Steering sluggish - new steering rack required?

[Paulzx2]

Blimey it's taken ages to be able to log back in here, had to create a new account too!

 

So my GT4 power steering has become a bit weird. When you crank the wheel over it's not too keen to try and centre itself like it would if the steering was light, so the car has a tendency to drift left or right, and the steering is generally heavier than before.

 

I had the garage fit another p/s pump but that hasn't changed the issue. The garage did say they didn't think there was anything wrong with the pump before hand, they think it's the rack. I tried the pump first just to be sure.

 

Is there any other likely culprit or am I really looking at another rack? The car has done 32,000 miles. No idea how long a rack should last but probably longer than that. Is this a case for zmanalex then?

[Ekona]

I’ll assume they changed the fluid when they changed the pump? 

Ultimately it’s a 20 year old car that’s not really been used, so sat around a lot of the time which isn’t a great thing. I’d expect a rack to last longer too, but only under normal use. 

[ZMANALEX]

Firstly, try a proper bleed of the PAS

[Paulzx2]

21 hours ago, Ekona said:

I’ll assume they changed the fluid when they changed the pump? 

Ultimately it’s a 20 year old car that’s not really been used, so sat around a lot of the time which isn’t a great thing. I’d expect a rack to last longer too, but only under normal use. 

Yep pretty sure they changed the fluid. I did think that too about it not being used much. Sometimes the car does less than 900 miles between services

[Paulzx2]

20 hours ago, ZMANALEX said:

Firstly, try a proper bleed of the PAS

Cheers Alex, I will try that. Would they not have had to belled it when they put the new pump on though?

[ZMANALEX]

Yes, they would have had to bleed the PAS hydraulic system after the NEW ? pump was fitted.

 

However, some air may still be trapped in the system.

 

Report back once you have done that for step 2 if required.