Td5 Discovery heavy steering at low revs

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109inches

Well-Known Member
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644
Location
Devon
I’m hoping for some help in solving this issue. Recently bought a discovery and everything is really good with it except the power steering.

At low revs below about 1500rpm there’s no power steering assistance at all. The pump has a faint whine and increasing the revs results in smooth and easy power steering.

Looking through the extensive service history it had a new power steering pump in 2016. So have partly ruled it out but I’m aware parts even relatively new can fail. Vehicle has only done about 7000 miles since the pump change.

So far I have checked the belt and the tension both were brand new and genuine Land Rover at the time of the pump change. Fluid level is spot on. I’ve jacked both front wheels up and tried turning the wheel both with engine running and not running and the steering is smooth and light and you can turn with one finger.

Fluid flow seems quite good at idle you can see the fluid in the reservoir swirling the fluid. Has anyone got anything else I can try?
 
109inches said:
I’m hoping for some help in solving this issue. Recently bought a discovery and everything is really good with it except the power steering.

At low revs below about 1500rpm there’s no power steering assistance at all. The pump has a faint whine and increasing the revs results in smooth and easy power steering.

Looking through the extensive service history it had a new power steering pump in 2016. So have partly ruled it out but I’m aware parts even relatively new can fail. Vehicle has only done about 7000 miles since the pump change.

So far I have checked the belt and the tension both were brand new and genuine Land Rover at the time of the pump change. Fluid level is spot on. I’ve jacked both front wheels up and tried turning the wheel both with engine running and not running and the steering is smooth and light and you can turn with one finger.

Fluid flow seems quite good at idle you can see the fluid in the reservoir swirling the fluid. Has anyone got anything else I can try?
Click to expand...
Tyres, size and pressures can have a drastic effect on the steering.
 
I wonder if it has something to do with the coolant pump which is driven by the PAS pump. It could be sheer coincidence but the bypass flow valve in the thermostat housing starts opening at around 1500rpm to reduce the pressure in the heater matrix.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I have checked tyre pressures and all are to spec. I took it out to the field and even on grass it struggles at low rpm. The steering however always self centres smoothly and perfectly. So I’m certain it’s linked to the hydraulic side and not a mechanical issue like steering column ujs. Whilst out there the pump has started to whine so I’m thinking a bad pump.

Is fitting the power steering pump straight forward? As in could an error in fitting cause this? I did check all the pipework incase something had become trapped and restricted fluid flow but everything is where it should be. Unless when the new pump was fitted dirt entered the system and is causing a restriction and only when certain revs are reached it produces enough pressure for steering assistance.

It’s very much linked to the revs and is gradual process of getting smoother depending on revs. By which I mean it isn’t like an off/on switch. At idle there’s next to no power steering, increase the revs to 1000rpm and it’s a little easier but almost notchy In feel, get to 1500 and it’s much better but not silky smooth then up it to about 1700rpm and it’s like how power steering should feel.
 
Hi, I've changed my PAS pump due to a leak and it's basic spannering. The most difficult thing I had was getting the pump's drive spline to line up with the water pump!
Griff
 
So further investigation today seems to point to the steering box. With the engine off and the wheels on the ground I can still feel the notchiness in the steering. Then jacked the vehicle up and removed the track rod end off the drop arm and push and pulled on the wheels and they move nice and easily. Then trying to move the drop and it’s incredibly stiff and notchy and the box is leaking oil from the drop arm area.
 
109inches said:
So further investigation today seems to point to the steering box. With the engine off and the wheels on the ground I can still feel the notchiness in the steering. Then jacked the vehicle up and removed the track rod end off the drop arm and push and pulled on the wheels and they move nice and easily. Then trying to move the drop and it’s incredibly stiff and notchy and the box is leaking oil from the drop arm area.
Click to expand...
it will be stiff as its geared you have to turn the steering wheel 3 and 3/4 turns to get the drop arm to move just over 90 degrees,a small leak from shaft seal wont effect box efficiency that would have to be a failed input shaft or a failed piston seal box bearings could have failed but shaft with drop arm would have play up down and side to side and a very large leak,presumably with drop arm disconnected box feels smooth when turning steering wheel
 
The box has a slight notchy feeling which is worse the more load it’s under. You can feel it mildly from the steering wheel with the drop arm disconnected but worse with everything connected up. It’s also worse the closer to straight ahead you are and also seems worse turning right. The best way I can describe the feeling at the wheel and the drop arm is like running your fingernail across the teeth of some gears.

Although the the drop arm is incredibly difficult to move which I would sort of expect I can feel the notchiness through that also.

I really don’t believe that it’s the pump now as at idle the fluid is being thrown around in the reservoir the same amount as the ace fluid. The wheels move freely when disconnected from the steering. With resistance only being felt between the steering wheel and the drop arm.
 
sierrafery said:
Give some WD40 to the universal joints
Click to expand...

Done this and tried again sprayed them everyday since Thursday and taken for a spin and no different. Uj’s seem spot on.

However today I’m back to thinking it’s the pump. The longer the engine has run for the harder the steering gets at idle and the pump starts whining every time the wheel is turned below about 1800rpm. The other reason I’m back to thinking it’s fluid related is the fact the steering centres without needing any assistance from me even if I go around a bend and then coast do the engine is idling it self centres as well as any car I’ve driven.
Surely a mechanical issue be it a uj or steering box would make it struggle to self centre?

Any other thoughts or should I just rip the power steering pump off?
 
Just a suggestion, but worth a try - assuming the adjustment stud on the steering box has been turned in too much in an attempt to reduce play in the steering box, it tends to make the whole thing bind a bit. Try unscrewing it out a few turns and see if that makes a difference.
 
ifloochies said:
Just a suggestion, but worth a try - assuming the adjustment stud on the steering box has been turned in too much in an attempt to reduce play in the steering box, it tends to make the whole thing bind a bit. Try unscrewing it out a few turns and see if that makes a difference.
Click to expand...
Tried that and no use. Looking towards box and pump
 
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