Hi all,

Just bought a 1999 SX60 with 65k on the clock, runs well but has a few minor faults which I'd like to ask about!

The first the previous owner tried to explain to me, but I didn't understand what she meant and thus I did the wrong thing on the drive home and knackered the starter, which has been replaced today by a Qwik Fit round the corner. I thought she meant the key sometimes gets stuck and won't turn to ignition, but what she ACTUALLY meant was it sometimes get stuck at the final, 'crank' phase of ignition and therefore blows the starter. Its easy to deal with now I know about it, just be sure to turn the key back, but has anyone else had this and solved it? I had the AA out when it wouldn't start and the guy said it looked like someone had tried to repair it before, "all different screws in there" I think he said.

Second, the blowers inside only run on the fastest speed, which I've read is just a resistor pack? Not that urgent - who needs blowers - but any info on price would be nice.

Lastly, when I picked the car up from Qwik fit I had a nice chat with some of the mechanics, and mainly from reading this website I actually knew what I was talking about a bit. They raised concern with the power steering, they said the pumps knackered (occasional whine on turning). I couldn't get the cap off the fluid reservoir earlier so I asked if they'd checked the level, and they hadn't, so we went and looked then and the fluid is black and horrible where I believe it should be reddish? So I believe them there. They told me if they were doing it a pump and system flush would be £250 or something crazy, but most of it being the cost of the pump. Can these pumps be sourced used and is that a good idea? How much are we talking, because they said £180 new I believe.
They both also told me it shouldn't be a problem immediately as long as I'm aware it could completely fail at any time and leave me with super heavy steering. I need to do a 180 mile mostly-motorway journey tomorrow, and once I'm there I know a local mechanic and I'll look in to finding a pump!

However, both the AA man and Qwik Fit said it looked and sounded pretty good otherwise, so hopefully I bought a strong engine at least!

Thanks for any help guys
- Blueberry

For the ignition switch isue, you might try removing the switch and cleaning it.

Failing that, get a "new" ignition switch and key, transfer your chip over. Or, get Timsons to cut a new key (for the "new" switch) and clone the chip out of your red key.

If you must have power steering, you should be able to find a serviceable pump at a scrappy. Failing that, you can remove the pump altogether and convert to non PAS simply by turning the top mounts through 180 degrees (changes the camber, makes the steering manageable without PAS).

Getting a garage to do jobs this simple may soon render ownership of a car that old financially untenable.

I don't really need power steering, I didn't know disabling it was an option. How is the steering if I do that then? I had a 1998 previously without PAS, how would it compare? I like that idea.

My usual mechanic is a family friend so I get stuff a little cheaper, and I'm going to ask him to look it over anyway once I get home... The Qwik Fit guys said replacing the PAS pump could be done in an hour, so I guess it wouldn't be too much time to just remove it and adjust as you said? May ask him to do it while he's got it.

Should be same as the 98 car. I shouls have written castor instead of camber. I've always found the non PAS plenty light enough.

the P60 i had years ago was non PAS, wouldn't say it was a heavy car at all. The feel on the move is so much better without too.

You actually need to replace the rack to a manual steering rack. This is what makes it lighter as the rack is a bit slower turn to turn. If you like the power steering rack ration you may be able to modify it to be a proper non power rack with some mods.

Yeh I never found my old car hard to steer, I didn't seek out PAS the car I bought just happened to have it! So I need to actually change the steering rack for this to work? Not just as simple as ripping out a pump and tightening some bolts?

When I went to check it out this morning it looked like it'd lost about 1/3rd of its coolant (which I filled and bled the day before), I could see it sitting on the body under the radiator :-( none of the hoses were wet, so I guess it is a hole in the rad somewhere. I had a bottle of K-Seal so I ran that through it, set off on a ~180m journey with several bottles of water in case, but it made it fine, temp gauge never went above 3/8ths. I didn't get back till it was dark so I'll go see if it's lost any more tomorrow!

My first real journey in it though, seemed great. Seemed to pull better than my old car despite being the same engine and almost fully loaded up with my stuff.

dumbledore said:

You actually need to replace the rack to a manual steering rack. This is what makes it lighter as the rack is a bit slower turn to turn. If you like the power steering rack ration you may be able to modify it to be a proper non power rack with some mods.

Click to expand...

This is a Mk1 -- are you sure the racks are different? Certainly all the manuals -- and Monroe's rather nice strut fitting instructions -- point out the strut top mounts need different orientation.

My own experience in changing a PAS Sei (which has a slightly faster rack) to non PAS indicates that using top mounts from a non PAS car (in this case a Cinq) does the job. No need to change the rack. (You can't reverse Cento top mounts -- a case of FIAT either getting the production engineering right or never dreaming that anyone would need PAS on a Cento. )

Mk2s are a different kettle of custard entirely.

fingers99 said:

This is a Mk1 -- are you sure the racks are different? Certainly all the manuals -- and Monroe's rather nice strut fitting instructions -- point out the strut top mounts need different orientation.

Click to expand...

According to Heynes they are different.
Manual rack uses lock to lock 4.4 turns.
Power rack used lock to lock 2.9 turns.
So power rack is better as gives faster steering but will need modding properly to feel like a manual but will be heavier. So best compromise is to actually go for the manual. Power steering will never give the steering feedback you get from a manual. I have the manual steering on my MK1 and this is one feature I will not regret. Best feedback, low maintenance, less engine bay clutter which is heaven for DIY ownership.

The steering discussion still confuses me... non-technical person here! It's fine right now, although I'd be hard pushed to tell the difference from my old car, just makes a horrible noise when you approach full lock.

However the coolant seems fine now, it lost a little bit (maybe 1cm below Max) but that's expected I guess (and may just be a drop post-bleeding). All hail K-seal!

Gonna contact my mechanic in the next few days and sort out getting it a little service

MagicalBlueberry said:

The steering discussion still confuses me... non-technical person here! It's fine right now, although I'd be hard pushed to tell the difference from my old car, just makes a horrible noise when you approach full lock.

Click to expand...

Yes, just another feature you don't get when you have manual steering. No unnecessary noises.

To the OP....

Regarding your power steering noise... I 99% guarantee that you don't need to change or remove the pump - just CHANGE THE FLUID!!!!!

When it becomes old and crappy you get exactly that grinding noise on full lock. Get it drained out, replaced, and then bleed the system by running it lock to lock a few times with the engine on.

Had this happen twice with Tipos and other folks get the same with Bravos etc.

You should be changing most fluids at that age of car as a matter of course... Brake / clutch fluid, gearbox oil, coolant. That kind of servicing always gets neglected.

I am going to get my mechanic to drain and refill everything, so I'll ask him to see if that helps the PAS too... I'm just looking for the easiest and cheapest solution!

Just had a minor disaster that I think is actually a big nothing. Small damp patch sort of under the rad bleed screw on the road, mostly coolant but there were some small oil traces (there is some oil on the body panels around there), checked coolant and doesn't seem to have gone down, checked oil and it was on min! I was facing down a hill, but still I ran out and got some oil... then I rolled it down to the flat bit at the bottom of the road, checked again and the oil was back to halfway like before. Topped it up to 3/4 and let it idle for a few minutes, checked again and seemed fine. Need to run a sibling to school in a little bit but once I get back I'm making a date with my mechanic!

I know I sound like a nervous idiot, but like I tell people, I write software so worst case I crash a computer... worst case with a car I cause a big boom! Scares me a little!

You can make a big boom with a 'pooter, too:

re-boot the universe?

Yes
No
Let me think about it