My steering has been stiff on my 81 400i ever since I got it. Had the power steering pump rebuilt a few months back (it was shot). It's still stiff as all get out. You need 2 hands and a stiff upper arm to tun the wheels at anything slower than warp speed. Are other 400s like this? I keep seeing Kerim at the VCR on Sunday mornings, but he never brings his 400. I need a test subject to compare mine with. Are all 400s like this, or only mine? What else would cause it to be stiff except for the pump?
Mine was like that when I started. There are some things to check: 1. The gear lash adjustment at the steering box. (not likely) 2. The filter in the bottom of the oil reservoir. (maybe) 3. The grease in the idler arm. (most likely) 4. Ball joints. (hope not) It will never feel like full power steering. When turning the wheels from lock to lock there should be a big difference between when the engine is running and not.
Hey, Kerim: You coming to the So Cal F Chat awards? It's this Saturday night at the Sagebrush Cantina, just around the corner from VCR. All the Ferraris get to park right in front-it should be a blast! If you don't show up, I'll have the only 400i..again!
Thanks Mark. I'll check into those items. But how is the steering now? Mine currently feels like there's no assist at all.
Now it works fine. Just heavy enough to let you feel connected, but light enough that you never need two hands. 1. The gear lash adjustment at the steering box. (not likely) Mine was actually way too loose. 2. The filter in the bottom of the oil reservoir. (maybe) The pump would scream for fluid when you turned the wheels. I found a BMW filter that will fit. You remove the clip that holds the spring. Remove the spring and the disk, you should see a small round filter sitting at the bottom. Mine looked like it was packed with mud. 3. The grease in the idler arm. (most likely) Mine was near bone dry. I over pumped it to flush out the old grease. Its on my phase II list to rebuild it. The new grease made a HUGE difference. After, the steering was much lighter. 4. Ball joints. (hope not) I am suspicious of mine. Every once in a while when I'm pulling into a driveway with the wheels turned, the front end sounds a little clunky. Later when I check, everything seems fine. These too are on my phase II list. I flushed the system a couple of times. The first, the fluid looked like black water. After I did all that, it really shaped up. Also, as I drove over the next few weeks, it would feel a little better each day. The steering system on these cars seems really strong and durable, but tuned down. I think the original intent was for a power assist that wouldn't take away the road feel so the drag from something like a dry idler arm is enough to make it heavy.
ZF IMO, these things don't break. With the engine off, turn the wheels a little back and forth. If you don't feel a direct grinding metal on metal, your box is fine. Remove the reservoir cover, look at the fluid level, start the engine. If the level falls at least 1/4" to 1/2" or so the pump is fine. My suggestion is to pump the idler arm on the passenger side full of fresh grease and see what happens. Next pull the filter and flush the hell out of the system. I think the filter is a 32 41 1 104 357. www.bavauto.com/fland.asp?rid=11886 Image Unavailable, Please Login
Mark: All of the things you've suggested have been done. I will flush the system and change the filter one more time.
Just for fun, lift the front wheels and see how hard it is to turn. Both with the engine running and not.
Mark Where is that filter located? Is it at the bottom of the reservoir? If so, does the baffle plate just lift out to get to the filter? I had to change a crimped hose between the reservoir and the pump so I have had a good look at the internals of the reservoir but did not see a filter. Ken
On the center bolt that holds the cap on, there is a push clip retaining a spring. Remove the clip and the spring. Remove the round plate and you should see the filter sitting on the bottom of the can.
Hi Kraig, The steering of my 400i is stiff as well. The workshop manual sais that it needs 6 kg turning force at the wheel to activate the hydraulic assistance. This needs definitely more muscle than the finger of one hand! Still the precision of the steering is below expectation (see one of my previous posts) Peter
Did a final flush today. Fluid is clean, filter was removed and cleaned. Easy to turn on a lift, still disappointingly hard to turn on the ground. No difference in turning feel whether filter was in or out. Guess I'll just have to live with it!
At first my steering was a weird combination of really hard with excessive slop. After doing all the 'stuff' it got much better. The grease in the idler arm made the most difference. I don't know if daily use had anything to do with it. Now its a little heavier than a 'normal' car at idle and even a bit too loose at highway speeds.
