Ramin writes:
Sajeev,
I am not a TTAC member, but I read it almost daily. I suppose I should join soon. Anyway having read your “piston slap: we need your help” post, I have one that has been stumping me for about a year now:
The car is an 08 Impreza STI. For the past year or so, the power steering struggles and whines. It is much worse when the car is cold, doubly so when the weather and the car are cold. There is no belt squeal. I have tried flushing and bleeding, both with factory fluid and also with the Lucas stop-leak stuff. Modest initial improvement only lasts a little while. Subaru forum posts suggest the STI cooks its PS fluid because the fluid lines route near hot turbo components. However it seems now even with fresh fluid, the problem persists, leading me to suspect a component has gone bad. I don’t want to drop over $600 for a new pump. Are there any tricks you know of, like for example, replacing a particular gasket? Or, better yet, some advice on narrowing down exactly what the culprit is (short of replacing the whole freaking pump)?
Thanks a lot and keep up the good work – I love the site and what you all have done with it.
Sajeev answers:
Recent Comments
30-mile fetch - Ford seems to be gunning for a really small niche with this 3 cylinder Fiesta. The 1.6 4-pot is peppy enough and returns...
rolladan - Your zero emission avatar is a dead giveaway….
bigtruckseriesreview @ Youtube - The car looks like crap, but if you staple a sexier body to it, improve the braking and steering it could work. PERSONALLY, I don’t see the...
DeadWeight - It’s been Milk & Honey for Ford for a good (approximate) 22 months or so, with Mulally being praised in the same...
bigtruckseriesreview @ Youtube - KUDOS to A123 for renaming the company something I can easily remember.
Volt 230 - Ford engineers must be kicking themselves in the rear for not going the Mazda 2 way by providing a normal automatic instead of...
mikedt - I’ve got to spend $1000 more to get a smaller engine to save gas? That will go over well. Wonder how many miles you have...
bigtruckseriesreview @ Youtube - HOW DOES A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY COMPANY GO OUT OF BUSINESS??? Especially when EVERYTHING WE USE uses rechargeable batteries from...
30-mile fetch - Oh, I really liked the Fiesta. For a B-class, the drivetrain was far from anemic, the driving position and seat comfort...
30-mile fetch - It’s a shame, really. Right before the new One Ford models arrived, the Fusion, Escape, and Focus were reliable and...