guyenacurazine

hi, my 02 TL-S has become hard at steering specially at stop. It is usually steering wheel fluids but nowadays i dont even have time to look at manual and open the hood for this simple task. Currently I am not sure / forgot whether steering wheel fluid exists for this model . Can someone point me out?
Last time, I took to local repair station but they told me one of the steering part has need to be replaced, but I am not very convinced in there.

Secondly my steering wheel is shaking a lot these days which most likely due to a warped front disk. So I am thinking about how it re-grinded.
I am also looking to see whether perforated disks will prevent warping at all? Has anyone used it ? If it does not warp all substantially prolong the warping period, I would consider havint it replaced. In that case, I am looking to see which brand is best value?
thanks!

Chojun

Yes, you do need power steering fluid. The reservoir is to the left of the motor and has a small red cap. The pump is on the upper left of the engine.

If your car makes a loud buzzing noise that gets louder when you turn the wheels then you're low on fluid. Mine has this problem if I don't top off the fluid about 1x per year.

guyenacurazine

ok thanks, any particular brand/type you recommended? I am just going to get to local parts shop to get one. I dont have time going to dealer it is too much hassle and sure it is expensive there.

01tl4tl

HONDA ps fluid is sold at small performance/import parts stores
Its better than other brands- like the coolant- the TL prefers certain home brand stuff

Leaks can come from a bad clamp or leaking oring at pump- that's popular around here
What part were you told was bad?

run it low on ps fluid and you will need a new, very expensive and pita to install- steering rack!

Brake rotors are not worth resurfacing/shaving
Get new ones of decent quality and find out whats sticking in the caliper mechanism!
lube the slider pins for caliper

Heat is what warps the rotors- be it frequent 35mph and stop then go, or 100 to 20mph repeatedly on a track, cool down is critical to rotor lifespan!
that's rolling down the road cooling off time

Chojun

Check the hoses around the PS pump. Also, take a look at your reservoir. If it looks like it's all gunked up around the cap then that's a sign that you have a bad o-ring and the pump is sucking air into your PS system. When the air enters the reservoir it will overflow.

I'm pretty sure my o-ring and hoses/clamps need to be replaced on mine. I also need to change the PS fluid but I think my pump and rack are fine because steering is still good.

guyenacurazine

okay, so checked the fluid level there is no leakage as reservoir is almost full. so that is ruled out and it is probably next thing is a pump itself. Quoted for ~700$ .
Since I aint rolling in it for now, if I am going to drive with like this for some time, will it have any adverse effect on any parts? Though not so.

Skirmich

PS pump out? you could damage the Steering Rack which is a shit load buckets more expensive.

01tl4tl

full res and hard steering still point to an AIR leak- ck those o-rings at pump and all the clamps, they can break and look attached but not hold pressure

Last week someone had been quoted a new pump and it was a simple matter of o-rings for the pump!
Not that shops are looking to get every penny from every job.....

guyenacurazine

yes that is the technicial told me, i hoped without pump not working, it would function as if similar to cars that doe snot have ps /will just hard to steer when stopped/. I guess my assumption was wrong.

01tl4tl

chances are with a bad ps pump or related problem, your system is wallowing in ps fluid crud buildup, that destroys the oil seals of rack as well as gumming up the contact surfaces (gears)

degrease the area in question and ck the ps pump orings and all the hose clamps
It may be as simple as a bad clamp

guyenacurazine

looked around did not see really anyting particular. i went like this about 6 months 2/3 of the time i was driving and other time was iriding my bike.

i am going to take a shot at replacing my pump as it is bit too much. some member earlier posted the acura service manual which i have a copy. looked around the chapter 16, does not look that hard. Trick and Key is not to spill the fluid on any of the belts.
do u recommend it for DIY-elvers?

guyenacurazine

i looked around and found on the web, the many aftermarket dealers are selling perhaps non-genuine parts for around 100-150$. are they good?

2002 Acura Tl Power Steering Pump - Partstrain.com

Or should I get from dealer? The quote i got fom indie shop was like around 300$ for parts and also labor totalling around 700$. It seems bit too much considering how easy it is to replace.

is there any part that needs to be replaced along with the pump?

Like. i.e. when timing belt change, the water pump must be replaced. something like that.

Skirmich

There aren't any more parts needed when changing the PS Pump, If anything get a new PS Belt if you haven't already.
Those are Genuine OEM Parts just refurbished/remanufactured units.

01tl4tl

DO FLUSH the ps system before installing a new pump!!!
Seafoam works excellent for this task, see their diy suggestion Homepage - Sea Foam Sales Company

you need to remove old gunked up fluid first- or it will go straight to your new pump!

01tl4tl

a new tensioner for ps belt never hurt, and the tension on belt is set far less than a normal car!
ck diy on azine for more info

guyenacurazine

Looks like di not read well some of the comments regarding the o-ring. I am going to recheck again. In case if I decided to buy the PS pump any recommendation other than dealer part? I dont feel need to install premium part this is already 13 old car just wanna to install very decent alternative.

01tl4tl

aftermarket is fine

guyenacurazine

alright, the other day, i changed the fluid and also flushed the system with the recommended liquid and afterward put honda ps fluid. It feels like dirinv better now but i need to run few more weeks. Weirdly, the card used to shake and hesitate around 30-40mph when accelerating that also seems to be gone. I used to think whether this is a tranny or engine mount. For this also, need to run anohter few weeks to make sure. Thanks for all your help!

01tl4tl

its easy to ck the front mount- the most common one to fail ~every 75kmiles
then the passenger side follows if it takes extra load for several months while the bad front went undetected.

Note front and rear mounts are fluid filled and VAC Boosted! so a failure causes engine running issue as well as broken mount problems
When the engine is moving around- the trans and other moving parts are subject to unnatural stress loads

Cord

If I'm not mistaken,I don't believe our cars have such a thing (i.e ps belt tensioner) its manual via the tension adjusting nut.

01tl4tl

Its been years since I looked, but every car has a way to adjust the tension on a belt!

Be it a wheel on an adjusting rod or a roller bearing, spring arm (like ac belt),,
some way exist to adjust the tension

On the TL the belt is set much looser than an average car, ie: overtighten and it will kill the new pump is short order!