New Rack & Pinion stiff at idle, ok off idle...?

Plat0ribs

Registered User
Shop is telling me it's a defective rack & pinion, didn't have any problem with stiffness before, just leaked like a sieve.

If they are unable to diagnose something else and fix the problem they suggest R&R'ing another rack & pinion at my cost (I brought in the part).

If anybody has any suggestions or theories I'd sure appreciate hearing them.

Thanks guys,
Chris

PS: 89 5-speed SC
 
Stiff at idle? I'd be checking the power steering pump - especially the EVO in case it's stuck closed.

RwP
 
If it's an aftermarket rack, they feel stiffer in general vs factory ones. Both times I have replaced racks on these cars, that is the way they felt. If it drives you nuts, then try a motorcraft one and see what happens. Big money. I think the aftermarket ones loosen up a bit after a while. If it's just stiffer at idle though, maybe it is a pump problem or a fluid level issue.

Chris
 
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I'm driving the car today. it works fine when the RPM's are up above 1500, when it was idling (750~800rpm) it would go stiff.

By the time I got to work, I sat idling in the parking lot and it worked fine, maybe it's breaking in... I hope.

Thanks for your responses, I'll close this after a couple more days in service if everything continnues to check out.
 
I changed mine out this weekend....it is stiffer but my original one was wore out.... It took me foooorrrreeevveeerr to get the damn hoses loose and even longer2-3 hours to get them hooked back up!
 
So it seems to have fixed itself, my Ace Mechanic tells me it wasn't bled completely.

Perhaps this information will help those in the future avoid costly investigations until the system has been fully bled.
 
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