Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

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Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby Tonic » Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:49 pm

Hi y’all
So driving along and get a shudder through the steering wheel. In has a wave like frequency and feels like it wants to steer one way.
Mainly happens when cold but is there intermittently all day.
Thinking it is a power steering pump.
Usually happens when cold when I am on freeway on slight bend. But when warm very noticeable on tight turn at low speeds and doesn’t seem to happen as much on the highway.
Not a binding centre diff… had one of those. This is like the power steering is playing up.
Ruled out suspension to a certain extent because of very low speed shudder.
Any ideas?
Forum search only brings up mainly diff or brake things..
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby bigBADbenny » Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:56 am

What’s the appropriate frequency of the shudder?
Do you feel it as the steering wheel tugging?
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby Tonic » Sat Jul 31, 2021 11:16 am

Noisy when cold and turning in driveway type.
Then lots of shudder through steering when driving low to freeway speeds…. Even straight sometimes but mainly light turn.
Shudder drops off as things heat up but will still occasionally happen.
Anyway it is the power steering pump…
New one about $1,800 plus.
So getting a second hand one for a few hundred.
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby bigBADbenny » Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:50 am

My wild guess is your strainer is blocked.

Subaru Power Steering Issues

Before replacing or rebuilding the pump, there’s a few things that are easy to do depending on the symptoms.

Including, in no particular order:

Check both accessory belts for wear and or cracked ribs and replace them.
A snapped accessory belt can lunch your engine, when the loose end potentially wraps around the crank pulley suddenly locking it, jumping the timing belt.

Rule of thumb accessory belt tightness is being just able to turn the belt 90’ on its axis at the longest run between pulleys. If you have a tension gauge, the spec is in your FSM workshop manual.
Use the correct procedure to undo and tighten the tensioners: eg undo the lock nut on the pulley *before* adjusting tension and retighten after.
You may need to re-tension the belts a few weeks later.

Replace the low pressure return o-ring, a few bucks from the Subaru parts counter or online, or:

The OEM spring clamps loose tension with time and use.
Use quality Oetiker or Norma screw clamps on the low pressure hose, both ends.
These clamp types have pressed teeth for the worm, making for secure tension under higher clamping loads.

If the low pressure hose is bulging, replace it with OEM or appropriate aftermarket hose.

Check and clean the strainer in the power steering fluid tank, many miss this step and look for faults elsewhere.
This issue causes air bubbles aka aeration in the power steering fluid and is a must to check especially when replacing the power steering fluid.

Quote from CorgiWerks, SME: “A blocked or restricted strainer in the fluid reservior can aso cause "drop-outs" in the power steering, especially in the Gen4 Turbos.

Some models have the strainer in the pump assy. Backflush it with a garden hose then flush/absorb the water with a quart of methylated spirits, reinstall, re-bleed, lock to lock on stands then figure 8’s in parking lot. Source: CorgiWerx SME.

The fluid reservoir in the Gen4 Libertys is at or below power steering pump entry level and the inlet hose needs to go "up-and-over" to get to the PS Pump inlet.

It’s important to ensure that all air is removed from the inlet hose during bleeding the system.

An old suction fitting o-ring or an old, hard and brittle suction home will not seal at the pump properly and air will be sucked in.”

If the power steering fluid is dark and cloudy, not clear cherry red, drop the fluid and bleed the system properly, lock to lock gently on stands, figure 8’s in car park.

To track down hard to find power steering fluid leaks, clean the area thoroughly and use a UV dye and torch kit via eg eBay, to trace the leak source before the affected area becomes inundated with fluid.

If you’re still experiencing power steering issues, or the actual pump itself is leaking, contact @CorgiWerx on FB (Sydney, NSW) for affordable rebuilds.
Otherwise, consult your local power steering specialist.

Here’s a link to your cars FSM workshop manual and parts translation and sourcing FAQ.
All Subaru models and markets are available in the various links:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=34980
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby BillyCorgi » Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:35 am

bigBADbenny wrote:If you’re still experiencing power steering issues, or the actual pump itself is leaking, contact @CorgiWerx on FB (Sydney, NSW) for affordable rebuilds.


Image
Get your Short Shift Adaptor viewtopic.php?f=68&t=30525
Get your Gear Shift Rejuvenation Kit viewtopic.php?f=68&t=31240
Get your Centre Differential Rebuild viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31089
Want a custom built Brake Cylinder Stopper? viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31321
Need to hire a Guard Rolling Machine? viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31899
Get your BillyCorgi's "Not-4-Wimps" Chilli Sauce
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby BillyCorgi » Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:46 am

Tonic wrote:Hi y’all
Mainly happens when cold but is there intermittently all day.
Thinking it is a power steering pump.
Usually happens when cold when I am on freeway on slight bend.


One clue is "when cold"
If it is accompanied by a whine wehn cold, then it is air getting into the hydraulic flid.

Junior Corgi #1 has similar shudder and freeway speed issues on his H6 Spec-B.
Got him to fit a refurbed CorgiWerx PS Pump AND a new inlet hose WITH a cleaned fluid reservoir and FIXED.
Get your Short Shift Adaptor viewtopic.php?f=68&t=30525
Get your Gear Shift Rejuvenation Kit viewtopic.php?f=68&t=31240
Get your Centre Differential Rebuild viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31089
Want a custom built Brake Cylinder Stopper? viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31321
Need to hire a Guard Rolling Machine? viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31899
Get your BillyCorgi's "Not-4-Wimps" Chilli Sauce
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby slatery » Tue Aug 03, 2021 2:28 pm

BillyCorgi wrote:One clue is "when cold"
If it is accompanied by a whine wehn cold, then it is air getting into the hydraulic flid.

Junior Corgi #1 has similar shudder and freeway speed issues on his H6 Spec-B.
Got him to fit a refurbed CorgiWerx PS Pump AND a new inlet hose WITH a cleaned fluid reservoir and FIXED.


What about when warm?
When mine is cold it's silky smooth, but as it warms up theit becomes heavier and the shudders at highway speeds. I'm guessing the cause/solution would be much the same though (fix PS Pump)
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby Tonic » Tue Aug 31, 2021 8:24 pm

Well a new second hand pump fitted and much of the problem disappeared. However still a small shutter on test and it seems the steering rack should probably be updated …..
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby bigBADbenny » Wed Sep 01, 2021 7:19 am

Sweet! Did you get to the strainer in the reservoir?

Consider a prefl GT fast rack 15:1, 2.7 turns or so…
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby Tonic » Thu Sep 02, 2021 10:11 pm

Yes I mentioned the strainer to mech. He said the only genuine parts they fitted was the new Subaru hose and strainer with both the used ps pump and steering rack having a 3 mth warranty. He said it was a buggy to bleed but they got there. All up $1,650 with labour about $350 of that.
Anyway to the road test and I hadn’t realised how heavy the steering had got before the pump had failed. Sure the noise and steering rattle was the last gasp but with the new old parts fitted I immediately noticed the lightness through the wheel. I guess it was the boiling frog effect of the pump slowly loosing effectiveness before it finally failed.
Anyway all good now…. Until the next thing fails…. At 11 years and 250,000km I expect more stuff to go.
Amazingly still on the original clutch and suspension…… so I am kind of expecting one of them next…..
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Re: Variable and irregular shudder through steering wheel.

Postby bigBADbenny » Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:54 am

Thats great, iirc the strainer is in the reservoir, maybe check that if any symptoms persist ;)
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