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[kcl]

Posted some things about my steering a good while back but the issue is getting worse. The problem is when I turn to left there's a "heavy spot" in steering, like the PAS goes out for a millisecond. And it's pretty much on same exact position of steering wheel. Turning it back to right, no problems. And from straight to right, nothing. Only from straight to left and after around 1/8 turnd on steering wheel. PAS oil level is correct. No play found anywhere. Strut top bearings have not been opened so could it be them? I can not imagine how it could be the pump because it's only in a certain position of steering wheel. Can it be the steering box itself? How to tell? Would not prefer to randomly changing components, nor willing/able to pay any garage to check so any ideas are welcome.

[Agemo]

I would be disconnecting the track rod, then you can turn the wheel in mid air. This will confirm which bit of the assembly the heavy spot is on. Could be just a tight bit on the wishbone ball joint, or as you say, possibly the steering box itself.

[kcl]

Thanks, how I never thought of that 

One more thing: I tried it the front end jacked up, wheels free in the air, and in that situation there was no blind spot. So this might indicate towards ball joint and/or strut bearing... 

[TheBoy]

With the steering wheel centred, do the pitman arm and idler point directly forwards?

[kcl]

Will have to confirm that. If not, then what?

[TheBoy]

Will have to confirm that. If not, then what?

You will get weird steering issues.

Track rods have to be adjusted with these in straight ahead position - I've seen some dimwits remove steeringwheel and reseat to straighten up what is a tracking issue 

[kcl]

Will have to confirm that. If not, then what?

You will get weird steering issues.

Track rods have to be adjusted with these in straight ahead position - I've seen some dimwits remove steeringwheel and reseat to straighten up what is a tracking issue 

hmmm... that reminds me... I had the tracking adjusted in early summer and it MIGHT be that this problem has started then. But, being a man, memory is not that long... So my problem could be that steering wheel has not been straight, then it has been turned straight and then they adjusted track rods which has lead to situation where pitman arm and idler are not straight?

[alank46]

Is there a UJ in the column, I cannot remember.  If there is, this fault is typical of a dry and partially seized UJ.  Try spraying the UJ with penetrating fluid followed by spray grease.
Alan

[feeutfo]

Probably best to get it jacked up on stands and turn the road wheels through the steering by hand while feeling for jolts in top mounts or stiffness or jolts. See if you can feel/locate it that way. The top shock mounts will be unloaded so might help diagnosis if it's not present when jacked.

If checking top mounts it's possible to preserve the camber setting by leaving the stub axle bolted to the shock, but remove the stub axle from the wishbone and other gubbins instead.

[kcl]

Probably best to get it jacked up on stands and turn the road wheels through the steering by hand while feeling for jolts in top mounts or stiffness or jolts. See if you can feel/locate it that way. The top shock mounts will be unloaded so might help diagnosis if it's not present when jacked.

If checking top mounts it's possible to preserve the camber setting by leaving the stub axle bolted to the shock, but remove the stub axle from the wishbone and other gubbins instead.

As I tried to describe, no stiff spot when wheels are off the ground.

alank46: thanks, I will check that also but sticking UJ would give blind spots to both directions 

[alank46]

You would have thought so, but in my experience the stickiness is usually only in one direction.
Alan

alank46: thanks, I will check that also but sticking UJ would give blind spots to both directions 
[/quote]

[feeutfo]

Probably best to get it jacked up on stands and turn the road wheels through the steering by hand while feeling for jolts in top mounts or stiffness or jolts. See if you can feel/locate it that way. The top shock mounts will be unloaded so might help diagnosis if it's not present when jacked.

If checking top mounts it's possible to preserve the camber setting by leaving the stub axle bolted to the shock, but remove the stub axle from the wishbone and other gubbins instead.

As I tried to describe, no stiff spot when wheels are off the ground.

Ok that "might" be a clue. Car on the floor then, bonnet up, while turning the steering through the trouble spot, do the top shock mounts turn smoothly? Or does it jump or look/feel notchy?

[kcl]

Probably best to get it jacked up on stands and turn the road wheels through the steering by hand while feeling for jolts in top mounts or stiffness or jolts. See if you can feel/locate it that way. The top shock mounts will be unloaded so might help diagnosis if it's not present when jacked.

If checking top mounts it's possible to preserve the camber setting by leaving the stub axle bolted to the shock, but remove the stub axle from the wishbone and other gubbins instead.

As I tried to describe, no stiff spot when wheels are off the ground.

Ok that "might" be a clue. Car on the floor then, bonnet up, while turning the steering through the trouble spot, do the top shock mounts turn smoothly? Or does it jump or look/feel notchy?

Thanks, will chekc that this evening

[kcl]

Ok, some updates: pitman arm and idler "seem" to point straight.

Wheels off the ground, nothin. Wheels on the ground, the stiff spot comes up. Both top shock mounts look to turn ok, some minor "squealing" is heard though, like rubber-to-metal- kind of sound.

And what I have noticed past two days, it is itermittent! Like this morning: at home, in the usual situation when I reverse to road and turn to left it was not present. But at work a few minutes later when parking, it's back.

I still can not believe it's the pump and do not want to think it's the box (and the box is über-reliable on Omegas) so IMHO it's either top strut bearing or lower ball joint?

[alank46]

Have you done anything about the UJ yet?
Alan

P.S. I have had exactly this problem on 2 Reliant Scimitars and 2 Jaguar XJ-S's and in all four cases it was a semi seized UJ due to dried out grease (and rust in one case)