Im have alot of trouble turning my steering wheel at idle speeds (under 5) and when my car is parked. Its really tight and you gotta put some muscle to turn it. At speeds above 10, it goes away, turns fine. However, when Im going really slow, its tough to turn.

I check power steering fluid, it's good. Ive been told it's either the power steering pump, or rack and pinion. Any insight?

If I rev the car, the power comes back. I hear this is a tell tale sign that its the pump... yay? nay?

 

If your accessory belt is slipping your steering will be hard. Check to see if your waterpump weep hole is dripping on the belt.

 

Ummm, Im not too familiar. Where the water pump weep hole? Wouldnt that make steering at any speed difficult? If it is leaking, what would I need to buy/do?

 

The water pump is located just about the crank pulley on the front of the motor. The water pump housing has a small weep hole on the bottom of the housing that located directly above the crank pulley and therefore gets your accessory belt wet. Power steering issues are most noticeable at slow speeds.

 

Can I tell if its leaking with the car off? I gotta take the intake elbow off to get there right?

 

Best view is from underneath the front of the car.

 

Ok.

I check with the car off and the car running. No leaking or dripping from underneath the water pump.

Now, is there any way to isolate my problem to whether its the ring and pinion or power steering pump?

 

Like I mentioned, it only occurs at lower rpms

 

The only way to eliminate the choices are to test the individual components. A shop might choose to put a flow meter in line with the pump to test for flow rate and pressure. If it's low, pump has to be changed. Rack could still be bad but you know the pump is bad. If the pressure and flow are good and problem still exists, the rack is bad.

Since you don't have that luxury, (or maybe you do by taking it to a shop to be diagnosed with the flow meter), the only alternative is swap in a known good part. Obviously the pump would be easier than the rack. However, having experienced the problem you have several times, my money is on the rack. It's a common problem. There are no easy answers here.

 

^So you've had the same symptoms as I mentioned, where it is a pain in the *** while at slow speeds? Now, granted most power steering issues go away at higher speeds, but at slow speeds if I turn the wheel, I do get a faint, and I mean VERY faint yawning whine.

Damn, Im stumped

 

What's to be stumped? You only have 2 choices. Pump or rack. Assuming you have eliminated any other possible causes like leaks or belt issues. Either take a stab and replace a part or take it to a shop that can check the output of the pump with a flow meter and pinpoint the problem.

We can't all have every piece of test equipment necessary so once in a while you need someone else to diagnose the problem. Then you move on from there.

No reason to be stumped.