Blown Power Steering Pump :'( - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

DNAudus · 06-27-2013, 05:06 PM

Hi all,

So I took my car to Le Mans and abused it a bit (so I probably deserve what happened).

I did a few donuts and after about 30-45 seconds I heard a mechanical grinding/whirring sound from the engine bay so stopped the donut and just carried on my way home. I was doing the donut on wet grass at no more than 3,000 rpm so I didn't think I was pushing the car too hard. On the way home the car was fine until I pulled into a petrol station and tried to turn the steering wheel at low revs - I had no power steering. As soon as I revved the engine, power steering came back; I lifted the bonnet, turned from one lock to the other and as I did so a load of oil spurted out of the front of the bottom of the engine and was flicked up by the drive belt.

I took it to Cambridge Chevy when I got back and they have now told me that I need a new Power Steering Pump which they have quoted at £461 including parts, fluid and labour. I don't think that's too bad but that's because every time something broke on my BMW 645ci the average quote was £1,200.

Has anyone heard about a power steering pump blowing like this before and do you know if £461 sounds like a fair quote? I was kind of hoping that it was just a seal that had gone.

Cheers,
Damian.

jules1200 · 06-28-2013, 07:17 AM

I can tell you exactly what has happened & although P/S pump blowing is not common, as such, if you do what you did it will be likely.
I did the same thing once in the snow having a play (not in the chevy)
If you think about it logically, what's happening is this;
You are on grass you say (or snow in my case) grip is minimal to none, you have full lock on, so the p/s pump valve is fully open giving the max pressure it can deliver, on top of that because there is no grip to speak of, you are pretty much hitting the rev limiter.
Outcome = lots of oil & busted seals.

DNAudus · 06-28-2013, 11:06 AM

Fair enough, wont be doing any more donuts in the future....oh well. Maybe I should have used less lock. :-(

Cheers.

06-27-2013, 05:06 PM	#1
DNAudus Drives: Bumblebee Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cambridge Posts: 105 View My Garage	Blown Power Steering Pump :'( Hi all, So I took my car to Le Mans and abused it a bit (so I probably deserve what happened). I did a few donuts and after about 30-45 seconds I heard a mechanical grinding/whirring sound from the engine bay so stopped the donut and just carried on my way home. I was doing the donut on wet grass at no more than 3,000 rpm so I didn't think I was pushing the car too hard. On the way home the car was fine until I pulled into a petrol station and tried to turn the steering wheel at low revs - I had no power steering. As soon as I revved the engine, power steering came back; I lifted the bonnet, turned from one lock to the other and as I did so a load of oil spurted out of the front of the bottom of the engine and was flicked up by the drive belt. I took it to Cambridge Chevy when I got back and they have now told me that I need a new Power Steering Pump which they have quoted at £461 including parts, fluid and labour. I don't think that's too bad but that's because every time something broke on my BMW 645ci the average quote was £1,200. Has anyone heard about a power steering pump blowing like this before and do you know if £461 sounds like a fair quote? I was kind of hoping that it was just a seal that had gone. Cheers, Damian.

06-28-2013, 07:17 AM	#2
jules1200 Drives: Delorean DMC12, Camaro SS Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 333	I can tell you exactly what has happened & although P/S pump blowing is not common, as such, if you do what you did it will be likely. I did the same thing once in the snow having a play (not in the chevy) If you think about it logically, what's happening is this; You are on grass you say (or snow in my case) grip is minimal to none, you have full lock on, so the p/s pump valve is fully open giving the max pressure it can deliver, on top of that because there is no grip to speak of, you are pretty much hitting the rev limiter. Outcome = lots of oil & busted seals.

06-28-2013, 11:06 AM	#3
DNAudus Drives: Bumblebee Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cambridge Posts: 105 View My Garage	Fair enough, wont be doing any more donuts in the future....oh well. Maybe I should have used less lock. :-( Cheers.