therossinator

So I took my car to Atlanta to have it aligned by Jim Ellis Porsche. Although my car was too low to adjust the kinematic, they were absolutely top notch. After I drove away I noticed that the steering wheel wasn't quite straight. I stopped for coffee and in maneuvering on streets noticed a pronounced sound my steering wheel was hard over so cautiously I didn't pull into a spot so that I wouldn't have to reverse out of one. When I got back and started the car I shifted into first and released the e-brake, as I tried to drive away the car wouldn't move. I could feel it lurch, but it acted as though the brakes were on. Furthermore when I turned the steering wheel the wheels weren't as compliant as the should be. I was able to twist the steering wheel so there was less resistance and I was able to pull away and once I was driving at speed it was fine. At low rpms it acts funny. Now the wheels won't turn when I turn the steering wheel.
The rack was rebuilt by me about a few thousand miles ago and I've noticed that the steering wheel slightly shifted off center in those thousands of miles, but nothing this catastrophic has happened before. Any ideas?

Spyder_Man

Odd noises when the wheel is turned all the way one way happened to me when my steering rack was failing. The noises were the steering pump gasping for steering fluid. I'd hold off on driving it much until you can crawl under there and look for steering fluid leaks. GL!

therossinator

Unfortunately I need to drive from Jacksonville to Pensacola before Tuesday. It's just over 5 hours with very few turns. I don't think my towing coverage will accommodate that.

TMc993

Have you checked your power steering fluid level?

I wouldn't drive it from Jacksonville to P'cola with a sketchy steering system...You could lose you car, your life, and cost others theirs as well.

If you can't afford the towing, look into renting a vehicle and trailer for a one-way tow to P'cola. I just checked the U-Haul site and they list a truck & trailer for a 1-way from J'Ville to P'cola for $341.00.

P-daddy

Very good advice!

pp000830

So I took my car to Atlanta to have it aligned by Jim Ellis Porsche. Although my car was too low to adjust the kinematic, they were absolutely top notch.

Are you saying your car was not properly aligned? They should have adjusted the ride height to ROW lower specification so it would accept an alignment. Why pay for an alignment that could not be completed?

After I drove away I noticed that the steering wheel wasn't quite straight.

No excuse for this I would take it back and have them adjust it properly.

I stopped for coffee and in maneuvering on streets noticed a pronounced sound my steering wheel was hard over so cautiously I didn't pull into a spot so that I wouldn't have to reverse out of one.

Check your steering fluid level. If it is OK, not sure what is going on. Did you replace the power steering reservoir when you did the rack? There is a filter built into the bottom of it that may be clogged.

When I got back and started the car I shifted into first and released the e-brake, as I tried to drive away the car wouldn't move.

Conceivably the parking brake cables can become rusty and stick causing the parking brakes in the rear hub to lock up. Driving a car with partially engaged parking brakes will generate a lot of heat in the hub area and should be avoided. I would have the car towed

I could feel it lurch, but it acted as though the brakes were on.

Furthermore when I turned the steering wheel the wheels weren't as compliant as the should be.

Unclear what you are saying here, while driving or when pulling out of a parking space?

I was able to twist the steering wheel so there was less resistance and I was able to pull away and once I was driving at speed it was fine. At low rpms it acts funny. Now the wheels won't turn when I turn the steering wheel.

Even with on power assist you should be able to turn your steering wheel while rolling even if it is a little stiff. Something very wrong here with the rack or some interference in the suspension parts due to being lowered below ROW Porsche specifications.


The rack was rebuilt by me about a few thousand miles ago and I've noticed that the steering wheel slightly shifted off center in those thousands of miles, but nothing this catastrophic has happened before. Any ideas?

Sorry you are having problems I hope my comments are useful,
Best regards, Andy

Spyder_Man

Agreed, I would NOT drive the car much further than it takes to get it onto a flatbed tow truck. Its not worth risking it for a bit of convenience.

If you do have low steering fluid, make sure you top it off with the correct stuff. Porsche is very particular about which steering fluids can be used on these cars. Also look for puddles up towards the front end of the car now that it has sat for a bit.

therossinator

I believe that is was aligned properly, it doesn't pull, the gas milage is slightly better and the grip is better. I suspect that they aligned it as best they could. I do not see how an alignment alone could cause this. I could imagine someone working up in there could have upset something and exacerbated a rack that wasn't installed perfectly.
Again, I think they would have noticed something this big, given that it got progressively works over the first hundred miles on a three hundred mile trip I could imagine that they drove it, aligned it (and jostled something in the rack), and tested it and never noticed anything happened.
The fluid level is ok, I tried turning the wheel with the cap off to try and bleed out air, but nothing. I did not replace the reservoir itself, I did replace the fluid with Pentosin CHF202.
I don't think the parking brake is the issue. I replaced brake pads and rotors and attempted shoes as well and everything looked great, furthermore, the phenomenon seems closely related to steering, strange as it may seem. As I previously mentioned, highway milage has gone up since the alignment/these issues.
I can feel the car trying to move as if the parking brake were engaged, I can notice the torque of the engine and feel it about to stall as I lift off the clutch.
In light of the situation and my need to be home, I plan to get it towed to the auto hobby shop on a nearby naval base and remove and inspect the rack. If all goes wrong I should be able to borrow the car of a friend I'm staying with here and come back next weekend.
Yes, you and everyone here have very useful suggestions, I wouldn't be able to have as much fun as I do without all you guys. Rennlist is such and awesome place.

therossinator

I was able to fix the major problem. The tie rod had unscrewed from the rack. It was majorly toe in when I drove forward making it feel like the brake was on and it was the driver side which made me think that the steering wheel wasn't directly connected to the front wheels.

If anyone has some extra tie rod boots I would be interested in purchasing them.

The next situation that has been discovered is that I have no power to my power steering. When I turn the wheel it is very heavy and I hear a hissing noise when I turn the wheel. I have no idea how to diagnose this but I figure that it ought to be a blocked hydraulic line, a bad PS pump, or a PS belt failure. How can I make a better determination?

jscott82

Holy hell.... You need to find the mechanic that did your alignment and go kick his dog...

therossinator

Yeah, I'm surprised he didn't notice anything. I think it was still in there when he did the alignment but near the end of its way out. Still, when you do the toe you should notice something else turning. Maybe that is why. He turned the link and that turned out the arm from the rack.

TMc993

Alignment:

I'd be on the phone to Jim Ellis' service manager. There's no excuse for them letting your car leave their shop in that condition. The first step in the alignment process is to make sure the steering and suspension are "healthy." If it isn't, you repair it before moving forward with the alignment. Then, you always go back through and make sure everything is tightened to spec before a car leaves the shop....Always....You should get your money back on this....Even if it was that way before they got the car, they should have found it.

Power steering:

Did you ever check your power steering fluid?

Spyder_Man

Absolutely. I don't see how the tie rod could have unscrewed itself through use. This screams negligence on the shop's end.

OP you are certain the tie-rod has become unthreaded and not broken somehow? You'll certainly need a new alignment now if the length adjustment of the tie-rod is compromised.

pirahna

Hissing is generally a sign that you are very low on steering fluid. You will need to fill and then find out why it is low. This normally means that your rack needs to be rebuilt or replaced, look for dripping between the front tires for obvious signs.

therossinator

Steering fluid is full, as it has been since I rebuilt the rack. The only indications I have are a soft hiss when the wheel is being forced in one direction or the other and the obviously stiff steering.
I will fully admit to not tightening the tie rod down far enough, I didn't have a crows foot to attach to my torque wrench so I just used a simple wrench and thought it was tight enough, without torquing it down I can never be sure. I can understand how they might have not noticed and as they were adjusting the toe they separated the tie rod from the rack, rather that the inner from the outer, but I would expect a bit more from a top tier dealer like them.
This is exactly how the car looked when I lifted the car 350+ miles after the the alignment.

What would the dealership do for me anyways? I called them just before I lifted my car and while the service manager was amicable, I got the feeling that they wanted to seem compassionate, but didn't really care too much. I don't blame them on that front, I live five hours away and do all maintenance myself, they will never see me in there again, what do they care?