feeling like it has no power steering

[kmckmc]

I have changed a new S2 LHD steering rack to my S2. It is installed correctly. However, after I have started the car, the steering feels extremely heavy as if there is no power steering feature. After a short while, the steering would become lighter.

What is happening?

Please advise.

[chris.t]

air in the system??

[Monty]

Micheal,

you saying that the new S2 rack feels different from your old S2 rack?

I have the S2 rack on my SE and that is also heavy, so just wondering if it`s something to do with the surplus racks we have bought

[whippit]

i bought a s2 rack as well, its not been fitted yet,
when i picked it up from the main dealer, i asked why it was pissing oil out from every orifice, all he said was its old stock
i refused to take it and asked them to get another one in for me, the new one arrived and guess what, pissing oil every where, was told it was the last one available,
so accepted it, i have my suspicions that if i fit the rack it will leak,
i'm not sure what old stock means, but i bet there's a few faulty return's sent back to lotus that got thrown back on the shelves, who knows !!

[Monty]

i bought a s2 rack as well, its not been fitted yet,
when i picked it up from the main dealer, i asked why it was pissing oil out from every orifice, all he said was its old stock
i refused to take it and asked them to get another one in for me, the new one arrived and guess what, pissing oil every where, was told it was the last one available,
so accepted it, i have my suspicions that if i fit the rack it will leak,
i'm not sure what old stock means, but i bet there's a few faulty return's sent back to lotus that got thrown back on the shelves, who knows !!

All i can say when i recieved mine it wasn`t leaking oil out and it`s no small job to fit as i had to replace the pipes

[kmckmc]

This HEAVY steering really is strange. I was driving another m100 s2 the other day. It still has the original steering rack from 1995, and the steering is not heavy at all.

I have scheduled to have the steering rack (the HEAVY one) checked next week.

Do you think the PAS Pump has anything to do with this Heavy Steering?

What else could attribute to it?

[Monty]

This HEAVY steering really is strange. I was driving another m100 s2 the other day. It still has the original steering rack from 1995, and the steering is not heavy at all.

I have scheduled to have the steering rack (the HEAVY one) checked next week.

Do you think the PAS Pump has anything to do with this Heavy Steering?

What else could attribute to it?

If the Pump was fine before fitting the new rack then it should be fine, got a feeling it`s to do with the rack and wonder if the internals was changed at some point

Think it`s something were going to have to live with unless you go back to your old rack

[kmckmc]

Thanks for your post.


This NEW OLD STOCK S2 steering rack is really annoying! It really is very heavy.

If after my mechanic had removed both sides' end rods from the rack, and the steering still feel HEAVY, then I could conclude something is wrong with this NEW OLD STOCK S2 rack from Lotus.


For the time being, as I do not see any leakage, could I guess that NOT MUCH fluid is present within the rack. OK, perhaps I am not making any sense here.

Cheers,

[saska]

I'd check that the rack was bled of air fully (as christ suggests) as it sounds as if there is air in the rack itself and hence no power steering.
Procedure for doing this is in the Gen Service Manual

It is also worth checking that the lower steering column U-Joint is fitted correctly as this apparently affects effort.

[Monty]

Mine was done to the manual instrustions