duetto owner Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 got a 09 transit 140 duetto. this morning when slowing down at mini roundabouts crossroads etc the steering at random would get very stiff and heavy. ok at 30mph but when slow at say 5-10mph either to go forward or turn the steering gets very stiff, though i had a flat tyre but no they were ok. i am not mechanical minded but checked steering fluid that is ok and not very old. any ideas. there is no noise caused by this fault and as soon as the speed increases it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Could be a slipping belt because it is either not tight enough, contaminated with oil, or been burnished and polished from slipping in past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 brambles thanks is a replacement belt an expenive repair, or in most cases an adjustment is all needed. wondered what the option are and possible cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I'd replace the belt................preventative maintenance is the secret ;-)............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 New belt should not be very expensive depending where you buy it. Motor factors are cheaper than accessory shops. It should have an automatic belt tensioner, and it may have got stuck and not tensioning the belt anymore, often cause by corrosion. It will add cost of course if needing replaced, but sometimes just working them back and forth can free them off and give a temp fix. To check your belt tension just ping it with your finger, it should be fairly drum tight. Or try and twist it with your fingers on a long run of the belt and it should be quite hard to twist through 45 to 90 degrees. They are surpisingly tight not like old V shaped fan belts. A mechanic wil tell you in a flash if the belt is OK , tension is right or if it is another problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 brambles thanks i will phone around on monday. with the problem going when speed of the vehicle increases a classic symptom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intransit Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 While checking your belt also check the pulley. This has a central rubber bush. We had this bush shear on our 09 transit while in Croatia in 2012. Fixed fairly quickly but quite expensive. We also have some friends who had the same problem. When it goes the power steering stops working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 duetto owner - 2014-02-08 9:02 PM brambles thanks i will phone around on monday. with the problem going when speed of the vehicle increases a classic symptom? I'd still replace the belt ;-)........rubber goes stiff from lack of usage.............so replace it now rather than have it go in an inconvenient place :-|........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 duetto owner - 2014-02-08 9:02 PM brambles thanks i will phone around on monday. with the problem going when speed of the vehicle increases a classic symptom? I'd still replace the belt ;-)........rubber goes stiff from lack of usage.............so replace it now rather than have it go in an inconvenient place :-|........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Just had a look at Dayco catalogue - you could have one of two setups it seems. One whoch is a elastic belt for the powersteering, although comfusing f thi sis actually fo te power steering or air conditioning. If it is for power steering then there is no adjustment, it is just stretched onto the pulleys using a special guide tool. Need to know more details of your engine model and have to look deeper into the belt arrangement. Come on guys, got to be someone on the forum who knows, but I still think unless you are mehanically able you best get a mechanic to look at it. If you can identify the belts ( it will be written on them..a number like 4PK922EE or 6PK1670 you can always buy the belts yourself and Amazon is actually not a bad place to start for Dayco belts. Gates or Dayco are both well respected belt makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 ...sorry, forgot your question about working with speed increase being a symptom. May or may not be. sometimes belts will slip at higher speed and sometime lower speeds. The thing is when engine is running faster your are generally making less demands on the steering so pump does not have to do so much work. Also with engine speed being high the pump is more efficient so less force from the belt is needed. When the engine is slow the pump works its hardest and requires a lot of force from the belt so it slips. edit - corrected 1001 spelling mistakes and typos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Intransit - 2014-02-08 9:07 PM While checking your belt also check the pulley. This has a central rubber bush. We had this bush shear on our 09 transit while in Croatia in 2012. Fixed fairly quickly but quite expensive. We also have some friends who had the same problem. When it goes the power steering stops working. Ahhhhh! I forgot about these rubber bushed pulleys. Presumably you mean the crankshaft one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I have to advise you take it to a garage (preferably Transit specialist) and get it sorted properly. While members are advising with the best intentions it could be any on of a number of things: a hydraulic leak, faulty pump, slipping belt, or a dodgy speed sensor (some vehicles, most modern ones in fact, have speed dependent steering assistance). The possibility is that your PAS fails in the middle of a manouvre at a roundabout for example and you have an accident as a result. Get it checked ASAP. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Dave Newell - 2014-02-08 9:56 PM I have to advise you take it to a garage (preferably Transit specialist) and get it sorted properly. While members are advising with the best intentions it could be any on of a number of things: a hydraulic leak, faulty pump, slipping belt, or a dodgy speed sensor (some vehicles, most modern ones in fact, have speed dependent steering assistance). The possibility is that your PAS fails in the middle of a manouvre at a roundabout for example and you have an accident as a result. Get it checked ASAP. D. I'd have to agree with Dave.............although I'd add the caveat not necessarily main dealers ;-)............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Yeah, on reflection agree with Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 thank you all for the help. hopimng its the belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 A 'stretchy' main auxiliary drivebelt is used on FWD Transits without air-conditioning, whereas the conventional type is used on FWD Transits with air-conditioning. In both cases there is a separate, much shorter, drivebelt for the power-steering pump. However, Auto-Sleepers never used Transit FWD chassis, so duetto owner's mototrhome will be RWD and fitted with Ford's 2.4litre 135bhp motor. This uses a (long) conventional auxiliary drivebelt that drives the power-steering pump as well as the alternator, vacuum pump, coolant pump and cooling fan. When air-conditioning is fitted, a longer version of this belt is used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 intresting today went out today for a drive first 15-20 mins ok then had to do a 3 point turn to avoid a flooded rd and the stiff steering came back this time a screetching noise. What was also odd the heater was not working very well either would that be conected. the van does have air con but not using it at present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I was just going to suggest trying to turn the steering at standstill as this is when loads are highest and therefore likely to make the drive belt slip and you have already done it. Bear in mind that this very wet winter may have caused rust to form on the pulleys and and affect the friction. Another possibility especially if it the wide multi small V type is of water actually collecting in the Vs and acting as lubricant. On the old principle that if you needed to ask you probably do not know enough to DIY get the belt checked by a professional. Sudden steering pump failure can be alarming. I have never had it happen due to failure but have had it happen when driving in deep flooding while try to turn sharply onto a higher bit of ground. The belt went for a swim and steering loads rose by about five times. Luckily it did not put the fire out. If the slip is bad enough to affect the water pump drive it needs sorting quickly. The lack of heat could be due to poor circulation through the heater (the heater core is just a small version of the main radiator linked into the vehicles cooling system.) I would expect engine overheating would soon occur. if belt slip was more than intermittent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 george............ thanks going to phone around in the morning, and its good to have plenty of feedback from readers before dealing with the garage as it will better help me make a decision on what they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 You might also try the Ford Transit forum http://fordtransit.org/forum/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Check the pump itself, mine leaked at 20k (2008, 2.4 RWD transit mk7) miles in spain and it cost £500 to have it replaced. the power steering still worked but there was oil everywhere as it was the oil seal at the pulley end where the belt goes round that failed. If yours is leaking then oil contamination may be causing a slippage of the belt or noises from the pump. As has been suggested above, I would go to a Ford main dealer for a diagnosis. The diagnosis will probably be free - The repair done properly is essential especially in the case of your breaking system. After all is the engine does not run there is no danger - you ain't going anywhere !!! BUT if the brakes fail then even prayers won't help you. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 been to a commercial vehicle centre, they had a look. The belt is slipping but its not an adjustable one. needs a new pump urgently, with the bonnet up and the mechanic turning the steering wheel the pump was making a dreadful noise also recommended a new tube too. been priced up close to £400 all in. left it there for parts to arrive and fix, been given a small car as a run around too, very ropy but keeps us mobile. glad you all replied to my post it made it so easy to grasp it all when the mechanic talked me through the faults. thanks for all the helpful comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 got the van back new streering belt, pump and some other bit cost £330 in the end only had 21000 miles on the clock disappointed it failed so early. But the belt must have been slipping slowly for a while the feel of the vehicle is so much better now. thanks again for all that helped with advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 At least you know that it's all done and sorted now .... :-S Just curious, are these sorts of components "serviceable" or available as "service/exchange" or are those days long gone now..? :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.