know iff this is a consolation.....but... at Opel astra with electric pas if the alternator is dead during running.....a computer shuts off some NOT important systems for the engine...one off this not important things is the pas pump.....
Soooo.... New ideas better cars!!!!

[macspring]

Me too !

Used to happen to me a couple of times on my 2.0L 16v ACE until I noticed I'd never re-connected the electrical connection to the ISV. doh!!!

But the power steering assistance does go as soon as the engine dies. Scary even when you realise in the first nano second what's happened.

Kind regards.

[newsh]

Yep, bomb is deffo for brakes only..

[Jas11n]

What is it with these cars and bloody bouncy revs?? I've had a completely brand new ISV and it still does it.
Same with my bro's car.
Both of ours do it from cold. We could start the car and get straight on the motorway and drive for 500miles non stop, come to a stop and get the bouncy revs, Yet sit with the car ticking over once warm, for 3 mins and it's gone. :beat :

Agree with above, PAS gone as soon as the engine stops. Damn heavy to steer with no PAS.

Jase..

[Error404]

I found my unstable revs on the 7A was cured by a replacement idle switch and cleaning all the contacts for the ISV, Throttle pot and Idle switch with contact cleaner

[mcandmar]

Bet that woke up you

The steering is manageable without assistance, having been towed a few times i'm fairly familiar with it. Its equal to a classic car with zero steering feel. Slow speed is the big problem, if you get down to walking pace you will need two hands.

If anybody is ever being towed take my advice and pump the brakes to discharge the bomb first, you only have about a dozen presses with assistance before it runs out. I found out the hard way being towed, came up to a t-junction and the pedal went firm, not fun when your tied to the car in front with a bit of rope

[S2central.net]

Mark - maybe you have biceps like Arnie, but at 5mph with 225 tyres and no warning it definitely gets your attention.

FOrgot to mention that on the return trip I approached the hairpins with a toe and heel into 1st to keep the revs up and then nailed it up the hill to the 2nd hairpin - what a bloody fantastic noise as it ripped right round to the redline with four wheel scrabbling for grip on wet leaves.

Think the root cause is the idle switch - hope to get a look and test this weekend. I also had this on my 7A of old - it used to stall at the most embarrasing times like when parking. Doh...

[shark_90]

Not towing a quattro I hope!!

Yep, steering assistance gone immediately I'm afraid. Rather disconcerting. Must have been a very very slow corner for it to have stalled in second though? Should have blipped the throttle and into 1st for maximum exit speed

[shark_90]

Haha, you wrote your post as I was writing mine Paul! D'oh! Great minds think alike eh!!

[Markarina]

Mark - maybe you have biceps like Arnie, but at 5mph with 225 tyres and no warning it definitely gets your attention.

FOrgot to mention that on the return trip I approached the hairpins with a toe and heel into 1st to keep the revs up and then nailed it up the hill to the 2nd hairpin - what a bloody fantastic noise as it ripped right round to the redline with four wheel scrabbling for grip on wet leaves.

Think the root cause is the idle switch - hope to get a look and test this weekend. I also had this on my 7A of old - it used to stall at the most embarrasing times like when parking. Doh...

Let me know how you get on Paul, I have the exact same stall problem on my car and can't get to the bottom of it, have had a brand new ISV fitted and makes no difference. At least I can sell the old one with a clear conscience.

[mcandmar]

Not towing a quattro I hope!!

Yep, but i used the S4 to tow it to avoid the shame

[shark_90]

Yep, but i used the S4 to tow it to avoid the shame

I was thinking more about the damage to the drivetrain!!

[Error404]

if all 4 wheels are on the ground its fine