Turn Off Power Steering
12-03-2002, 01:59 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Lynnwood, WA
Posts: 3,097
You can just take off the belt. Thats what I'm doing right now in my AE untill I get around to pulling the pump out. You can go get a manual rack that has a better ratio, or you can drain the fluid out of your power rack and plug the holes.
12-03-2002, 02:21 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 602
Just removing the belt is not enough. With the belt alone removed you are working against a non-functioning pump. That adds about 25% more effort to move it going by what Mazda says. The powersteering rack needs fluid in it. Just don't remove the fluid because the rack will get f'ed up after a while. Removing the pump and plugging the lines doesn't work. Turn the wheel and fluid will try to get out one way or another. Looping the lines might not be enough. Running the lines into a catch tank filled with fluid would be the best thing. This way you always have plenty of fluid lubricating the rack.
I like mine the way it is without the pump. I still need to setup a catch tank. I ran with the unbelted pump for about a year. Once that pump was out the steering effort went down quite a bit. The power steering setup has a quicker steering ratio than the non-power assisted unit. That's enough reason for me to keep it.
I like mine the way it is without the pump. I still need to setup a catch tank. I ran with the unbelted pump for about a year. Once that pump was out the steering effort went down quite a bit. The power steering setup has a quicker steering ratio than the non-power assisted unit. That's enough reason for me to keep it.
12-03-2002, 03:09 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 602
Yes and no. It's OK to just take off the belt. It won't do anything bad. But it will take more effort to push fluid through a non-working pump. Personally I never liked the feel of the T2 powersteering so even fighting an offline pump was cool with me for a long time.
12-03-2002, 06:05 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Lynnwood, WA
Posts: 3,097
It is the belt closest to the front of the car (I think). I'm warning you though, it is a bitch to turn the wheel when you just remove the belt. I'm running 225s, and having that much rubber on the ground makes it much worse.
So Jerk, how is auto x without PS? Is it a bitch?
So Jerk, how is auto x without PS? Is it a bitch?