Power Steering - chnaging pump for a stronger one ?

garywork

garywork

garywork

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19 Oct 2002
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529
Hi

my old classic car has speed sensitive power steering which is very clever
but as i'm weak and feeble i could do with one thats on all the time

i drove a brand new insignia estate a while ago and thats the sort of feel i'm after

its for motorway trips so its real easy - bit like an amercian car would be

does this sound a bad idea or are these things compatible ?

i'm thinking hydraulic not this new fangled electric power steering

thanks
 
hmm I thought the Insignia's steering was a bit ... numb... which is of concern considering some of the horrors I have owned (OK not owned many cars but all have been 'meh' at best).
As for changing out the speed adaptive PS it would largely depend on the system used.
 
This sounds like an utterly absurd suggestion

Problem #1 Its a classic car. You are going to severely limit its appeal to any future purchaser when you tell them you've been messing around with the steering to make it feel all numb and overly assisted like modern cars. For classic car enthusiasts, the old unassisted meaty steering is usually one of the key appeals

Problem #2 Why is this even an issue. I assume you don't drive this to work every day and drive it for fun. Why do you want to ruin a classic car by fitting modern steering when you only drive it for fun ?

Problem #3 Nothing is going to fit. Its all going to have to be completely bespoke and custom

But why go to the bother, if the steering is such a problem, why don't you just ? buy another car ?

Surely you knew what you were letting yourself in for when you bought it and took it for a test drive ?
 
Hi

Speed sensitive, so when you're going slowly the steering is lighter and stiffens up when you're going faster? - yes

classic - i really mean its just old not a classic , didnt realise the significance of that word !

:(

its a K reg 2.0i Honda - its a real straight line down the M1 car - turning circle like a supertanker . . .

but its the power steering i'd like to boost really
 
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Edit: Just seen your latest post, mines maybe not so relevant now !

If I am reading your post right, then the best thing to do would be to take the car to a specialist and have them re-calibrate the current PAS system to give a little boost in assistance, if possible.

My old Citroen BX needed considerable pressure checking and adjustment on the steering parts of its hydraulics due to various wear and new parts.
 
Cheers MrLOL - not a car snob are we ?

as Volvos are so "cool" . . .


actually i think they are ok but i had to reply ;)


Nomisf - thanks for the idea - will pursue
 
my car is boring, bland, but a reliable and comfy way to get me from A to B

When you said classic car, i had in mind something like an Austin Healey Sprite, or maybe an old Triumph or something.

Not a car you are scared to call old so refer to it as classic instead.

Why not just say you have a K reg civic in the first place ?
 
I was wondering which classic car had power steering, the MBG just made do with a huge wooden steering wheel from a bus!, so you could try that.
aren't Hondas electrically assisted?
 
Hondas arent electric PS at that age but the NSX was the first one according to wiki

"Not a car you are scared to call old so refer to it as classic instead. " - a bit aggressive old man

anyway thanks for the one useful reply !

and i have now realised the power of the word classic
 
Your Civic will have a conventional power steering system with an engine driven pump. I have noticed on my old 1.8 VTi and on both B16 engined Civics a friend owns that at low engine speeds the steering becomes extremely heavy if you try to turn the steering quickly, presumably because the pump isn't flowing enough to keep up. I suspect the PAS pump is deliberately low geared on these as the engines rev so high.

Since my friend uses one of his cars for autotesting where this is a big handicap, he is planning to replace the engine driven pump with an electrically driven hydraulic pump (from e.g., a Saxo). This won't make the steering lighter however (apart from this particular situation), to do that the valve within the steering rack would have to be modified.

It's possible the pump and/or rack in your car is simply old and worn out, and replacing them with new(er) parts may lighten the steering.
 
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