Power Assistance on an Esprit?
Discussion
Like me, some of you might not be liking the heavy steering of the 1988 -1993 Esprits.
I recently came to an idea, borrowed from the new Dutch Spyker cars: would it be possible to mount a power assisted steering column from a MG-F?
Note that such a power assistance is electrical, and that the assistance can be regulated. Imagine a switch on your dashboard to set the level of assistance.
Any comments?
I recently came to an idea, borrowed from the new Dutch Spyker cars: would it be possible to mount a power assisted steering column from a MG-F?
Note that such a power assistance is electrical, and that the assistance can be regulated. Imagine a switch on your dashboard to set the level of assistance.
Any comments?
I think the easier solution would be to use the electric power steering pump from either the Peugeot 106 or Citroen Saxo.
In the UK you can buy them brand new for about £160.
It's a conversion I've used on previous cars, and I have considered doing the same with my '88 Esprit Turbo.
Colin
In the UK you can buy them brand new for about £160.
It's a conversion I've used on previous cars, and I have considered doing the same with my '88 Esprit Turbo.
Colin
the mechnical conversion has only one difficulty- power steering fluid pipes going from engine bay to rack infront of car.
Normally the pipes travel with the chargecooler pipes and radiator pipes in the chassis. The easy way would be to route them through the cabin under the carpet.
Also, the S4 has an electric vacuum pump and the PAS pump is mechanically driven (the SE has a mechnically driven vacuum pump- the S4 uses this pulley position for the PAS).
This is easy to address: either use an electric PAS pump as noted above and keep the Vacuum pump in situ,or alternatively, source original electric vacuum pump and mechanical PAS pump and install as per s4 (will also need side window trim for this as the reservoir for the mechanical PAS is accessed from the side window trim with the reservoir cap visible- for an S4). On the bright side,original lotus parts are useable all round- except for the high/low pressure fluid pipes though any reputable hydraulics company is able to make the rubber hoses and fit the appropriate fittings.
The custom rubber pipes can be fed through the bulkhead and under the carpet along the central tunnel, through the front bulkhead, into the front to reach the PAS rack.
Actually, if anyone can point me to a decently priced rack (on a non-exchange basis) I may well follow through with this so that I can fit 235/40/17 front wheels...
>> Edited by SydneySE on Tuesday 1st October 08:36
Normally the pipes travel with the chargecooler pipes and radiator pipes in the chassis. The easy way would be to route them through the cabin under the carpet.
Also, the S4 has an electric vacuum pump and the PAS pump is mechanically driven (the SE has a mechnically driven vacuum pump- the S4 uses this pulley position for the PAS).
This is easy to address: either use an electric PAS pump as noted above and keep the Vacuum pump in situ,or alternatively, source original electric vacuum pump and mechanical PAS pump and install as per s4 (will also need side window trim for this as the reservoir for the mechanical PAS is accessed from the side window trim with the reservoir cap visible- for an S4). On the bright side,original lotus parts are useable all round- except for the high/low pressure fluid pipes though any reputable hydraulics company is able to make the rubber hoses and fit the appropriate fittings.
The custom rubber pipes can be fed through the bulkhead and under the carpet along the central tunnel, through the front bulkhead, into the front to reach the PAS rack.
Actually, if anyone can point me to a decently priced rack (on a non-exchange basis) I may well follow through with this so that I can fit 235/40/17 front wheels...
>> Edited by SydneySE on Tuesday 1st October 08:36
Mark,
See my previous post on PAS. Lotus did not manufacture the power rack- the system was developed by saginaw (now Delphi) which is a subsidiary of GM.
There has been arumour that as SAAB is a subsidiary of GM that the power steering rack from a SAAB 900/9000 is the unit used in the sport 300/S4 and onwards.
I can confirm that the SAAB also uses the same plastic reservoir for the power steering fluid (actually if some one tells me how to upload pdf files I will upload some workshop manual diagrams for comparison).
I'm waiting for a spare weekend to go to a SAAB wrecker and examine the rack in person and then compare it to a mate's s4 rack.
Looking at the S4 workshop manual there does not seem to be any structural difference in the front T sewction of the chasssis for mounting the powersteering rack apart from an additional brace (bolt in).
I hope to confirm the physical dimensions/measurement/look of the SAAB rack either this weekend or next... keep you posted.
See my previous post on PAS. Lotus did not manufacture the power rack- the system was developed by saginaw (now Delphi) which is a subsidiary of GM.
There has been arumour that as SAAB is a subsidiary of GM that the power steering rack from a SAAB 900/9000 is the unit used in the sport 300/S4 and onwards.
I can confirm that the SAAB also uses the same plastic reservoir for the power steering fluid (actually if some one tells me how to upload pdf files I will upload some workshop manual diagrams for comparison).
I'm waiting for a spare weekend to go to a SAAB wrecker and examine the rack in person and then compare it to a mate's s4 rack.
Looking at the S4 workshop manual there does not seem to be any structural difference in the front T sewction of the chasssis for mounting the powersteering rack apart from an additional brace (bolt in).
I hope to confirm the physical dimensions/measurement/look of the SAAB rack either this weekend or next... keep you posted.
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