got a replacement engine fitted, but...

[philmar]

Finally got myself a replacement engine fitted (and it seems to work ) however...

The steering now makes a sort of whining noise - only when the engine is on, and only when it is tense - i.e. turning it. If it is at turned and keep it in the same position thers is no noise.

Any suggestions? It does have power steering (which still works), what could they have done when fitting the engine?

Also my heat shield has gone walkabout mysteriously from my induction air box (does this matter, is it going to harm something?)

It needs a good service really but am totally skint now and cant afford this lot to cost me a fortune to get me back with trouble free motoring. Wheel alignment still not done, handbrake needs fixing as once its on the rear brakes or calipers dont release properly when realeasing the handbrake(not helpful for my engine...) so just leaving it in gear at the moment, and the clutch has started to get a grating feeling...

Other than the above i think everything else is fine...

Advice on any of that lot would be appreciated (whats wrong with it, costs involved etc.) Oh yes, one more thing, sometimes the car keeps cranking even when the key is not in the ignition (apparently ran the battery flat when they did the engine...).

[ol' dirty]

Have you checked on the oil level?

When replacing your engine, they may not have filled up the fuild properly.

IIRC- maybe someone could offer up some guidance on this...

To do this, take the cap off the fluid bottle, turn the steering from right to left (lock to lock) & fill to the correct level- you will need an assistant

Although, I can't remember if you have to have the engine running for this. When I have done it in the past, i'm pretty sure it was running

Also, check pipes etc, for leaks- no point filling it up if it's going to spit it out again!


If it's not a low fluid issue, then it could be

an alignment problem- very unlkely
over-tightning on the v-belt- unlkely (probably a self tensioning belt pulley?)
worn pump- maybe



Clutch- mine has started to judder on the Corolla, but I think it's the cold weather drawing in- it seems to be fine when it gets some heat into it.



Missing heat shield- not really a problem, but it may seem a little down on power as it will be sucking in all that lovely warm air circulating around the exhaust manifold.

Edited by ol' dirty on Wednesday 12th November 23:32

[odyssey2200]

did yo bend or damage a metal hydraulic pipe when lifting the motor in?

If the pipe is now touching something it shouldn't you might hear some resonating as it vibrates against something.

Are you using the old pump or a new one?

Check the oil level as stated.

[philmar]

Oil level seems fine, nothing leaking that I can tell (although the engine bay is a right mess, big clean up operation required), nothing under the car though.

Will have to look at the weekend at tinkering with things as I dont get home til darkness falls, and its sat outside as too low to get in the garage

I didnt do the engine myself, got the place that supplied the engine to fit it for me (im not mechanically minded unfortunately!) so not sure if they've caught something. I assume old pump being used as they didnt mention changing it that i remember.

Edited by philmar on Wednesday 12th November 23:34

Edited by philmar on Wednesday 12th November 23:35

[franv8]

I had my belts off when changing the head. Then found my PAS didn't work very well when I'd put it all back together...

...and found the belt not tight enough - surprised because it didn't make a slipping belt noise. Check it's tight enough. I'd say as a rough rule of thumb, you should be able to deflect the belt on it's longest run by less than 10mm with firm thumb pressure.

Last thing - try turning the steering lock to lock with the engine running, and hold it at each lock for about 10 seconds, I'm pretty sure this is the procedure to bleed the rack.

Finally finally - check the fluid level, all PAS systems I've had are sensitive to slightly low fluid levels, it would seem to be related to the amount of time the oil needs to be in the reservoir to defoam and get rid of it's trapped air before going back into the pump.

[HRG]

Sounds like the power steering needs bleeding. Just turn it half a dozen turns lock to lock, that should shift it. If it doesn't, it wasn't that! :-)

[sleep envy]

HRG said:

Sounds like the power steering needs bleeding. Just turn it half a dozen turns lock to lock, that should shift it. If it doesn't, it wasn't that! :-)

lucky you're not a director of a support company, eh?

[ol' dirty]

HRG said:

Sounds like the power steering needs bleeding. Just turn it half a dozen turns lock to lock, that should shift it. If it doesn't, it wasn't that! :-)

Make sure you have the correct level after that though

Do you need the cap off to let the air out of the system, or does it bleed the trapped air into the filler bottle?

Trying to think of how you would get rid of trapped air in the cooling system.

[philmar]

Cheers for the advice, I can do that in the dark too! Will have a go tomorrow.

[franv8]

ol' dirty said:

HRG said:

Sounds like the power steering needs bleeding. Just turn it half a dozen turns lock to lock, that should shift it. If it doesn't, it wasn't that! :-)

Make sure you have the correct level after that though

Do you need the cap off to let the air out of the system, or does it bleed the trapped air into the filler bottle?

Trying to think of how you would get rid of trapped air in the cooling system.

It has a small bleed hole in the top.

Difference is with a cooling system is most of it's pressurised, generally including the reservoir (although MX5's, certainly Mk 1's, have an atmospheric expansion bottle, but the cooling circuit is fully pressurised).

For PAS, the only pressurised section is between the pump and the rack, so the return line and the reservoir are not under pressure. No need to remove the cap to 'bleed'

[philmar]

I tried the lock to lock technique, still whining away though. Drove it around a bit, steering seems shaky and at its most noisy at tight lock going slowly round a tightish roundabout.

I already know the alignment is out (argument with a kerb, only 1 winner there...) but it was out before engine fitted, unless the people knackered it further when testing it maybe.

Gonna see if I can pop to a garage tomorrow afternoon ask them for some idea of costs of fixing the main issues maybe...

[franv8]

What was the belt tension like?

There are PAS 'silencers' available - these are a differently formulated PAS fluid - someone on a different car forum was talking about success. I think it's the sort of thing that gets a bit more life out of an otherwise dying PAS system, so I'd check it isn't the belt first.

[philmar]

It does look like the PAS fluid is low, will get the garage to sort this for me (hopefully thats all it is).

Cheers for the advice.