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Malfunctions of the power steering can lead to irreparable consequences, because driving a car, especially over long distances, is quite tiring, and the driver’s fatigue directly affects the increase in the likelihood of the car flying into a ditch or another accident.

Therefore, in order to alleviate the driver’s plight and reduce the likelihood of accidents, modern cars very often equipped with power steering. Initially, amplifiers were used only on trucks, but over time they also appeared in passenger cars.

The vehicle can be equipped with hydraulic, electro-hydraulic and electric amplifier steering control.

The most common are hydraulic boosters. Their design is not very complicated, but still, during the operation of the car, breakdowns of this steering unit may occur.

Malfunctions of the power steering can manifest themselves in the form of:

1. Increased noise under the hood;
2. Increased effort on the steering wheel;
3. Leakage working fluid.

Increased noise

Increased noise occurs in several cases. Appearance extraneous sounds under the hood while turning the steering wheel most often indicates a loosening of the power steering pump drive belt tension.

To eliminate this problem, you need to check the belt tension. In working condition, with increased pressure on the belt with your thumb, it should bend by 0.1-0.15 cm. If the belt bends much more, it should be tightened with a tensioning mechanism.

Increased noise may be due to the fact that there is not enough fluid in the system, resulting in air getting into it. In this case, you need to add the recommended fluid to the power steering reservoir. But after this, you should definitely bleed the system to remove air from it.

On different cars This operation can be performed in different ways.

If there is a special fitting

In one case, bleeding is carried out using a special fitting, which can be found on the power steering housing. For ease of pumping, the front part of the car is hung out, steering wheel turns in any direction until it stops. In this case, the engine must be turned off.

Then the bleeder fitting is loosened a little so that air can escape through it. After this, the steering wheel does not quickly turn in the other direction until it stops.

When turning the steering wheel, all air from the system should escape through the fitting. A signal that air has escaped will be the appearance of liquid from the fitting. If the fluid has leaked, then, without changing the position of the steering wheel, the fitting must be tightened so that air does not get back into the system through it. When carrying out this operation, you need to constantly monitor the liquid level in the tank.

Then you should lower the front of the car. To complete bleeding the system, you need to start the engine and start turning the steering wheel from side to side until it stops. But you cannot hold the steering wheel in the extreme position for a long time.

During this operation, air bubbles will appear in the tank. You need to turn the steering wheel with the engine running until these bubbles disappear.

Hydraulic booster without fitting

If the hydraulic booster is not equipped with a fitting for bleeding air, the pumping process is performed slightly differently. First, operations are carried out with the engine turned off. To do this, the front of the car is hung out. Liquid is poured into the tank to the level. Then you need to turn the steering wheel several times from lock to lock.

Then the car is lowered to the ground. Then you will need to start the engine and let it run for a few minutes. Next, the steering wheel must be turned again from the stop, first to the left, then to the right, without stopping in the extreme positions. In this case, you need to monitor the fluid level and top up if necessary.

During this operation, foam forms on the surface of the liquid in the tank. Then you need to stop the engine and wait until the foam disappears. The pumping has been completed.

If you constantly hear noise under the hood, this indicates wear on the bearings of the power steering pump. In this case, the pump is replaced.

Increase steering wheel power

Malfunctions of the power steering, which are manifested by an increase in force on the steering wheel, indicate a clogged system. In this case, you will need to check the filter element of the power steering reservoir. If it is noticeably clogged, the tank needs to be replaced.

Then flush the system by replacing the working fluid twice and then pumping the system. This operation should also be carried out when turbidity of the liquid is detected.

Leakage of working fluid

Very often, power steering malfunctions come down to leakage of working fluid. It can leak in places where pipelines are attached or in case of damage to these pipelines.

In the first case, it is recommended to replace the clamps on the pipelines. If the pipeline is damaged, it must be replaced, which will require draining the working fluid from the system. Moreover, it is advisable to change all pipelines at once. After replacing the pipelines, the system is filled with new fluid and pumping is carried out.

It is important to remember that reusing power steering fluid is not recommended, as this can lead to failure of power steering components.

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Power steering is one of the main systems of the mechanism that sets the direction of movement. Its purpose is to facilitate vehicle control and ensure a stable position on the road.

Power steering system - device

After the steering wheel stops rotating, the spool stops. The drain line opens and the rotation of the wheels also stops. Thus, the main function of the hydraulic booster is to create comfortable driving conditions and increase safety, since the driver is able to drive even if the front tire breaks or the amplifier fails. In addition, power steering reduces gear ratio The steering wheel, accordingly, allows for better maneuvering; it also reduces impacts on the steering wheel from the road and driver fatigue.

Why might the power steering act up?

Bleeding the power steering system is necessary to remove air from the system when there is increased noise under the hood. You should pay attention to this feature: if the car hits an obstacle, then the wheels experience resistance, which tends to turn them around. The wheels close the drain line and the working fluid moves into the cylinder. The piston enhances the action of the wheels working in reverse. In this case, the system prevents the wheels from turning. If the pump is turned off, the driver will feel the steering wheel become heavier, but the car can be driven even in this case.

The power steering system may show the following signs of malfunction: loud noise under the hood, increased pressure on the steering wheel, fluid leakage. Increased noise may occur due to the presence of air in the system; the situation requires bleeding. It is necessary to bleed the power steering system when air gets into it during repairs or depressurization. This happens when the steering wheel jams (sharp turns, the pump makes noise when turning, the liquid is foamy). We suggest performing this operation yourself, let's think about how!

Bleeding the power steering system - we do it ourselves

Pumping occurs as follows. We put the wheel in the middle ( forward direction) position and turn on the motor for 15 seconds. Now turn the steering wheel a couple of times until it stops. Remove the protective cap and unscrew the valve. If the fluid level drops, add it again and start the engine. The fluid level should drop, but do not allow it to drop below the minimum mark. The machine should run idle for a minute. We lower the car if it was in a suspended state and turn the steering wheel all the way for 2-3 seconds. We turn off the engine and wait for the foam to disappear, and then start the engine again and check the sound.

Bleeding can also be carried out with a special fitting. It is located on the power steering housing. We hang the front wheels, turn the steering wheel all the way with the engine off. Then we loosen the fitting a little, allowing the air to escape, and turn the wheel in the other direction. Liquid should appear from the fitting; when it comes out, you need to close the fitting and monitor the liquid level. Now lower the front wheels to their previous position, start the engine and turn the steering wheel from side to side. This exercise should be done until the bubbles of expelled air in the tank disappear.

When filling the KamAZ power steering system with oil or after troubleshooting, it is necessary to remove air from it (“bleed” the steering).

To do this you need:

1. Post front axle so that the wheels do not touch the ground. Using a jack, place trestles under the beam on both sides. But under no circumstances start pumping with the wheels standing on the ground. Or disconnect the longitudinal link from the steering bipod.
2. Remove the cover filler neck pump reservoir.
3. Remove the rubber cap from bypass valve steering mechanism and place a transparent elastic hose on the spherical head of the valve, the open end of which is lowered into a glass container with a capacity of at least 0.5 liters. The vessel should be filled with oil to half its volume.
4. Unscrew the steering gear bypass valve ½……3/4 turn.
5. Turn the steering wheel LEFT until it stops.
6. Pour oil into the pump reservoir until the level stops dropping.
7. Start the engine and, while operating at minimum crankshaft speed, add oil to the pump reservoir, not allowing the level to drop until air bubbles stop emitting from the hose placed on the bypass valve.
8. Close the bypass valve.
9. Turn the steering wheel to the RIGHT until it stops and back to the LEFT position. Keeping the steering wheel in the left position, unscrew the bypass valve ½……3/4 turn and again watch for the release of air bubbles. After the bubbles stop, close the bypass valve.
10. Repeat the previous operation at least two times. As a result, clean (without air) oil should come out of the bypass valve. If the release of air bubbles continues, repeat the operation 1-2 more times, while monitoring the oil level in the pump reservoir, maintaining it between the marks on the level indicator.
11. Stop the engine.
12. Remove the hose from the spherical head of the bypass valve and place the protective cap on it. Check the oil level in the pump reservoir again and, if necessary, add oil. Install the pump reservoir filler cap. If you disconnected the longitudinal steering rod– put it in place.

The process of removing air from the system is complete.

When using vehicles for a long time in harsh conditions Russian conditions they often develop very specific problems. A sign of one of them is the appearance of foam in the power steering reservoir. This symptom is often ignored by many motorists, doing so completely in vain - after all, a malfunction can be deadly. The owner of the car must know why it foams and what to do if such a problem occurs.

Causes and consequences

The most common cause of foam in oil is the penetration of air into the technical fluid. It can be pumped into the hydraulic system when the engine is running without a power steering reservoir cap or when the integrity of the circuit is damaged. Air often gets into the power steering oil through cracks in the hoses and pipes, which may not leak - it will be quite difficult to detect them.

Air that has entered the closed hydraulic circuit completely changes the characteristics of the drive. As a result, the steering wheel may twitch when turning, and the force during its movement may vary, preventing the driver from accurately performing the intended maneuver. The most dangerous is steering wheel lock, which makes the car completely uncontrollable. The greatest danger is that the steering wheel usually locks when it is turned to its extreme position - that is, when performing very complex maneuvers. The presence of air in the power steering circuit can be deadly, which every driver should be aware of!

There is another reason why oil foams in the power steering - it is represented by the ingress of foreign impurities into the liquid, which form a thick, stable foam when passing through the working area of ​​the hydraulic booster. This can also result in poor handling and steering wheel locking, so the car owner should take immediate action. However, in this case you will need oil in the power steering.

Troubleshooting

First of all, it is necessary to find the reason for air getting into the technical fluid. With the engine running, ask an assistant to move the steering wheel left and right and look carefully to see if bubbles appear on the rubber hoses. If there are no external signs, carefully inspect all pipes, connections and the surface of the oil reservoir for damage. All worn parts of the circuit should be replaced. If a breakdown has not been found, you should contact a specialist, since his services will cost less than replacing all components hydraulic system.

If the volume of air in the hydraulic booster is small, you can try to squeeze it out without disassembling the circuit. Start the car and let it run idle speed 3–5 minutes. After this, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, wait 10-15 seconds and then repeat the procedure by selecting the steering wheel to the far left position. After several attempts, the air should come out of the hydraulic booster - this will be indicated by the absence of foam in the oil. Also, a method of quality control of repairs can be checking the volume of fluid in the tank - the difference in levels when the engine is running and when the car has completely cooled down should not exceed 5 mm.

Experts who know how to remove air from a hydraulic booster can tell you that in this way it is not always possible to restore the unit’s functionality. If after the first attempt the oil continues to foam, it is necessary to disconnect the return hose from the tank and close its hole with a special plug or an improvised stopper made of waterproof material. The end of the disconnected hose must be lowered into a clean bottle or other container.

To squeeze air out of the power steering, start the engine and turn the steering wheel until fluid starts coming out of the hose. After this, turn off the engine and pour the liquid back into the tank. The procedure is repeated until water comes out of the hose. pure oil, free of bubbles. It is better to carry out such work together, since monitoring the presence of foam in the drained oil and stopping the engine in time on your own will be very problematic.

Sometimes the cause of foam may be dirt in the hydraulic circuit. Its sources most often are:

• Ruptures in hoses;
• in the tank;
• Clogged fittings on car wheels.

Changing a filter or a torn hose is not difficult. But it will be much more difficult to clean the fittings - to do this, you need to remove the wheels of the car and unscrew the protective cap with an 8 key.

A hose with a diameter of 6.5 mm is connected to the fitting, after which oil from the hydraulic circuit is drained through it. It is very important to simultaneously add technical fluid to the power steering reservoir so that its level does not fall below the minimum allowable level. The operation is considered complete when clean oil without impurities and foam begins to flow through the hydraulic booster fitting. After completing the repair procedure, you should bleed the hydraulic circuit of the power steering. To do this, with the engine running, the steering wheel should be turned to its extreme positions, as described above.

Serious damage

Despite the apparent insignificance of such a defect, the appearance of foam in the power steering oil can lead to a serious accident. Therefore, such a breakdown should be repaired immediately, making every effort to do the job well. You should be very careful and carefully monitor the performance of the power steering system after the repair is completed. Practice shows that it is possible to completely squeeze out the air and eliminate all impurities in only one out of four cases. Therefore, if the hydraulic booster breaks down, delivering the car to a service station will not be superfluous at all, since we are talking about your safety.

Power steering is one of the additional devices car system, which makes driving easier and more comfortable. Like anyone technical unit, the hydraulic booster is capable of breaking, and the problems associated with it are specific and can be very dangerous. In this article we will take a closer look at the reasons why power steering oil foams and how to solve this problem. Most car owners do not pay due attention to this malfunction, and it is in vain, because because of it you may find yourself in mortal danger.

Many motorists can no longer imagine driving a car without power steering.

Causes

Air entry

The most common cause of foam in the system is air in the power steering. Air can get into the hydraulic system through cracks in the hoses, when the plug on the fluid reservoir is open, throughout the entire system, or when there are cracks in the pipe. The most difficult thing to identify is a crack in the hose, because it may be too thin and narrow, which means that liquid will not flow out. You will have to look at all the details carefully.

Air that enters the hydraulic system significantly changes the characteristics of the system unit. In other words, instead of turning the steering wheel smoothly and easily, you will definitely notice sharp twitches at the moment of turning. Moreover, each time you have to apply different amounts of force, which is why it is not always possible to perform the intended maneuver.

However, the most common reason for the appearance of foam is a sudden blocking of the steering rack. Imagine a situation, you are about to make a turn on a busy roadway, suddenly the steering wheel jams and you stop without the ability to quickly remove your vehicle from the road. It is worth remembering that air entering the power steering system can be fatal, and removing air from the power steering is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process.

Liquid ingress

Foam can also occur when another liquid or impurity gets into the working fluid. As a result, a chemical reaction of the working fluid to another composition occurs, a persistent foam is formed, which prevents the normal passage of fluid in the system. This reason is no exception increased danger, poor handling and steering rack wedge are a consequence of the problem.

The appearance of dirt in the hydraulic system

There can be several sources of dirt in the power steering.

• One of them is a torn hose. In this case, you will notice a lack of fluid in the system when checking.
• The filter in the tank could become clogged, causing the liquid to no longer be filtered and dirt clogging the system components and preventing the passage of liquid.
• The fittings on the car's wheels may be clogged. This problem is the most problematic to fix, because you have to remove the wheels from the car to get to the fittings.

Problem solving

Getting rid of air in the system

Now we will take a closer look at several ways to remove air from the power steering. First of all, inspect the system for damage; if none are detected with the naked eye, we will change the search method. You need to ask a friend to help. car and ask your friend to move the steering wheel from side to side. Bubbles may have appeared on the rubber tubes or pipes. If you find such a place, then this part needs to be replaced with a new one.

If the reason lay in an open cap on the liquid tank, be sure to close it. After this, you can try to expel the air from the system yourself. Turn on your engine vehicle, let him work on Idling about 5 minutes. After this, start turning the steering wheel to the right all the way, hold in this position for 10 seconds, then turn to the left and hold this position again.

After several such cycles of turning the steering wheel, the air should come out of the system. You can check this by looking at the technical fluid; there should be no foam in it.

If the oil in the power steering is still foaming, disconnect the return hose and plug it with an improvised plug. Immerse the disconnected end of the hose in a clean container, which can be a glass jar. Turn on the engine and turn the steering wheel all the way from side to side until liquid flows from the hose. We turn off the engine, into the tank and repeat the manipulation. This should be done until oil begins to flow out without bubbles.

Cleaning the fitting

To get to the fittings, you need to remove the car wheels and unscrew the protective cap using an eight key. After this, we connect a hose with a diameter of about 6.5 millimeters to the fitting. This hose will drain oil from the hydraulic system. Important point! Please note that when draining fluid from the fitting, you must add oil to the tank so that its level does not fall below the minimum! We carry out the process until clean oil begins to flow out without foam and dirt. We put the system back together and pump fluid through the system by turning the steering wheel with the engine running.

Serious fault

Now you know why oil foams in the power steering, and that its appearance can be very dangerous. If you are unable to fix the problem yourself, it is better to contact service center. This will be much cheaper than replacing all system components of the circuit. At the same time, it is better to deliver the car to the service station using a tow truck, because we are talking about the integrity of your car, your health and even life.