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-   -   Power steering to manual steering? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/85163-power-steering-manual-steering.html)

Just got a leak from the power steering of the ford ikon. When it made sense to replace the unit(cost about 20k) i thought of why not run it in manual for some time, just to get the maximum out of the outgoing box. I also drive a diesel padmini, so arm flexing is not a issue.

PS: just thought about the load to the steering rod(or shaft) also. Is there any excessive mechanical strain to it?

If the leak is not big why dont you keep topping up the oil and run it as power steering? where is the power steering leaking from ?

There are folks who will refurbish the thing for a fraction of the cost.
Not sure how good it will be.

If the leak is small what jav suggested makes sense.

Dont get it done by local mechanics. I fell for it and ended up with a PS that was harder than a manual steering, didnt leak though ! :Frustrati

IMO its got to be one! either you keep topping up oil and use it, I mean use it as a power steering. Or you can get it modified to manual. The steering rod in power steering is not as strong as the manual steering.

You can not make the power steering manual by simply draining the oil. The power required to steer in this case would be extremely high. There are no bearings like manual steering. Without oil, the drive can not be passed/passed with extreme difficulty.

The leak is from the box- it is dribbling towards the right side tie rod. If the leak is gradual i can use the top up idea, but this is a kind of full drain some times and no leak sometime.
I dont think there can be variation to the steering shaft. Anyway, have sent people to fetch a box from coimbatore scrapyard.

How "bad" is the leak ?
PS Fluid level is dropping every day ? Week ?

If the drop in level is minimal (I'll let you be the judge of that) you can keep a bottle of PS Fluid and top-up. If the drop in level is low, it would be better not to touch the thing, if its gets worse then think about the options.

I had same issue with my old Esteem Power Steering, the Leak was not big, but twice in a month i had to topup the power steering oil, i had used with same condition for around 4 months and power steering oil i used was castrol and was expensive.

Once the oil fully drains you hear noise when using steering and its irritating, i think it does cause damage to the system.

If you are planning to keep the car for some more years better fix this issue or temporarily keep topping up and dont run without oil, Good luck.

Hi Ramzsys,
Try the Mettupalayam scrap yard too. I found lot of AC compressors and steering units there.

good Luck

Am back from ukkadam.
Hell a lot of cars(accidental scraps) and many ford ikons too.
THoroughly rubbished the area, and found two or three pumps in 'decent looking' condition. One dealer was ready to scrap one from an accidental piece.
He demanded 6k.
Meanwhile i got a call from the workshop that for 9.2K, a new box(imported) can be obtained and i have to pay for it in advance, as the part have to be 'imported' from Bombay. I dont know whether it is airborne or something. Pardon my sarcasm.

Well this 9.2k box is probably a used one, refurbished, and comes with a 6 month warranty.

Another guy offered me to repair the current box itself, and he is quite sure that he had repaired quite a number of ikon boxes. Estimate 2k to 4k.

I got a kind of spooky feeling in the scrapyard with too many cars(including a crashed palio 1.6) and so decided to use a brand new box. Period.

@TaureanBull No i mean the leak is so unpredictable: sometimes it loses all the PS fluid and sometimes there is no leak at all.


But my original question is : PS to manual steering conversion

Is it possible?
If so, how?


OT: managed to pickup a right side tail light for the ikon for 500 Rs. There are almost brand new looking headlights available, and the rate they quote was reasonable too.

1. Yes PS to MS is possible but it wont be that simple. The cost involved could be anywhere near (if not more) what has been quoted for various stuff.

2. If I am not wrong in Ford Ikon its Power Assisted rack and pinion type of PS. In short, to convert it to MS you would have to take out the piston cylinder in the rack and the rotary valve. Then take out the fluid connections and seal them. The space created in the linkages would have to be completed with appropriate tie rod. Even then IMO it would not be an effective MS.

3. The leak could be as simple as a damaged packing seal. Why dont you get it investigated thoroughly? I dont think there is any major part which has been damaged.

Repairing the PS unit is a not so reliable job, i have heard. Also the car has run 1,80,000 clicks in the odo(and still going strong).

ramzsys

Please go the new one or get it refurbished at a good workshop,both are recommended

You cannot convert the PS to MS and someone in the forum said that PS(without oil) will be lighter than MS.I Beg to differ,I once left my indica in a big pothhole (thanks to corporation road works) and the steering became very very tight.

My indica was DLE and i fitted PS in it.

if the leak is the only thing, have you taken a second opinion about your PS unit.
in my case, although it was the same threat as it can be Rs.200-20k it turned out to be a Missed/bad Screw in my santro.

If you have not already taken multiple quotes, please do so, sometimes you find a solution at reasonable cost.