Phantom

I’m having a problem with my steering and would like to get the thoughts of some others on the possible cause. It’s an 85.5 944NA with power steering. The steering is doing a couple of unusual things. First off, it is very stiff in feel. Second, there are points of resistance while turning the wheel. It almost feels like the wheel is stuck and then comes free. Third, it doesn’t return to center normally, I have to turn back to center, or the wheel will remain in whatever position it was in. These symptoms come and go in severity; some days are better than others. When I spray behind the front wheels to wash off road grime, the steering returns to normal for a couple of hours.

The car has 149,000 miles and a rebuilt steering rack and new tie rods were install at 80,000 and a rebuilt power steering pump at 140,000. I took the car to a Porsche mechanic and he told me the ball joints are worn on the a-arms, but he believes the power steering pump is causing the steering problem.

Has anyone had a similar problem? I find it hard to believe the power steering pump is the problem. Could bad ball joints on the a-arms cause the problem? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

slevy951

Doesn't sound like a ball joint problem. Those have different syptoms. I'm tending to agree with your mechanic. Either the rack is not getting enough fluid pressure from the pump or the rack itself is bad. Any leaks?? I do have pump/rack reseal kits now (not on web site yet). Feel free to email me for further info or with any other questions.

Phantom

Thanks for the reply Scott. The rack isn't leaking. I'll try disconnecting the power steering pump this weekend to see if it makes a difference.

Stan944

I would suggest disconnecting the tie rods, i.e. separating the steering gear from the front wheels. It is easier to disconnect tie rods, not the tie rod ends (to avoid damage to the rubber).

If it steers easily now, the problem is:
bearing in the strut top-mount,
tie rod ball joint,
the lower ball joint in the A-arm.

If it is still tight:
the power steering rack,
the u-joints in the steering shaft,
the bearings that hold the steering shaft,
or the locking mechanism of the steering wheel.

Depending on the answer, disconnect more elements to pinpoint the problem.
Good luck, Stan

P.s. make sure to check front end alignment when you're done.

Stan944

P.s.
if the steering is still tight, the power steering assist (the pum +...) may be bad, as your mechanic suggested.