Hey all

as you may recall, I was in an accident a few weeks back and since I had surgery a week ago, am just now starting to really put the TL back together...

I got a new bumper on, took off the old headlights and took it for a daytime drive the other day to make sure it's all good...

...what I thought was all good might not be so... first off, I couldn't believe it, but my front shocks (koni yellows, very new) blew from the crash this sucks, but accidents happen and I'm gonna have to deal with it.

now, with that in mind...would that cause the power steering to not go back to its neutral position? I mean as in when I take a turn the steering still works but goes back to about +/- 10 degrees from center? I thought it was the alignment, but the actual steering wheel just isn't making it back to center.

to be honest, it isn't the end of the world for me. I can deal with a slight misalignment. but I want some ideas as to what the problem COULD be so that I know how to potentially fix it.

thanks

 

might have a slight alignment issue but seems pretty normal to me, the wheel won't actually go back to exactly center to start with.

 

Alignment issue from the sounds of it.

It is always hard to diagnose or give technical advice over the internet since we can't see/hear/feel the problem. Kind of like calling up a doctor and giving him a vague description of what has you sick. Take the car to an alignment shop and lets the pros handle it.

 

I agree- there are many parts can be damaged in front crash- if you blew the shocks it may have bent the steering rack or associated parts- steering linkage, ball joints, control arms etc, strut supports
Did a real body shop ever give a detailed estimate?

Good luck on surgery recovery- hope it wasnt serious

A good alignment shop (not big corp name brand ripoff places)
can put the special guages on it and determine if just an adjustment,, or replacement of parts is needed
As well as a specialized suspension steering tech looking for source of problem

 

but
perhaps if you move your modem closer to the car, start engine and turn the wheels slowly lock to lock- we may be able to give a better diagnosis~

 

^haha maybe lol

I have a local mechanic that my dad's been taking this car since it's warranty expired and he said the rack is bad. I usually trust this guy, but that seems a bit vague, I always tell him he can give me details and he always explains it like he's talking to my dad!

they jacked it up on lifts and told me the only thing wrong with the front suspension bits was that the shocks were blown, and then he gave his condolences because finding two front koni yellows isn't easy!

he also said that the alignment wasn't too far off, i dunno...when it comes to acuras I always like to run it by you guys before i get something done. He says to fix the rack, it'll cost 600 bucks because of the labor. If that's the case, I might as well just leave it as is because a little mis alignment isn't too too bad. and there are plenty of other ways I need to spend 600 bucks

 

the steering racks do get gummed up inside- especially when fluid doesnt get changed, internal seals leak, loses pressure and loss of abilty to turn
But if you think thats ok to keep driving on...you have been warned death is a possiblity

to replace the rack is a pita- see recent threads on the subject, no diy for it beyond remove bolts until loose, a lot of bolts, to steering arms- to frame- to steering shaft

requires alignment after rack install- job needs to include cleaning of the ps system as part of rack replacement, and gets new ps fluid and burp.
Cleaning out the lines,res and pump only makes sense it the rack failed from crud

ask the tech-
if you need more detailed info than as if you were your dad, tell him!

As for align not being far off- he may mean its not accident damaged distance off spec, no bent control arms etc
Did it drive straight before the crash? lowered cars need alignment after the drop

ck with excelerate and mrheeltoe for the shocks- they might know of rebuilding program for them,,possible warranty? or best option replacements

 

^thanks for the reply!

well he gave me some more info, basically told me that the rack is not bad, that the steering column is going from lock to lock no problem and that it'll probably only cause a bit of misalignment.

I asked what he would recommend, he told me that most likely an alignment should fix it, and that he can replace the fluids in the PS. it's not leaking or anything and it is returning from a turn just not all the to 0 (+/- 5-10 maybe?)

I have an alignment plan with a tire shop (paid for itself now), so naturally after I dropped, I got it aligned (been aligned atleast 5 times since because I kept messing with the spring perches to get the height exactly how I wanted it). it was driving straight but past few weeks it was drifting a bit. It isn't drifting anymore than it was I just noticed that the steering wheel doesn't go all the way back to zero.

I'm mainly feeling the blown shocks, car is bouncing while braking and what not.

I don't want the rack to become a bigger problem but if it isn't causing my car to drift (more than the little it was before), am I just shitting bricks post crash?

Should I get it realigned again and go from there?

but also, the blown shocks are going to cause some alignment issues no?

arrghhh sorry this post is so convoluted, I'm that guy that types while he thinks

 

replace the shocks, then align
they wont hold position as you suspect, so its wasting everyones time.
good plan on the extended alignment program!!

as long as the mechanic says the rack is ok- awesome
do a full ps fluid flush- twice- using honda PS fluid, this is one area honda has secret sauce in their stuff that honda systems like

put cardboard under the wheels to reduce friction
acura says its ok to disconnect return line and put that into a catch can
start engine- in P, turn wheels lock to lock until system empty
-refill,, and empty same way
refill and it self burps with turning the wheels while filling res

Hope that gets you back good feeling steering
new shocks will make all the differance too
Ck the vendors I suggested- give both a call for personal help-mention azine for extra discount
mrheeltoe discount code for online order: azinerocks

 

^thanks bud I really appreciate it!

I'm gonna do this in the next few days, Do you have a diagram of where the return line is? I can figure most things out once i'm there, but I'd love to have a good start

 

ck the DIY section for diagram and directions, fluid amount etc
return line is the upper hose at ps res
easy way is attach a larger diameter hose over the return line- secure together with hose clamp or it will spray everywhere~

 

interresting how a sealed system can get crud in it, waist of time flushing unless a seal is blown opening up the sealed system to allow crud to be interduced in to the system.

AGAIN YOU are experience normal operation the wheel will not return to exactly zero and you will have to move it that 5-10 degrees don't care who made the car they are all like that, I have personally done thousands of alignments and never has the wheel returned back to exactly centered after turning a corner but waist your money if you want too.

 

once again your lack of understanding of the physics of Earth are the root of the a misunderstanding

neither the brake or ps are a sealed system!
those caps dont lock tight and the rubber oring seal allows atmospheric moisture to penetrate and be absorbed by the fluid--actually sucked in by the fluid to be technical.

PS fluid normally gets dried out from driving assuming at least 15-30 minute drives,
same as engine oil- which also sucks moisture from the air! past its dipstick and cap orings

PS fluid change is called for at 3/60kmile on `reg mait level`- Im not sure on `severe service` which many of us operate in without knowing

wiki hygroscopic, not to be confused with hydroscopic,, which is the ability to see underwater

brake fluid needs to be flushed every few years = I go 1 year for safety-
as it does not circulate and reach the temps to dry out the fluid in normal operation
= moisture/crud builds up in fluid, can be compressed,, and is pushed thru the brake fluid to the caliper where bad expensive things can happen
not to mention weak brake pedal effort with the weakened fluid--moisture at the caliper end reduce output pressure-- as the micro-droplets compress under pressure

anyone who has done a TL will tell you at 3 years its ready for fluids

anything your car didnt do BEFORE an accident and does now- is not normal operation for a TL,,,
maybe all cars rcb ever worked on wont go straight~~~ but none I am familair with
set the align correctly and it goes where you want and back to center

 

More BULLSHIT FROM THE MASTER OF BULLSHIT

hydroscope is the word your looking for, hydroscopic is absorption of moister from the air

"PS fluid normally gets dried out from driving assuming at least 15-30 minute drives,
same as engine oil- which also sucks moisture from the air! past its dipstick and cap orings"

wow what the fuck was BP thinking cleaning up all of that oil floating in a sea of water when oil absorbs water, wouldn't that have tuned the water into a huge pool of oil since oil absorbs water wouldn't the oil have just sucked up all of the fucking water around it dumb fuck,, No it didn't because water and oil don't mix dick head.

MORE BULLSHIT ON TOP of BULLSHIT maybe you impress the twenty somethings that don't know any better to me your just a FUCKING IDIOT RUNNING YOUR MOUTH TRYING TO LOOK SMART WITH LONG WINDED BULLSHIT REPLYS.

 

read the fucking service manual and the fine print and you'll discover it states bleed the brakes every 45k not flush the fluid evey year look at page 19-8 which is refernced in the service intervals section of the manual.

 

Will somebody PLEASE kick rcb2000 off this forum? I don't post a lot, but get almost irate every time I read his overtly non-helpful, holier-than-thou, condescending, profanity-laden blather!

 

I might not know much about car care, but physics I do. and "hydroscopic" isn't actually a word.

btw. while I appreciate any information given to me, you'll have to forgive me if I trust 01tl's over yours. for starters 01tl's been giving advice for years on the forums and I've never heard a single complaint from anyone about the advice he gives. Secondly, 01tl doesn't use CAPS LOCK to make his point, nor does he swear uncontrollably to do it either.

but you know who does do both of those things? trolls.

 

sorry if you have overlooked all of the BS he claims to be truthes, oil absorbs water, not, power steering fluid dries out, not, the car runs off the battery, not after it's started, unless the alternator goes out, 1.5 neg degrees of camber is ok even though it's a degree out of spec. , brake fluid needs flushed on regular service read the fine print it sends you to page 19-8 with a heading of Bleeding Brakes, down load the service manual and read it you'll find all of the BS mistakes he makes but then maybe not.


So what if moister gets behind the dust boot and then the o-rings and actually makes to the fluid, it's stays right there and a simple bleeding of the line will remove the moister if it's present. If you like jumping through needless hoops like he always runs everyone through more power to you. Me personally I like fixing the problem and not chasing my tail but then, I've spent my time in a garage making a living then I move on to designing the parts for a living for OEM's and now I do it for Rolls-Royce and the millitary. I know what bullshit smells like and if your audience doesn't know the difference then one might look smart to them, but there are others that know the difference and what matters and doesn't matter and how to fix something in minutes where it might take them hours. Time is money maybe you haven't learned that lesson yet.