Steering troubles...

[grndslm]

I'm having a huge steering problem right now. Here are the important need-to-knows:

-1994 Toyota Corolla STANDARD ED. w/a 1.6L 4AFE & 214,000 miles on the chassis
-it has power steering, but i cut the ps belt and thought that it didn't need to be lubed, so the power steering resorvoir dried up
-sounded like some kinda steering or suspension part was rattling, but i was leaning more toward steering since i've replaced damn near all the suspension parts i can (struts, mounts, etc.), then it spun me in the middle of the road, but my momentum kept me moving straight forward
-it popped a coupla times for a few hours after this incident, then once i got to the o'reilly parking lot, the steering wheel started to spin an infinite amount of times and doesn't even turn the tires now....doesn't even sound like it's moving anything inside the rack and pinion. honestly.

what's the problem?
i should keep power steering fluid in there at all times even tho the belts not hooked up?
or i need to fix the belt and get power steering working again?
do i need to replace just the steering wheel, or gearing?
or will i need to replace the steering knuckle and overall rack and pinion set?
could it be anything else? or anything less than what i've made it out to be.
is this car worth fixing? or should i just get a newer corolla with less miles?

Thanks in advance,
Jason

[Bitter]

it sounds like your steering rack or the steering shaft is broken.

[grndslm]

So, it's not an issue with the steering wheel itself?? or the gearing inside?

My friend says he thinks that's the problem...I think he might be right because the steering wheel turns TOO easily and doesn't make noise inside that pipe behind the steering wheel, but i definitely believe it's rooted somewhere within the rack & pinion, and prolly the steering spindle/knuckle also.

If I were to replace the rack & pinion & the steering knuckle....that would be all the possible problems, right? besides ti-rods or something, eh?

Any tips for preventing this from happening again, or helping the speed of my recovery process? Like making sure the power steering reservoir is topped off with ps fluid? or fixing the pump altogether? or just watching out for potholes, maybe?

Will I have to take this to a professional, or would i be able to do most of it myself if given the proper book?

[grndslm]

I'm starting to believe that this power steering pump failure is the REAL root of the problem....but there has always been a faint, tapping noise when i go over bumps!

[94_Rolla_Guy]

you need to go through and diagnose the problem

1. check the U-joints see if any are broken
2. check the boots on the tie rods, are they torn and broken, leaking fluid?
3. have someone turn the wheel, does the shaft spin at the rack?
4. try to force it further than lock (gently) see if it will skip over.

I would suspect the rack has gone bad and the gears in it are totally worn out. But by cutting the belt your putting way more force on the shafting and u-joints thats gonna make them wear faster no question...

[retiredat44]

1989 Toyota Corolla SR5

I just rebuilt my power steering pump. and the steering problem is not as bad as it was. When it was cold the power steering was not working. It only worked after the engune warmed up. I bought a kit, which included only the seals and o-rings. It was a real bitch taking it off, because there was no room to pull it up, even after I removed the brackets, but finally pulled it up and out.

The damned Power Steeringt oil line (uses Dexron II or III Auto trans fluid) would not come off, I could not get a hold of the damned line and totally bothed that and did not move the bolts int eh right direction, so I had to remove the hose from the rack, that was a total nightmare, there is NO ROOM there! UI llso replaced the small hose. a couple bucks at autozone. My power steering never leaked at all it just stopped working when cold.

Taking it aparts would have been easy except the damned snap ring was a real Pain in the ASS!

BTW I use pnuematic power wrenches for some bolts, and if I didn't have air tools, the job would have been much much harder. I put the air wrench and socket on some bolt, like the pulley bolt and one press of the trigger and it zipped right off... no need to use a vise or anything...

The kit was about $15.00 at Autozone.

The power seteeing works a bit better and bought lots more time.

I asked how much at PepBoys to put in a new Power Steering rack. Parts are $251.00 and Labor $450.00 !!

If the location were out int he open it would be very easy, everything on this car is impossible to get at and work on