Power Steering Locking Up

[jamesey]

hi when the alhambra 97 is cold the power steering tends to lock up and i cant turn the wheel , this may be due to worn pulleys on the pas belt as the belt is tight enough , has anyone else had this???

[insider]

Sounds like the pump is starting to play up.

When was the fluid last changed? When it's cold it will be more viscous increasing the resistance to the pump and hence this is when a failing pump is most likely to show up.

[jamesey]

didnt know i had to change the fluid , how do i drain it , and ill give it a change , thanks

[insider]

It's not a regular service item but on a car over 10 years old it might be worth doing. You'll have to disconnect the high pressure line from the pump and drain it from there. When you refill the fluid, ensure that you pour it slowly and don't agitate it too much to avoid getting air into the fluid.

However, I think the real problem is that your pump is starting to fail so it might be worth doing that first (the fluid will have to be changed then anyway!)

[jamesey]

any idea what sort of job it is to do for a semi tinkerer and how much pumps are, thanks

[insider]

Not too difficult. You don't mention which engine you have but in principle it's the same for all - remove drive belt, disconnect the low- and high pressure lines (draining the fluid carefully), unbolt the pulley, then unbolt and remove the pump. You might have to disconnect some of the air hoses to get access to the pump.

As for the cost of a pump it depends whether you want to pay Dealer prices for new or try the breakers' yards for used.