davidluko

I drive a 98 DB8 (4dr Integra) on which I removed the power steering and looped the rack with a breather tank. The boot on the tie rod is also ripped on the passenger side. I noticed that sometimes at low speeds (10-15mph) when I turn kind of slow (turn the wheel slow I mean), I hear a kind of quietish groaning coming from the area of the rack, and only happens when I turn so I'm guessing that that's what's causing it.

Has anyone ever had this problem? Is it due to the torn boot (which has been like that for a few months now) or due to something to do with the power steering removal (low fluid?)? I have a good replacement steering rack that I can replace mine with, but that's a ton of work (and school is starting in a few days too so not a lot of time ).

Hondas are us

Is there any increased resistance to turning or is it just the noise?

davidluko

It's kind of hard at those low speeds because of the fact that I don't have power steering but no, I don't think it's any harder between when it does and doesn't make the noise.

Hondas are us

Check the fluid level, I'm guessing that if there is not enough fluid in the rack to lubricate stuff and that is causing the noise you are hearing? best guess anyhow...

You could always try to add a few ounces of fluid and see if that changes anything.
If you don't want to risk making a mess with too much fluid you can always wrap an old rag around the top of the reservoir to soak up any excess fluid that might spurt out during spirted steering.

davidluko

OK, I have an update. When I first started driving the car, I noticed that the rack made that groaning noise sometimes and quietly, mainly when I'd pull into my parking spot in my school parking lot in the morning, which is a little angled up if that matters at all. Then when it warmed up around here for summer, the sound basically went away, and now that it's been getting colder in the mornings I hear it again but a lot louder than ever before. And when I pull into school it's freaken loud, like embarassingly loud. I know I'll have to replace the rack sooner or later but I'm wondering what the cause of it is so that I know it's specifically the steering rack and not related to something else, and so that it won't happen again. TIA

*edit - I don't know if this would affect how loud the noise is, but I recently lowered my car too.

*edit2 - I'm wondering if it's because of low PS fluid in the rack because it looks like it's been leaking lately, and today I added more fluid (I got a lot more to fit) and I'll see if that helps and if it continues to leak.

*edit3 - yea, it was leaking, I redid the fittings on the rack with teflon tape and it looks like it stopped the leaking, but it's only been one day... hopefully it doesn't leak anymore. I put a good amount of fluid in and it still makes that weird noise but a lot quieter than before I think.


Modified by Hatch_R at 8:54 PM 9/6/2006