10.9. Maintenance of system of steering
As a rule, the steering mechanism with the hydraulic booster has high reliability and does not demand difficult service at operation of the car. Even in case of refusal the pump of the amplifier, the movement on the car can be continued though for turning of a steering wheel in this case it will be required to put much more efforts, than even on the car without hydraulic booster.
Most often the break of a driving belt of the pump is the reason of full failure of the hydraulic booster. Regularly check a condition of a belt – it can be worn-out or poorly tense. One of signs of a weak tension of a belt is emergence of return (the return push) on a steering wheel. Usually it is the most noticeable at start-off of the car from the place when wheels are turned to capacity.
Support up to standard amount of liquid in a tank of the amplifier. If necessary add liquid only of the brand specified in the guide to service. Consider that the liquid intended for the automatic transmission can be used not for all hydraulic boosters of steering. On sale there are many different brands of liquids. Improper liquid can spoil all epiploons in system.
As liquid is used not only as a working body of a hydraulic system, but also as lubricant, it is very important that its level did not fall below norm, differently the pump can fail. You watch also purity of liquid. Dirty or expired liquid will quickly destroy the pump and consolidations of a hydraulic system located on the rack mechanism that will demand then expensive repair. Replacement of liquid is required seldom. If you want to merge liquid, it is necessary to open a cover of a broad tank, to disconnect one of pipelines of system and several times to turn a steering wheel here and there for expression of liquid from a hydraulic system. The special opening for liquid discharge usually is absent. Gas station of new liquid is made through a broad tank. As a rule, at the same time in a hydraulic system the air traffic jams breaking its working capacity are formed. They should be removed. It is the simplest to make it as follows. Start the engine, open a cover of a broad tank and pump over system, turning a wheel several times from one extreme situation in another. In process of a hydraulic system prokachivaniye liquid level in a tank will go down. Repeat this procedure until it is not stabilized. After that add liquid to the required level and close a cover, previously having checked whether the air vent is littered in it (if it is available).
The most frequent malfunction of hydraulic boosters is the liquid leak. With such defect cars usually do not manage to undergo checkup. At some old hydraulic systems small infiltration of liquid via bearings, shaft, etc. as they cannot almost be made completely tight was allowed. Regularly examine system knots for timely detection of possible dribbles from pipelines and unions from all directions, and also from not hardly fixed pipelines and other details.
Find out whether tubes and hoses rub against a detail of the chassis and a suspension bracket. Malfunction of a hydrowire can lead to break of liquid through covers. Making check, turn a steering wheel from one extreme situation in another. Small leaks can often be eliminated, having entered the special pressurizing additives which are available on sale into liquid. However it will be only a short-term measure. In case of malfunction of the pump it can be repaired, having used a repair kit of new epiploons. Replacement of epiploons will correct little if the pump is strongly worn-out.
For those who like to do everything independently repair of the pump will not present great difficulties. However before installing the repaired pump on the car, it is desirable to check it at the stand. If you suspect that the pump is worn-out, then address the specialist in hydraulic boosters that it checked his working pressure and correctly defined malfunction. Generally speaking, numerous advantages of a wheel with the hydraulic booster many times over outweigh the problems created by its possible malfunctions. Costs after you did a bit of traveling on the car with modern system, to change on the car which does not have the hydraulic booster of steering system, and you immediately "will feel a difference".