P38A Loss of steering/power steering

P38Seb

Well-Known Member

Posts

119

• Oct 11, 2024

• #1

Stopped off at Coop to grab some lunch, go to pull out on the main road and I can’t turn the steering wheel. Great.

So some context:

After the MOT, the next day I was driving home from work and noticed a slight rattle/scrape noise occasionally. Wasn’t present yesterday at all.

This morning I started the car up and it returned but soon quietened down, decided to give the garage a call when I get to work.

Short journey to coop, no signs of heavy steering, grab lunch and go to pull out, can’t turn the wheel. Cock.

Garage is now expecting it, and the RAC are coming out to take a look, but does this sound like the power steering pump has died it’s death?

 

P38Seb

Well-Known Member

Posts

119

• Oct 11, 2024

• #2

Quick update: RAC arrived in record time to assess, it’s a belt pulley - not 100% what it’s attached to but doesn’t appear to be the PAS pump

 

Mark Piercy

Well fumbled member....

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Sud ouest France !

• Oct 11, 2024

• #3

Maybe an idler pulley?

 

P38Seb

Well-Known Member

Posts

119

• Oct 11, 2024

• #4

Mark Piercy said:

Maybe an idler pulley?

Click to expand...

I don’t think it’s the one that applies tension. It’s near the top to the left of the alternator as you’re looking at the car.

Still, it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than I was first expecting when it happened

 

Mark Piercy

Well fumbled member....

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Sud ouest France !

• Oct 11, 2024

• #5

this bugger?

 

P38Seb

Well-Known Member

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119

• Oct 11, 2024

• #6

Yup! That’s the one!

 

P38Seb

Well-Known Member

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119

• Oct 25, 2024

• #7

Thought I’d give an update on this.

So not only did the static idler bearing fail, garage reckons the reason for that failing was the tensioner wasn’t tensioning any more.

A new bracket, bearing and tensioner later, I’ve got the car back and its working lovely!

 

Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

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Buckinghamshire, UK. ('95 DT)

• Oct 25, 2024

• #8

P38Seb said:

Thought I’d give an update on this.

So not only did the static idler bearing fail, garage reckons the reason for that failing was the tensioner wasn’t tensioning any more.

A new bracket, bearing and tensioner later, I’ve got the car back and its working lovely!

Click to expand...

You need to be very gentle with that tensioner when slackening off the belt.

They're known to crack though. I went Land Rover because I had heard of pattern parts failing within 3 years. Cannot recall when mine went on now but it was longer than that. @Rick-the-Pick went through about 3 of them.