MrParts

First, I have read the "P/S Bible" and used "Search" for an answer.

Here's my problem:

The power steering works perfect traveling in a straight line.
When I turn it an 1/8 of a turn, it stops working.
I turn it (with a lot of muscle) another 1/8 of a turn and it starts working again.
It does this all the way to the left or right every 1/8 of a turn, on off, on off, etc, etc .....
It's doesn't matter what the RPM's are, it doesn't change.

I'm a highly skilled mechanic with 30+ years of experience and I have NEVER come across this before with any car.

I have not cleaned or changed the little screens yet.

It doesn't use any fluid, doesn't drip on the alternator, doesn't leave a puddle when I park or in the driveway.
It doesn't blow white smoke from sucking P/S fluid through the vacuum hoses connected to the intake manifold.

I was told the rack had been change not long before I bought it, but that could have just been the guy lying wanting to desperately sell it.

Do you have any idea what the problem could be before I rip it out and rebuild the rack?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

sounds like the solenoid's dead/not hooked up.

deanshark

Change the screens and do a search for the PS solenoid, I think that causes your problem. That happened to my car once, and only once, so I never looked into it. Funny story, kinda. The day I bought the car my daughter was driving it home, we were coming off an exit which had a 90* turn. The road turned, she didn't, in the woods she went with my new car. No damage so everything was fine.

nine3es

iTrader: (3)

definitely sounds like the solenoid or rack, start with the solenoid imo.

MrParts

Thanks gang! I was REALLY hoping it was going to be something easy to start off with. I got the specs on the entire system and testing procedures on it yesterday.

Now I know where everything is and what to test it for. I'll be digging into the solenoid first.

I sure miss driving this old girl and would hate to have to rip it apart and replace everything with street rod parts. I just got a catalog in the mail. If I was a bit younger, I might have stripped the whole car down and turned it into something else (probably a pile in the back of the garage LOL!).

I'll update you on what happens and the fix. Thanks again!

MrParts

Okay I'm not getting the "click"sound but the ohms are within limits.

Where can I buy one without buying a whole rack?

MrParts

A little update, in case anyone is actually reading this ....

After whacking the solenoid once really hard with a hammer and chisel, I could unscrew it by hand. I took it out and looked at the screen, it was clogged pretty good. I sprayed it out the garbage with starter fluid and it came back to life!

It had slits in the screen making it about useless. I don't what to do about that yet.

I put the solenoid back in (cleaned with the bad screen) and test ran it. There is a slight bit of improvement or my arms where buffed up from working on this damned car and I just think it improved.

Tomorrow I'm going to flush to the whole power steering system and hope I can get out more garbage. Maybe I can find some aftermarket screen to use?

BTW, I did find one of these solenoids for $755.00. A whole rack with the solenoid is only $374.00. Go figure eh?

I'm amazed out how easily the rack comes out! Only a few bolts and she drops on the ground! Just a thought for anyone worried about taking one out.

deanshark

A few bolts and the rack comes out? I think it's a little more complicated then that. But anyway, a flush would deffinately help.

gemigniani

Here in the western USA there are self service wrecking yards http://www.picknpull.com/check_inventory.aspx that have plenty of first generation LS400's so it's easy to get a spare solenoid and screen.

Maybe you have similar yards in the east?

MrParts

Deanshark: Taking the rack out of this car is easy compared to a front wheel drive "anything".

OKAY I did simplify it a bit in my first comment, but I actually thought the people here may have worked on other cars out of the LEXUS range. You know, American cars and I hear they import a lot of cars from other countries into the United States since the 60's.

*******************

Gemigniani: I have tried a few online parts finders, but nothing beats finding a replacement online that may not have come from a used car. I'm hoping I can find something that may not have come from a Lexus that is cheaper and easier to get than combing through a bunch of muddy, snowy, screwy junkyards. I have had my fill of the idiots in these places over the past 30+ years I have been a mechanic.

I think I'll end up running around a hardware store to find these screens. I know I can find them online somewhere but I seem to be limited by corporate America messing with the search engines with their advertisements and links that send you to god knows where.

We have a big wrecking yard here called "Harry's U Pull It". It's a nicer place, but picked over REALLY quick.

When I was growing up back in Washington State, they had abandoned vehicle auctions every week and I could buy a lot of cars cheap (starting at $25.00). If I saw a car I wanted to keep, I could buy several of them and use them as parts cars. Here in Pennsylvania, they don't have them, so I'm stuck with just the one car. If I do buy an extra car I have to hide it from nosey neighbors and the local code enforcement yahoos or they'll make me get rid of it. God i miss my shop.

Sorry I'm rambling. I'm off to get parts now ....

MrParts

I found the problem!

Please read this message thread!!

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...em-update.html