Thread: Power Steering Stiff turning wheel Left Normal turning wheel right.

Dsmuts... interesting and I agree with Scottydoggs... this job so reminds me of the Rod bearings where I had to drop the sub-frame on the driver side in order to remove the oil pan to get to the rod bearings on a 3800 engine... Bunch of other things had to come off too. First time... 5 hour job... Did it with another... because I knew everything about it, in about Hour and half (still annoyed with GM)... Which of course impressed a few of my friends... This seems just as Annoying. Dsmuts thanks for input... and Vote of Confidence LOL.

Scottydoggs... thanks for the relay of information... the things you mentioned will speed up the process... Under the "Been there done that scenario"... sway bar was overlooked... for more room... Thank you and 98GrandPrixIraqVet for that input. More room - eases the process.

2 Issues popped up... 1) are the cardone racks satisfactory (not asking for the best) but not asking for the worst... seem to remember someone complaining about them. 2) MAGNASTEER - damn if my vin number says I don't have it... but looked under there and I do have it... (because I had a ABS light on and Traction Control light just popped on with Service Brake Lights a day or two ago) a friend wants me to check the harness. He said theres a lot of info with Goofy things going on with Magnasteer when those three lights pop up... including Stiffing steering (Why Me). I have a friend who has a GM Tech 2 reader I was going to go by and find out which one... and then these other two popped on... Now the possibility of them being related... The CHALLENGES... If Magnaster is faulty then cool... still Rack comes out. But if the ABS system is sending the wrong system like saying the wheel is going 60 miles and hour (Lights are on and car hasn't moved) then ABS Module problems. Still leaning towards Rack... But now I got to get these lights out to confirm. THAT GREAT GM FEELING... LOL

When mag steer fails on 98+ cars(not just gm cars got mag steer btw) steering is EXTREMELY light. I installed an 01 regal mag rack in my non mag steer 97 monte and ended up kinking a ps line on purpose to get some road feel. So no, its not ur mag steer

OKAY GUYS... New update... (Still leaning towards your diagnosis scottydogg) BUT I'm a Systems Analysit by trade (20 years). So everything to me connected in someway will help me pinpoint the problem. (Had GTP a year, 2004 so I expect minor problems-and have no issues with that)

Bare with me a min. My original post:
1) at IDLE (PARK) wheel is stiff (Left and right) Just Stiffer Left. My GTP idles just under 1000 (700rpms). Gassing it between 1500-2000 rpms... wheel feels normal (both directions... have a little whine)
2) Had a bind turning wheel left IF ONLY IF I turn wheel right to LOCK (And that's sometimy - testing it last night) Binding I mean the Pump Whines A lot (Didn't want to force it... make things worse)
3) Driving - Steering is Normal - no issues.
ADDED: ABS Light had been on for a while... just recently (day or two) service brakes and Traction control.

This morning getting ready for work (6am) turned car on... (nice and quiet outside) and I heard the whine. I haven't even touched the wheel. (I try to keep my cars noise free). Increasing the RPMs the whine becomes louder... turned the Key off... checked again my Belt... not loose but very Tacky (2-3 months ago sprung leak at that pesky plastic 3800 elbow for coolant - replaced with Alum.) Belt did get soaked... but Yellow seems different than green on belt... So shes slipping??? (I'll find out in an hour). Pull it off soak in in soap... let it dry. While off - do some minor inspection of that pump - make sure shes turning. No leaks ever have been apparent.

The ABS-Track Light-Service Break light have never been on at the same time... this is recent... ABS... clean contacts off one time and ABS went off for awhile... figured some issues there - could get to later. The light comes on (EVEN WITH CAR SITTING THERE) and after I cleared errors (Neg Batt). Going to pull fuse shortly too... Disable EVERYTHING... (getting annoyed LOL).

NOTED: Many post (as mentioned originally) Person replaced Rack and problem reappeared in few days. Replaced pump and that wasn't the problem. Noted also the quirkness of the Magnasteer (Not everyone with this issue - I67ss - but sometimes I have luck on the otherside LOL - that's why i'm leaning with rack). When all three lights light up Magnasteer can (instances) get confused for some reason and kick in at idle (at least that's whats seem to be an issue). Figure that out soon enough (Some post on this Forum).

So heres my NEXT question... ABS Light - If theres a problem with the sensor in the hub (On grand prixs) does the Light remain on after RESTART (sitting over night - all three lights popped on) without MOVING! Shouldn't it reset FIRST until after you move... Would the speed sensor show I'm moving - and I'm not? INSIGHTS ANYONE (said with a smile).

I have to wait a few hours for the engine to cool down... and then things are coming apart... Any ideas I'll check during the process... You guys have any experiments you want me to try... lets do it. LOL - THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR INPUT on this mater!

Hey dsmuts... quick question on that... Does that Identify which one... and what is failing on it... for example... I know at one time Grand Prixs wiring harness (connector) picked up water... shorting causing false errors... I know a guy that had to disconnect and wipe water out of his... also aware that some had wiring harness problems... how is your GTP... any ABS problems... When mine first popped up... I pulled each one and cleaned contacts with Electronics Cleaner... ABS light disappeared... only to reappear later (sometimes rainy days sometimes warm) wasn't pressed at the time attitude - "Get with that minor problem later". Because I unplugged the driver side front - plugged it back up and it went away again. Interesting how minor problems get in the way of finding a bigger problem... HA HA HA.

Well ScottyDogg... as they say in the old cartoons $)@Q $^*@# ?#@$~. Damn if I can not get it to bind... its just stiff left and right. Drives smooth... turns smooth... no sound while driving... when turning the wheel at low idle (500-700rpm) not moving... Pump makes its noise and a little harder to turn the wheel but my girl turned it back and forth while I listen under the hood so it doesn't take a lot of muscle. Higher idle its good... When driving on highway no drift no play in wheel... When turning... wheel returns back to center... Annoyed now. Okay...

1) Lets say magnasteer issue because of ABS... how stiff does the wheel get. (again I know this doesn't happen to all cars but to some...).
2) Low pressure at the Pump??

Guys, I'm getting a squealing noise when I turn wheel left. The smooth side of my serpentine belt is showing wear (has just a couple hundred miles on it). Guessing this is source of squeal. Does this sound like a pump issue or a rack issue?

Fantastic. Thanks scotty for the feedback.