Anyone dis-connect power steering???

[korax123]

Just wondering if any of you started with power steering and dis-connected the pump what kind of gains you saw? When we get my wife a new Honda Fit I think I will disconnect the belt and see what gains are to be had.

******Disconnect on the 93 Civic not the Fit******
Sorry.

[kickflipjr]

Yeah I removed the belt two weeks ago. My AC isn't belted either (but the owner before me did that because there was a problem with the pulley).

gassaver link (http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=634&highlight=power+steering)

[skewbe]

It looks like the fit has electric assist steering...

http://automobiles.honda.com/images/banners/2007/fit/fit_factsheet.pdf

[Silveredwings]

Your wife probably would have a Fit if you took the power steering out of her brand new car...
Yeah, she'd probably get so pumped, she'd even belt you. And you'd be racked with pain. You'd be totally hosed.

[Snax]

We'd never try to steer you the wrong way on this. Such action could take a turn for the worse, so watch out for your pinion. :D

[skewbe]

*sigh*, THERE IS NO POWER STEERING PUMP OR BELT ON THE FIT!!!

[korax123]

*sigh*, THERE IS NO POWER STEERING PUMP OR BELT ON THE FIT!!!


OOPS i typed that wrong. I meant I am going to disconnect the PS belt in the 93 Civic cause I will be driving that to and from work 4 days a week and take my saturn 1 day a week.

I re-read what i posted and it sounded like disconnecting it on the Fit lol.

[Silveredwings]

That's ok, we had fun with it. :D

[cfg83]

Hello -

If I were to disconnect the power steering, here is what I think I would have to do :

1 - Change my current DOHC power steering belt configuration from this :

http://home.earthlink.net/~cfg83/gassavers/sw2_mods/dohc_belts.jpg

to this SOHC configuration :

http://home.earthlink.net/~cfg83/gassavers/sw2_mods/sohc_belts.jpg

Since the engines are the same, the pulley are all in the same place, :) . I would have to get my hands on the belt the goes with the configuration shown above, probably from a Saturn dealer. The AC stays for the sake of other passengers.

2 - Disattach the power steering pump from the rack. I *think* I can do this because I think that the rack and pinion is the same for both cars. Leaving the pump mechanism in place would leave a ton of resistance in the steering and make it undriveable.

3 - Cross my fingers and hope my ECU/PCM doesn't get mad at me.

These Saturns were sold without power steering, and my car weighs 2400 lbs, so I think that I am fine safety-wise. I prefer the road feel of manual rack and pinion anyway.

This is a far-down-the-line project, though.

CarloSW2

[kickflipjr]

I recommend you search the forums at www.saturnfans.com I heard that you need a different idler pulley or something if you change belts.

[cfg83]

kickflipjr -

I recommend you search the forums at www.saturnfans.com I heard that you need a different idler pulley or something if you change belts.

Thanks for the info. That's another important detail I would need to know.

CarloSW2

[Snax]

Yup, most likely you need to switch to a v-grooved tensioner vs. the smooth one it probably has now.

[cfg83]

theclencher -

Looks like that top tensioner could disappear altogether on your proposal.

Yes, but wouldn't I need a custom belt in that case?

CarloSW2

[Silveredwings]

Yup, most likely you need to switch to a v-grooved tensioner vs. the smooth one it probably has now.
Why is that? I've seen smooth tensioners set up both ways.

[bzipitidoo]

We once drove 1000 miles with "Armstrong" steering in a '79 Ford Granada. That's about how far from home Las Vegas is, where the pump failed. Just put on a shorter belt. No problem driving on the highway. It's sharp turns at slow speeds that were a bit difficult.

That same trip, we also drove for about 100 miles without a functioning alternator, but as we were still 200 miles or so away when we realized the alternator had died, we couldn't make it, even with a charge. Service station charged $8 for that. So, swapped in a rebuilt alternator at an auto parts store when we were 25 miles away.

I'd heard some power steering equipped cars shouldn't be driven long distances with power steering disabled. Wish I could find the details on that again. May not fly during a safety inspection either.

[Snax]

Why is that? I've seen smooth tensioners set up both ways.
There may be belt wear issues associated with it, but I'm just guessing.

One thing worth pointing out here is that any car with a belt driven pump that has the pump disabled is going to be VERY difficult to steer at lower speeds in particular.

Assuming power steering removal is intended to be permanent and without going so far as to actually replace the rack with a suitable manual one, the best way to deal with that is to drain and disconnect the rack from the pump. (Connect the ends of the hoses together to provide a clean recirculating airpath.) Doing this will alieve the resistance that an inactive pump provides and make steering noticeably easier.

[cfg83]

Snax -

There may be belt wear issues associated with it, but I'm just guessing.

One thing worth pointing out here is that any car with a belt driven pump that has the pump disabled is going to be VERY difficult to steer at lower speeds in particular.

Assuming power steering removal is intended to be permanent and without going so far as to actually replace the rack with a suitable manual one, the best way to deal with that is to drain and disconnect the rack from the pump. (Connect the ends of the hoses together to provide a clean recirculating airpath.) Doing this will alieve the resistance that an inactive pump provides and make steering noticeably easier.

Agreed. That is be one of my operating assumptions. An engaged pump could also cause or suffer damage to the steering, I think.

I don't have *proof*, but from what I can tell of my manuals, the rack and pinion component of my power steering is the same as the rack and pinion component of manual steering Saturns. Sooooo, done right, I could have "stock Saturn" manual steering.

CarloSW2

[VetteOwner]

accualy a PSU wouldnt seem to cause that much drag on a belt anyways,(least the ones ive messed with). take your current belt off and give the pump a good spin. it should stay spionning for a few seconds. that and u will find that it is easy to spin.