Technical Can you plug the PAS ECU into a different PAS unit?

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Technical Can you plug the PAS ECU into a different PAS unit?

JayC

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As above. I need to change the steering column, not because the EPAS has packed in, but because the knuckle at the bottom of the column has a load of play in it.

Could I theoretically unplug the ECU from my existing setup and plug it into the replacement, without then having to worry about it not being the right code for the car?? As I seem to be understanding it, you need a PAS unit with the same code as the one you've got on your current one if you plan to swap them out??
 
Why not just swap the lower shaft over? From memory I think it can be supplied seperately. Bear in mind there's 3 different lower shafts, one (multi-spline) where the bolt is 'captive' and has a nut, one (multi-spline) with just a bolt, and the later unit's had a master-spline with a bolt.

The earliest shaft superseeds to the next version, but you have to use the correct (later) bolt as the earlier bolt bottom's-out before the UJ is tight.

I've never seen a lower UJ wear on one of these yet. You sure it's not just the pinch-bolt is loose?
 
Interesting. Can you advise me a bit further? How do I find out which part it is? The car is a 2000 on a W plate if that helps.

What's the correct name for the part? The guy in the garage did say the column wanted doing but he did also say that the only problem with the column was the knuckle on the bottom....
 
Interesting. Can you advise me a bit further? How do I find out which part it is? The car is a 2000 on a W plate if that helps.

Should be the earliest type (should have a hexagonal 'cage' around the bolt-head where the UJ meets the rack). If you were buying new from a Dealer you'd have to have the superseeded version.

What's the correct name for the part? The guy in the garage did say the column wanted doing but he did also say that the only problem with the column was the knuckle on the bottom....

Lower shaft (would have to remove the complete unit anyway though to change the part).

I'd check the lower UJ myself. Turn the steering so you can see the gap in the UJ where the bolt goes through with the rack splines visible behind, then gently rock the steering. If the UJ is just loose, you'll see the rack splines stay still while the UJ moves slightly. If that's the case, just nip-up the 13mm bolt/nut. ;)
 
Hi, you can, but its not always the ecu that goes wrong, its sometimes the torque sensors in the actual shaft.
 
Hi, you can, but its not always the ecu that goes wrong, its sometimes the torque sensors in the actual shaft.

Hi there,

that's fine then as the PAS itself is fine. It's the knuckle on the shaft that's kackered.

Danny, I will check it but I think the guy said he had looked to see if that was all it was.

I can't see that I am going to get a shaft on its own by tomorrow morning as there's none on ebay, just whole units. But perhaps I can buy a whole unit, change the bits over and resell the pas unit minus the shaft and get some of the money back.

I just don't want to buy the wrong knuckle part on the bottom. If I change the steering rack (doesn't matter if I get a rack from a PAS or none PAS car does it?) will the rack I get only fit a certain type of bolt on the end of the steering column??
 
EDIT- just checked, Elearn shows the lower (intermediate) shaft is able to be replaced seperately, and with the complete column assembly in-situ (just have to remove the ECU to access the top fixing)

shaft.jpg
 
I just don't want to buy the wrong knuckle part on the bottom. If I change the steering rack (doesn't matter if I get a rack from a PAS or none PAS car does it?) will the rack I get only fit a certain type of bolt on the end of the steering column??

You won't get the knuckle/UJ on it's own.

All UK cars had PAS as far as I know, and with the Racks- again you'd need to make sure it's the right rack for your lower knuckle/UJ (a multi-splined shaft won't fit a master-splined rack).
 
You won't get the knuckle/UJ on it's own.

All UK cars had PAS as far as I know, and with the Racks- again you'd need to make sure it's the right rack for your lower knuckle/UJ (a multi-splined shaft won't fit a master-splined rack).

Just been out and had a good look. It appears to me to be the pin that the UJ is clamped onto that is moving around.

And my column does look like the one in the above pic. Is it possible that the pin on the rack is knackered and the column/UJ are actually fine?

And would this rack fit it http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Punto-MK2-200...s_SM?hash=item5186e44a2b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...ayISAPI.dll%3FVISuperSize&item%3D350155459115

I'm not sure how to identify racks really.
 
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Just been out and had a good look. It appears to me to be the pin that the UJ is clamped onto that is moving around.

A pic would help. Not sure what you mean by "the pin"?




A 2003 rack should be the latest rack with the master-spline (not suitable). Anything before should be ok, though without checking the pinion shaft splines it's hard to tell. Why are you changing the rack if there's play at the column/intermediate shaft? If the splines on the rack were worn enough for excessive movement you'd have a serious problem!
 
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A pic would help. Not sure what you mean by "the pin"?





A 2003 rack should be the latest rack with the master-spline (not suitable). Anything before should be ok, though without checking the pinion shaft splines it's hard to tell. Why are you changing the rack if there's play at the column/intermediate shaft? If the splines on the rack were worn enough for excessive movement you'd have a serious problem!

When I say pin I mean the part that sticks up through the hole from the rack, and the bottom of the UJ is clamped onto it, if that makes sense?

I'm changing the rack as the rack is making a knocking noise (which is definitely coming from the rack) when turned at low speed so I am changing the rack to fix that issue, and was going to change the shaft to fix play in the steering.

Pic of the bottom of the shaft:
 

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The "pin" that comes-up through the floor is the rack. If it's moving around excessively (ie, not just rotating with the column) then it sounds like it's knackered, though I've never seen that before.

ps. the bolt/nut is fitted wrong. The bolt should be captive and the nut goes the other side. Just a minor thing.
 
The "pin" that comes-up through the floor is the rack. If it's moving around excessively (ie, not just rotating with the column) then it sounds like it's knackered, though I've never seen that before.

ps. the bolt/nut is fitted wrong. The bolt should be captive and the nut goes the other side. Just a minor thing.

When you say it should be captive, I'm not quite sure what you mean?

Seeing as I was going to replace the rack anyway, I am going to do that on its own initially and take it from there I think. It does appear that it is the part on the rack that is moving.

Having now seen that pic, do you know if the rack on ebay would fit?

I really appreciate your help with this mate. :)
 
bolt.jpg

Bolt should go in the direction of the arrow and the head be held captive in the cage.

You definitely have the earliest-type shaft so the Ebay rack is unlikely to fit.
 
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Bolt should go in the direction of the arrow and the head be held captive in the cage.

You definitely have the earliest-type shaft so the Ebay rack is unlikely to fit.

Really? Urgh.... Don't think there's any others as close and I thought the pin on the ebay rack looked the same as the one in our car... :(
 
Really? Urgh.... Don't think there's any others as close and I thought the pin on the ebay rack looked the same as the one in our car... :(

Re-reading the Ebay ad, it's quite vague with the "2000-2003" title, plus it clearly states-"note the photo is for illustration only, actual item may differ" so the pic may not be right anyway.

I'd phone them and ask if what they have in stock has a multi-splined pinion shaft to match your early column. Get a pic from them if they aren't sure.
 
Re-reading the Ebay ad, it's quite vague with the "2000-2003" title, plus it clearly states-"note the photo is for illustration only, actual item may differ" so the pic may not be right anyway.

I'd phone them and ask if what they have in stock has a multi-splined pinion shaft to match your early column. Get a pic from them if they aren't sure.

Ok will do. How do the different racks differ lookswise? Does the pin part look different?
 
Ok will do. How do the different racks differ lookswise? Does the pin part look different?

Ours only looks to have the 1 pin on it, not multiple pins. I'm really sorry if I'm being retarded here, I just don't quite get it.
 
No probs.

This is a splined shaft, with the splines arrowed-

steering-spline.jpg

You're looking for the splines on your pinion shaft ("pin")

spline.jpg

Yours should all be the same size width. On a later rack, one spline (opposite the bolt) will be noticeably thicker (a master-spline)
 
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