little diagnostic quiz...(non explorer)

[tweety]

Here's one for all you "mechanics"

OK little over a month ago bad snowstorm, bad roads and wife's minivan ('97 grand voyager)ends up with front passenger tire off road in a ditch (almost as if by divine intervention the way she tells it.) Anyway, gets towed out and she drives it home. Power steering suddenly not working and was fine pre-mishap.

Ideas as to what happened or what specifically to check?



( I have the answer will reveal it in 2 days after those interested have had time to speculate.) Winner gets...well, um nothing really...maybe just imaginary bragging rights among your peers here.

 

[JDraper]

Crushed a return line?

 

[corkey]

bent the steering ram inside the rack, from the inner tie rod in,,

 

[blazin8556]

thats kinda tough because no one is there looking at it , but you. it could be anything. rack issue, something bent or broken. id would even venture to say that the motormount gave and the power steering pump is laying on the side of the inner fender not allowing it to move. but thats highly unlikely. popped the belt. broke a ball joint. and what the guys above said. anything.

 

[tweety]

thats kinda tough because no one is there looking at it , but you. it could be anything. rack issue, something bent or broken. id would even venture to say that the motormount gave and the power steering pump is laying on the side of the inner fender not allowing it to move. but thats highly unlikely. popped the belt. broke a ball joint. and what the guys above said. anything.

fair enough:

you crawl under and all lines look good and no leaks anywhere....ball joints, tie rods, and rack appear untouched, also belt rotates as it should...and after removing tension you determine ps pump pulley rotates freely

hmmm,...so what to check next guys?

 

[BubbaFL]

Well, since it's a Chrysler product, I'd guess that the hamster in the wheel that powers the accessory belt konked his head good when your van went in the ditch.. Give him two excedrin and things will go back to normal.

 

[mojoe]

Explorers have a ps cooler underneath that I damaged in a snowbank incident.

 

[Carguy3J]

Well, since it's a Chrysler product, I'd guess that the hamster in the wheel that powers the accessory belt konked his head good when your van went in the ditch.. Give him two excedrin and things will go back to normal.

:bsnicker::bsnicker::bsnicker::bsnicker:

 

[desertsky]

Have you checked the fluid level lately???

 

[tweety]

this was new to me...

but apparently not that uncommon once I did some research...

(not my pump..but identical to my situation)

Shaft broke inside the pump and continued to spin but the impeller did not and thus no power steering.

Thanks for playing.