HELP! STRANDED IN FRANCE Can I bypass PAS?

[yetinomad]

Hello all,

Long story short, the steering rack on my Mk6 Lwb minibus has blown a seal or similar whilst travelling in France, suddenly began losing fluid whilst driving and had lost it all within 30 minutes, steering gradually went from being juddery and whining to losing power steering completely. Currently holed up in a nearby campsite for the weekend as breakdown company says France closes up 6pm on a Friday and all weekend until Monday, so I have to stay put until then and be recovered to a garage in the hopes of them fixing it. I’m not convinced, first of all mine is naturally a UK RHD van and they’re all LHD here so swapping a rack over isn’t possible, if the pipes are shot maybe they can order some and fit them which will probably take a week. I have to be in Southern Spain by first week of June in this van.

My question is, is there somehow a way I could block the PAS system off and bypass it and drive without power steering for the remainder of the trip? That is safely without snapping the main auxiliary belt by seizing the PAS pump due to no fluid because of the leak, so that all of the pulleys etc and belt run as usual but nothing going down to the rack where the leak is? I had to drive it earlier with no PAS and I’d be able to manage it for the rest of the trip, drove an old Triumph for 2 years without PAS up until recently, I’m used to it.

Many thanks.

[DanMK7uk]

I cant see how you can tbh .. as it’s a mechanical pump from a belt…

Your probably not seize but possibly need to replace it. Shouldnt be to much to replace

[metalworker0]

See my answer in tech section .

[DanMK7uk]

He should be fine with no power steering have ya weetabix and get on with it lol

[yetinomad]

See my answer in tech section .

Hi yes I’ve read it,

I didn’t get a chance to look properly yesterday as was on side of road, and now since I’ve lost all fluid I probably won’t be able to see where it’s coming from. I’m in a dead end of France and there are no stores or garages around anywhere, if I can get ahold of some more atf fluid I may be able to try and trace where it’s coming from.

Thanks for the reply.

[Altransit]

He should be fine with no power steering have ya weetabix and get on with it lol

Driving a vehicle that has lost its power steering, is much much harder than driving one that doesn't have it as standard, it's almost impossible to turn at low speed. That was my experience, anyway

[Burn2]

So don't go slow or drive in straight line

[yetinomad]

The nearby useless french garage has found a hole in one of the pipes running across the power steering rack to I assume the left hand side of the rack, they shut up shop at 12 noon handed me the keys and told me to get on with it, I drove it back to the campsite without power steering and am now arguing with LV Britannica rescue as they may be trying to void my insurance for driving an unsafe vehicle despite the garage telling me to drive it down to the garage behind them this morning as it couldn’t fit on back of transporter, what the hell am I meant to do, camp in a garage? I had to drive it back.

Either way as explained, there is a hole in the steering rack hard line going to one of the ends of the rack, I asked if it could be braised in an emergency but nothing. They said part isn’t available separately so I think I’ll have to go on the lookout for a RHD steering rack here somewhere. Slim chance I know. What a great weekend so far.

[DanMK7uk]

Feel for ya !

What a performance!

Just take it easy, your ok thats the main thing.

Power steering problems in the scheme of things aint that major.

Just a nightmare it’s happened abroad.

[metalworker0]

i think they are hard lines that are on the rack itself ..not sure if one is a low pressure that can be patched .
but if leak is from the hardline ..you have no choice but to braze it or replace rack.

no idea of the infrastructure of france ..no idea if they have parts places like GSF or Euro Car Parts ..if so they would be your best bet in getting hold of it at a good price and fast .

all the best.mark

[yetinomad]

Thanks to both Dan and Mark,

Yes I think i’m going to look into a rack that maybe can be delivered here from somewhere like Europe Car Parts, I thought it could be brazed like you said, but the garage didn’t want anything to do with it. I’ll update this post with my progress. In the event of nothing being available, do you think I could drive it back to Eurotunnel with no fluid in the system, or would it seize the pump and then snap the belt?

Many thanks.

[metalworker0]

The pump would make so much bad noise that ..you wouldn't drive it, if you had any mechanical sympathy...and it would be ruined for sure

i don't think you could handle low speed manoeuvres.

it's not at all like a non power steering car - its much much heavier! as steering was designed to be power assisted.

Just try at a standstill turning the wheel without the engine running ....that will give you something of an idea how hard it will be. INSURANCE WILL BE VOID IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT...And consequences if someone injured ....

all the best.mark

[knobby1]

The nearby useless french garage has found a hole in one of the pipes running across the power steering rack to I assume the left hand side of the rack, they shut up shop at 12 noon handed me the keys and told me to get on with it, I drove it back to the campsite without power steering and am now arguing with LV Britannica rescue as they may be trying to void my insurance for driving an unsafe vehicle despite the garage telling me to drive it down to the garage behind them this morning as it couldn’t fit on back of transporter, what the hell am I meant to do, camp in a garage? I had to drive it back.

Either way as explained, there is a hole in the steering rack hard line going to one of the ends of the rack, I asked if it could be braised in an emergency but nothing. They said part isn’t available separately so I think I’ll have to go on the lookout for a RHD steering rack here somewhere. Slim chance I know. What a great weekend so far.

If it is the high pressure line which has a hole in it, they can be repaired with a plumbers pressure fitting, just cut the offending section out and fit a pressure fitting, job done... I fitted one to a neighbors Transit years ago and it's still there today and running fine.

If it's the low pressure line, a small length of rubber fuel line and a couple of jubilee clips will sort it.

Lord Knobrot

[MinorMatt]

https://www.hydraulicmegastore.com/prod ... 10l-w3-ms/

Cut out where the hole is and fit one of these - or if you have to cut back further, a length of pipe and 2 of these?

[Radiofence]

What part of France are you in?