Civic EG

Well my car just shit on me. For about the last week the steering has been screwy. It would feel like the steering wheel would get stuck on something or there was a dead spot in the power steering and the steering wheel would be at a funny angle even though the wheels were pointing straight. At one point it was completely upside down. So tonight I was showing my friend what it would do. When turning in a circle or a u-turn it would like slip or something and the wheel would be screwed up. As I was showing his this it stopped making right turns all together. The steering wheel just spins and spins and spins right but doesn't turn the wheels. I had a hell of a time getting it home because I have to make right turns. It'll make a left turn just fine. I need help ASAP. This is the only way I can get to school. Any help is much appreciated. I would take it to the shop but I can't really drive it plus I don't know any shops that work on imports in down.

Thanks,
Clark

might need a new rack and or inner tie rods busted? take off your wheel and inspect what you can. any shop can look at it.

Yeah get under the car and look around. it sounds like a part was on its way out and it finally died. I really hope it's not your rack, it's a major PITA to replace. But I can't think of anyting else that would cause what you described. I don't know alot about the inside of a power steering rack, but could air pockets in your power steering system cause what you described? maybe you have a leak somewhere and air is getting in. Start with the easy stuff first, check your fluid level and if it's low, check for leaks.

a friend of mine had a similar problem on his teg like 6-7 months ago, finnaly got it to a shop and they found his inner tie was broken.

92civiclx wrote:a friend of mine had a similar problem on his teg like 6-7 months ago, finnaly got it to a shop and they found his inner tie was broken.

^ Sounds right but i would do what Teal_DX said first start checking the easy things before jumping into some like that.

you can check the tie rods yourself. jack it up and shake the wheels side to side feel for any movement, if it does have movement, hold the outer tie and shake the wheel, if it moves at the end next to the boot the outer has play. if it moves the whole rod the inner has play.

teal_dx wrote:Yeah get under the car and look around. it sounds like a part was on its way out and it finally died. I really hope it's not your rack, it's a major PITA to replace. But I can't think of anyting else that would cause what you described. I don't know alot about the inside of a power steering rack, but could air pockets in your power steering system cause what you described? maybe you have a leak somewhere and air is getting in. Start with the easy stuff first, check your fluid level and if it's low, check for leaks.

My power steering was leaking a few months ago right before it got cold out so I got some Lucus Oil stop leak fluid and it seemed to take care of it. If it is the rack does anyone have any idea how much a shop would charge to fix it?

Okay so the passenger wheel doesn't have any play in it but the drivers side does. I took off the tire and the outer rod looks good. But the boot around the inner one has a lot of brown fluid coming out of it and maybe some metal shavings. Do you guys think that means it's the tie rod?

my opinion is to replace the inner tie rod. and get an alignment. if it is the rack it calls for about 3.5 hrs labor to install + the cost of the rack. id try the tierod first.

you can pick up a power steering rack for cheap. hell you can go to an integra rack if you wanted.

on our cars it shouldnt be to hard to replace the rack.

Okay so I replaced the inner and outer tie rod. It's drivable but it still won't turn right unless its warmed up. Could there be air in the power steering lines that causing this? It still does it occasionally while I'm driving. How/Can you bleed the power steering system?

jack up front end so both wheels are off the ground start it up and turn the wheel lock to lock back and forth slowly it will push the air out and up to the top.

I could be wrong and I agree with Wat teal dx said also, but it also sounds like your rack and pinion. If this is the case go to a junk yard or honda dismantling place and pick one up, but be warned it is a pain to do.

Even if the rack was good, air in the PS lines wouldn't affect anything other than the effort needed to turn the wheel. I.E: manual steering rack.

Sounds to me like the inner tie rod is busted, but it could also be the steering gears inside the rack. In which case, you'd need a new steering rack.