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Topic: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon (Read 1721 times) |
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KeithCEng
Junior Member
1996 Cossie Saloon
Posts: 55
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Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« on: Jul 31st, 2010, 3:53pm » |
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Hi,
I have always been impressed with the positive handling of my Cossie even on rough surfaces but have recently noticed a tendency for the steering to "wander" on perfectly good straight roads. The "wander" is relatively small but requires constant correction at even moderate speeds (50 MPH) - it does not make for relaxed driving! All the tyres (Pirelli P7) are in excellent nick and at the correct pressure (31F/28R). I jacked-up the front and checked for play in the front wheel bearings - they were fine. Front suspension seems OK and the Steering wheel turns as expected in response to physically pushing the front wheels from side to side (as do the front wheels in response to Power Steering input from the Steering Wheel). Power Steering fluid level is OK and there are no leaks in the system. The symptoms are almost as if there are random small "pulses" superimposed on the normal steering input from the Steering Wheel - Any ideas?
Keith
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Simmo
Administrator
I'm an OAP !
Posts: 5508
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #1 on: Jul 31st, 2010, 5:24pm » |
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Keith, as it is a speed sensitive rack it sounds as though the sensotronic unit may be playing up or an electrical fault. Have a read of This page and see if that helps. An earlier reply today re steering racks says you can use a non senso rack so perhaps disconnecting the plug may give you a clue. Let us know how you get on please. Mike.
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KeithCEng
Junior Member
1996 Cossie Saloon
Posts: 55
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #2 on: Jul 31st, 2010, 7:07pm » |
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Thanks for that info Mike - I shall investigate the result of disconnecting the Sensotronic Module; Presumably, the 'steering effort' will remain unchanged regardless of road speed after disconnection?
Keith
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tlundkvi
Full Member
Ex. Scorpio 2.9 24V -95
Posts: 909
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #3 on: Jul 31st, 2010, 8:42pm » |
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Yepp, not sure which way though. If the VSS is shot, steering will become very stiff. But maybe it behaves the opposite (=parking steering) when the multiplug is disconnected.
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gozz
Senior Member
Been around awhile
Posts: 3475
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #4 on: Jul 31st, 2010, 9:43pm » |
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Keith.
Have a look at the wishbone rear bushes,there is always some give in them,however if they are breaking up,or incorrectly fitted,vis the gap in the metal collar not at the top,wandering can occur.The Sensotronic rack when unplugged electrically,requires more manual effort at low speed.
GOZZ
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Cosray
Full Member
8th Scorpio, 2nd Cosworth: currently '95
Posts: 569
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #5 on: Aug 1st, 2010, 5:05pm » |
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Hi KeithCEng - just a long shot here.
I had this with my Cossie. Tested everything in front was OK.
However, after a while backside started squeaking now and then.
Turned out the rightside rearbearing had gone, allowing for a nice wobbly steering effect in front to compenmsate for the swaying rear!
Once I detected this it was easy to raise the wheel and make it sway a frightening 5-8 mm by hand at the tiretread...
It's almost like having pain in your right hipjoint because of a worn shoe 
HTH
Ray
PS The backside squeak was the drum touching the brakepads in curves...
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KeithCEng
Junior Member
1996 Cossie Saloon
Posts: 55
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #6 on: Aug 2nd, 2010, 7:07pm » |
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Hi Ray,
Sometimes "long shots" come off, but not in this case unfortunately - I checked for play on both rear wheel bearings and found them to be OK; Thanks for the suggestion though.
Cheers
Keith
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Cosray
Full Member
8th Scorpio, 2nd Cosworth: currently '95
Posts: 569
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #7 on: Aug 2nd, 2010, 7:11pm » |
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Pity Keith, what now?
Any other clues?
Ray
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tlundkvi
Full Member
Ex. Scorpio 2.9 24V -95
Posts: 909
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #8 on: Aug 2nd, 2010, 7:47pm » |
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Keith, have you recently had the tracking checked? AFAIK not all tracking errors cause uneven wear. Plus as the tyres you have are probably 225's, so they can be quite sensitive too.
It could also simply be the road. Some roads look OK, but may still have been worn enough to cause pulling. I had that everyday at a particular segment on the way home from work. The other car had 205's and it was barely noticeable.
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KeithCEng
Junior Member
1996 Cossie Saloon
Posts: 55
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #9 on: Aug 2nd, 2010, 7:50pm » |
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I am in the process of trying "Simmo's" (Mike) suggestion of disconnecting the Servotronic Module - Have removed the Glovebox and accessed the Module (which seems to be on the RHS rather than the LHS as shown in the relevant drawing) - however, removing it is turning out to be a bit of a sod - will continue tomorrow because it's dinnertime!
Keith
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amigafan2003
Full Member
I'm a YaBB newbie!
Posts: 972
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #10 on: Aug 4th, 2010, 6:04pm » |
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Just pull the plug off the steering rack - much easier to get to!
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KeithCEng
Junior Member
1996 Cossie Saloon
Posts: 55
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #11 on: Aug 4th, 2010, 7:06pm » |
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I managed to disconnect the Servotronic Module behind the Glove Box eventually and took her for a moderate speed run (80MPH). Didn't detect any "wander" so I plugged the Module back in and repeated the same run (80MPH) - STILL didn't detect any "wander" !!! - It may be that the module is intermittent - I'll just have to keep an eye on it!
Keith
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Mike H
Senior Member
Renault Clio
Posts: 2594
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #12 on: Aug 5th, 2010, 11:18am » |
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Dirty plug connectors?
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Mike H
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Highlander
Moderator
Expert
13 Scorpios, XR4x4, Suzuki SJ413 for off road :)
Posts: 8244
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #13 on: Aug 5th, 2010, 11:39am » |
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Does it wander the same way every time Keith?
power steering pump starting to fail?
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on Oct 17th, 2011, 12:35pm, Simmo wrote:I give up !  Too much for an old boy!  |
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KeithCEng
Junior Member
1996 Cossie Saloon
Posts: 55
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #14 on: Aug 6th, 2010, 6:16pm » |
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Hi Highlander,
When the problem was apparent, it manifested itself as a random "uncommanded" steeering input - it might initially veer slightly left (which had to be corrected before ending up in the ditch!) and then a few seconds later, it would veer right (which required a much quicker response!).
Unplugging the Servotronic Module and subsequently plugging it back in seems to have cleared the fault (which was possibly caused by dirty contacts as suggested by "Mike H", although they didn't look particularly dirty on the Servotronic Module itself - maybe dirty connector contacts?).
Hopefully "The Gremlin" has been exorcised!
Many thanks to everyone for their inputs.
Keith
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Mike H
Senior Member
Renault Clio
Posts: 2594
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #15 on: Aug 6th, 2010, 7:10pm » |
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"Dirty" is a relative term, I meant like oxidised and going resistive, and thereby interfering with the elektrickery  Not necessarily visible and just unplugging it probably cleaned the pins anyway
Appendix ~ might be an idea to do same to the other end just to make sure (?)
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Mike H
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KeithCEng
Junior Member
1996 Cossie Saloon
Posts: 55
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #16 on: Aug 6th, 2010, 7:45pm » |
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Hi Mike,
I shall try that if the problem reoccurs.
BTW I like the image of the "Glass Bottles with Fire at the Bottom" - at least you could tell at a glance whether they were U/S! (I used to work with 10kW Klystrons which are a slightly larger version!)
Keith
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Cosray
Full Member
8th Scorpio, 2nd Cosworth: currently '95
Posts: 569
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #17 on: Aug 6th, 2010, 7:50pm » |
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Mike, Keith - welcome to the club..!
Ray
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Mike H
Senior Member
Renault Clio
Posts: 2594
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #18 on: Aug 7th, 2010, 9:59am » |
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on Aug 6th, 2010, 7:45pm, KeithCEng wrote:BTW I like the image of the "Glass Bottles with Fire at the Bottom" - at least you could tell at a glance whether they were U/S! (I used to work with 10kW Klystrons which are a slightly larger version!)
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More than slightly I would imagine, that was done with a long exposure. GZ37, 801A and 6EM7. The "fire at the bottom" is just light reflected off the metalwork I think.
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Mike H
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Thunderchild
Full Member
My other car's an Aprilia
Posts: 199
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Re: Steering wander on Cossie Saloon
« Reply #19 on: Aug 17th, 2010, 1:46pm » |
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My bet would still be rear wheel bearings. This is a classic sign of them failing. Believe it or not you can actually pass the MOT test with failed rear bearings because you can't detect any movement at the wheel by hand. A couple of better ways to check is to try to move the drive shaft or when you get the "wander" pull the handbrake on slightly. Pulling on the handbrake stabilises the rear wheels because you have a fixed point (the brake caliper) holding the wheel via the disk and so the "wander" stops.
HTH
Tc
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