Electric steering problem

[neil a]

I have just fitted an electric steering column and control box today using a looped cup rack, I am getting notch steering almost like the drive motor is stalling ?
I can here the steering ecu activate and the adjustability is there but it almost sounds like the UJ is binding up, i have checked and it is free to move and isn't rubbing on anything.

 

[barnesautos]

Doesn't the loop rack have to have fluid in it ?

Like in and out ?

Take a look in here if you haven't already

http://www.cliosport.net/index.php?threads/EPAS-on-172-Cup.687703/

 

[neil a]

The rack is looped and i put some fluid in to lubricate the seals. With the upper section of the column removed the steering is smooth turning it by hand just using the lower section.

 

[neil a]

here is a video of the sound

 

[neil a]

I was looking through BigAsh's thread and noticed he has two parts looped on his rack I only have the section on the right of the pic looped and have all 4 ports on the left blanked, Im not sure if this will be causing a resistance ??

 

[NorthloopCup]

Neil I removed all the fluid out of mine and then looped the rack. Are you sure it's not air locking or vacuuming? Does it do it in the same spot everytime?

On the video it sounds like your tyres are causing a resistance on the surface it's sat on. Mine does it as well. Try it on turnplates if you've got some as that will rule out the sticky tyres. Easy enough to improvise if you've not got any though.

The 2 small pipes on the rack at the column end are just a feed/return dependant on which way your turning, so I don't see them causing an issue as the main assistance is done on the column. The rack filled with fluid and a looped pipe I do see being the potential issue.

Inside the steering rack there's just a solid disc on the on the actual rack itself and a nylon seal that runs inside the body to seal it. They're a piece of piss to strip down as well btw. I've got one in bits currently to pack full of high temp grease.

@neil a

 

[NorthloopCup]

^^^ that should read main assistance is done from the spool valve on the column. (I'm meaning where the column joins to the rack as well - not the actual column in the car!)
The pressurised fluid goes from there to the reaction tube in the rack and gives assistance to the steering.

 

[neil a]

The steering vibrates in both direction throughout the sweep of the rack, it does seem worse when turning to the left. I have tried it on a couple of different surfaces and its the same you can actually feel the steering vibrate as the motor struggles . I removed the motor today from the column to check it was spinning freely, and also took the car a short run and over 20mph it seems fine.
Before fitting the electric column I had to move the car with the standard column and looped rack , the steering was heavy but moved through the full sweep with no problems.
Im sure it must be something stupid but , it will have to wait until the end of Nov now until I get home from work.

 

[neil a]

This is really starting to annoy me now

Today I tried another eps ecu and did some more testing , all power and earths seem good . What i have found is that the ecu runs then seems to shut down after moving the wheel a few times. From reading it sounds like they do this if they over heat , I am getting 14v to the motor when turning the wheel, but feel no assistance.
To me it is pointing toward the motor that has been dying and now finally dead ??

 

[NorthloopCup]

This is really starting to annoy me now

Today I tried another eps ecu and did some more testing , all power and earths seem good . What i have found is that the ecu runs then seems to shut down after moving the wheel a few times. From reading it sounds like they do this if they over heat , I am getting 14v to the motor when turning the wheel, but feel no assistance.
To me it is pointing toward the motor that has been dying and now finally dead ??

If you've got voltage at the motor but it's not operating, it's 100% the motor that's bolloxed mate. Have you got any way of measuring the resistance of the motor? I can compare it with mine then for you.

 

[neil a]

I will stick a new motor on it over the weekend , it would explain the jutting i had before if the motor was on its way out and has now died. Could also be the reason the ecu is shutting down.