Bad Steering Rack, But No Leak? Possible?

[90LS400Lexus]

I am not familiar with racks, but I took my 91 LS by a shop of a mechanic that sometimes works on my cars this evening. I am puzzled though. He said he thought that the rack was bad. I told him I had heard there was a screen on the rack that could be cleaned, but he said he had never heard of it. He said he replaced a rack on a Camry and Avalon last week and he didnt recall a screen on those racks and said they should be the same. Maybe I should have said solenoid rather than screen. Anyway, I dont think I am ready to just have a new rack put on until I know more about this.

Last night the PS was working smoothly and easy for about 5 miles, then it was stiff again. :( Its working less often now than it was. It has some power assist, but only about 30% working I would say. The rack is not leaking.... there are NO leaks now. I thought when a rack went bad it was simply because it was leaking.... is this not so? If not what causes them to fail to make it hard to turn when they are not leaking?

[billydpowell]

I am not familiar with racks, but I took my 91 LS by a shop of a mechanic that sometimes works on my cars this evening. I am puzzled though. He said he thought that the rack was bad. I told him I had heard there was a screen on the rack that could be cleaned, but he said he had never heard of it. He said he replaced a rack on a Camry and Avalon last week and he didnt recall a screen on those racks and said they should be the same. Maybe I should have said solenoid rather than screen. Anyway, I dont think I am ready to just have a new rack put on until I know more about this.

Last night the PS was working smoothly and easy for about 5 miles, then it was stiff again. :( Its working less often now than it was. It has some power assist, but only about 30% working I would say. The rack is not leaking.... there are NO leaks now. I thought when a rack went bad it was simply because it was leaking.... is this not so? If not what causes them to fail to make it hard to turn when they are not leaking?

you could have a faulty seal that lets the fluid "bypass" instead of assisting you. but I would check out the "screen" before you do anything

[90LS400Lexus]

you could have a faulty seal that lets the fluid "bypass" instead of assisting you. but I would check out the "screen" before you do anything

Thanks. I guess I will just have to find a mechanic that knows more about it.

[billydpowell]

you could have a faulty seal that lets the fluid "bypass" instead of assisting you. but I would check out the "screen" before you do anything

Thanks. I guess I will just have to find a mechanic that knows more about it.

THIS IS FROM: 914lps .

Your power steering system has two screens in the system. one in the resivor tank and one on the selonod valve on the rack by the drivers side. Years ago i did a very extensive post on how to take care of those screens. Do a search if you can for posts by me. You should then see it.

cheers.

[90LS400Lexus]

you could have a faulty seal that lets the fluid "bypass" instead of assisting you. but I would check out the "screen" before you do anything

Thanks. I guess I will just have to find a mechanic that knows more about it.

THIS IS FROM: 914lps .

Your power steering system has two screens in the system. one in the resivor tank and one on the selonod valve on the rack by the drivers side. Years ago i did a very extensive post on how to take care of those screens. Do a search if you can for posts by me. You should then see it.

cheers.

Thanks. I found it. Its post #10 on this thread...

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...c=16383&hl=

Seems like thats easy enough and I am gonna try to work on this tomorrow and see if that helps, but confused on cleaning the screen in the ps pump. Someone had replied, but the link was so old, it would not show the info he posted. Well, the pump is not whining, so I am wondering since its not, if its OK and dont need to be cleaned.

[eatingupblacktop]

you could have a faulty seal that lets the fluid "bypass" instead of assisting you. but I would check out the "screen" before you do anything

Thanks. I guess I will just have to find a mechanic that knows more about it.

THIS IS FROM: 914lps .

Your power steering system has two screens in the system. one in the resivor tank and one on the selonod valve on the rack by the drivers side. Years ago i did a very extensive post on how to take care of those screens. Do a search if you can for posts by me. You should then see it.

cheers.

Thanks. I found it. Its post #10 on this thread...

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...c=16383&hl=

Seems like thats easy enough and I am gonna try to work on this tomorrow and see if that helps, but confused on cleaning the screen in the ps pump. Someone had replied, but the link was so old, it would not show the info he posted. Well, the pump is not whining, so I am wondering since its not, if its OK and dont need to be cleaned.

Listenup! Everything needs to be cleaned sooner or later. Don't forget, Murphy's got your number! Just when you think things are fine ...... :chairshot: Whap!

This ain't no time to whimp out. Ya got the info ya need, so just DO IT! Whadaya need ... a personal invitation? Time to man up! Don't forget to give us a report when you're done. Go brave!

[90LS400Lexus]

This ain't no time to whimp out. Ya got the info ya need, so just DO IT! Whadaya need ... a personal invitation? Time to man up! Don't forget to give us a report when you're done. Go brave!

Yeah, all I need now is to find out how to clean the screen in the pump. That was a dead link. I was trying to find the data that tells how to clean it without having to remove the pump, because I have no idea.

I am going to march on and clean the solenoid on the rack tomorrow. ;)

I was going to find someone to do this, but one mechanic (the Toyota mechanic, who is the dad of a good friend of mine) wont call me back (I left him a voice mail and told him that I needed some work done to the PS pump and rack), so he must not want to do it and the other said he didnt know of any screens... so??? I will do it myself... only way to get anything done right? ;)

[90LS400Lexus]

Oh boy. We got the solenoid screens cleaned today.... it was very easy. However, I still have stiff steering. :( We did that solenoid test (listen for the click when you turn the ignition on) and we dont hear it clicking. Apparently the solenoid is bad.... I am sure that going to be big $$$. I knew it could not be that simple... nothing ever is for me.

So.... I guess this piece of crap will just set in the driveway. I am about finished with it. I have owned alot of cars and this one has caused me more "minor" problems than any I have ever owned... even older ones with higher miles.

Another thing is that one of those little screens already had a very small hole in it and some kind of soft red plastic in it. We got it out and again, the screens cleaned, but it didnt help.

I just hate to spend alot of money on a solenoid and then it be again, something else. Oh well... thanks for the replies and to the ones with the instructions on how to remove the solenoid.

[90LS400Lexus]

More research it seems as if you cant buy just the solenoid... it comes as a valve and is $500, or $400 on a brand new rack? Well, I absolutely cannot cannot afford that, then pay another $150 or more to have it put on. Gosh, why didnt this happen when the cash for clunkers was going on?

When I replaced my return line that comes out of the back of the pump, I used a regular hose, instead of using one by the part # for this hose at the auto parts store. I wonder if this could be the problem. I dont think so, as it was working fine for about 2 weeks after that happened.

I owe $2200 on the car and I honestly dont think I can get that much for it. I dont know what to do. I am at a loss.

[amcdonal86]

I know how you feel. Don't lose hope. You could probably try looking for a new solenoid at a junkyard.

[90LS400Lexus]

I know how you feel. Don't lose hope. You could probably try looking for a new solenoid at a junkyard.

Thanks. Yeah, thats what I was thinking.... junk yard is going to be my only hope. I cant afford $500. No way at all. Bad part is its hard to find these cars in junk yards around here... not many around at all for that matter, except for FOUR gen 1 LS400s I often see... strange they all look like mine... they probably are all bad. <_<

What exactly is this called... steering rack solenoid?