nr.metalguitar Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Hey all, just wondering if anyone can help me out here with these weird problems I'm having with my Legacy/Liberty. Here's the story; -Bought an '04 Liberty GT Sedan (EJ20). -Removed factory airbox and replaced with custom MAF pipe & pod filter. -Went well for a few weeks until the Aussie winter came in, air got into the power steering which made it whine badly during steering. -Changed fluid, replaced inlet o-ring with a genuine Subaru one after a couple of leaky attempts. Chucked the new o-ring in the 90-degree port rather than in the pump. -Loud power steering whine went away, but is still faint. Assuming there is still a tiny bit of air I could not get out. Power steering working great & smooth though. -Next day, power steering bumps and feels hesitant. During turns, steering wheel will rapidly bump hesitantly, fighting to go the other direction. Only seems to happen while in motion though, as at a standstill steering is smooth as butter with no problems. -Went to a mechanic, got told to bring the car in because my brakes or front axle could be messed. I really would appreciate any ideas at this point, because I honestly have given up on my own ideas. Just moved from a Mitsubishi to this Subaru, so I know pretty much nothing so far. Thanks :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Make sure the steering rack is not leaking. Did you check fluid level after driving and having the issue ? A bad CV joint normally makes a clicking noise when taking a corner. A bad axle/CV will/can make the steering do funny things while driving. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relative4 Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 I'm confused by "Chucked the new o-ring in the 90-degree port rather than in the pump." The O-ring goes between the 90-degree fitting and the pump. Would it be correct to say you removed the old O-ring and put the new one in its place? Assuming the O-ring replacement was done normally and the fluid level is correct, you may just need to bleed out some remaining air. Elevate the front wheels off the ground. Turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock several times with the engine off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkey Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Make sure the steering rack is not leaking. Where should one look on the rack for such leaks? Just where the hoses connect? I'm currently trying to track one down but its hard to see and its been there long enough that EVERYTHING down there is pretty oil covered making it a little more difficult. 05' LGT, ZFD Built 5MT, Stage 2 Cryotune 91/E85, 170,000mi running BRotella T6 and Ecoguard S4615 filters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Where should one look on the rack for such leaks? Just where the hoses connect? I'm currently trying to track one down but its hard to see and its been there long enough that EVERYTHING down there is pretty oil covered making it a little more difficult. Look for dampness below where the steering column attach's, there are lines and seals there at the steering box. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 Make sure the steering rack is not leaking. Did you check fluid level after driving and having the issue ? A bad CV joint normally makes a clicking noise when taking a corner. A bad axle/CV will/can make the steering do funny things while driving. No leaks at all whatsoever, Fluid level dropped just slightly after a day of driving. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 I'm confused by "Chucked the new o-ring in the 90-degree port rather than in the pump." The O-ring goes between the 90-degree fitting and the pump. Would it be correct to say you removed the old O-ring and put the new one in its place? Assuming the O-ring replacement was done normally and the fluid level is correct, you may just need to bleed out some remaining air. Elevate the front wheels off the ground. Turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock several times with the engine off. What I meant was that installing the o ring in the ridge inside the P/S pump did not allow the fitting to drop in and seal completely. So rather than that, I have installed the o ring on the top of the fitting that goes in the power steering pump, which let the fitting snap in and seal properly. Either way the o-ring is replaced. I will try that today and see what happens to the little bit of air in the system. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 Where should one look on the rack for such leaks? Just where the hoses connect? I'm currently trying to track one down but its hard to see and its been there long enough that EVERYTHING down there is pretty oil covered making it a little more difficult. Your power steering oil is usually a blood red color. Get a mate to steer the car on jack stands and look for a concentration of red oil seeping out. It's easy to tell with a white paper towel. If you can't do that, there's some sort of UV additive you can do that will make a fluid you mix light up under UV light. Not 100% sure about it but a quick google search will help. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 Look for dampness below where the steering column attach's, there are lines and seals there at the steering box. Will take a look at it when I lift the car Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 Thanks everyone for the advice so far! Really appreciate the help when needed ) Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 Update: Checked for leaks, no leaks whatsoever. Power steering working perfectly during motion, butter smooth. No noise, no leaks. I assume the system bled the air after a day of driving. Only other problem is steering wheel shuttering while turning ONLY when there is brake pressure. Going to get brakes, CV's and axle checked tommorow. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dishwasher Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 No shuddering while going straight and pressing on the brake? Brought to you by Pfizer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 7, 2017 Author Share Posted April 7, 2017 Yep, when steering wheel is straight and brakes are applied, no shuttering. Only shutters on turns while the brakes are applied. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted April 7, 2017 Author Share Posted April 7, 2017 Took it to the mechanic as it could be a wheel alignment issue, warped rotors or steering joint issue. Apart from that, the steering is perfect. No play in the wheel, extremely smooth power steering delivery. Will update soon once I get the car back. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 Took it to the mechanic as it could be a wheel alignment issue, warped rotors or steering joint issue. Apart from that, the steering is perfect. No play in the wheel, extremely smooth power steering delivery. Will update soon once I get the car back. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk So they were able to do a wheel alignment on the car ? If yes, I would start looking at a bad CV joint or a Diff issue 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nr.metalguitar Posted December 19, 2017 Author Share Posted December 19, 2017 Very late update & conclusion: -Power Steering whine was fixed with the Red Subaru O-ring replacement. Took a few days for all air to bleed out. -Brake and steering issues were all sorted out with a full set of brakes and a front and rear wheel alignment. Sent from my SM-G950N using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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