Forum thanks and EPS motor removal - UPDATE

[ZeddyTea]

Afternoon all,

I had the EPS lights of doom on the dashboard, lost all power steering and had no sport mode… after a few hours of cursed words I joined the forum.

Within a few minutes I had read loads of threads by enuff_zed (Martin). I contacted Martin and he sent me the most detailed explanation for just removing the EPS motor rather than the whole column.

I tackled it this morning and thanks to Martins advice I had the part out within a few hours! Not as quick as Martin would have done it but it would have been impossible without his advice and guidance. So I just wanted to say thanks to the forum and to enuff_zed. I owe you some beers when you’re nearby to Surrey.

I’m happy to help anyone in a similar situation now I know what to look for… non of it is massively obvious on the first attempt and I’m no expert but if anyone around Surrey/Hampshire/Berkshire is worried about doing the job then my price is a cuppa and some biscuits!

Great forum, I love it already and makes me like the zed even more! Thanks again enuff_zed!

Tom

 

[Usel]

Well deserved praise for Martin

It's even better when he comes round and does it for you

 

[enuff_zed]

Thank you chaps.
What is even better is the offer to help others.
Not everyone is confident with spanners but if those that are will then offer their new skills to other members it can only strengthen the forum.

 

[Special Kay]

Thank you chaps.
What is even better is the offer to help others.
Not everyone is confident with spanners but if those that are will then offer their new skills to other members it can only strengthen the forum.

Kudos to you mate, spoken like a true gent . That's a wonderful service your offering to all forum members

 

[ZeddyTea]

After getting the EPS motor back from ECU Testing yesterday, I managed to get it in the car this morning…. Bloody fiddly job and not one I want to do again in a hurry (saying that if anyone needs support and is nearby let me know). However, Im glad to say the only light on the dash is now the fuel light… the steering feels better than ever now so the motor has probably had an issue for a while… or I’ve just been lucky when putting it back together and somehow made it better!

Thanks again to Enuff_zed for the support and assistance!

 

[enuff_zed]

Great news.
Well done for sorting it yourself.
Think of the close to £3k still in your pocket.

 

[Neil CR]

all round

 

[ZeddyTea]

Evening all, I’m back in the world of EPS hurt… although I am now very proficient at getting the EPS motor out (22 minutes with the seats and steering wheel in place).

So the EPS has been fixed by EPC testing. If I connect it up to all the wiring but don’t fit it back into place, everything works (the sport button, it can be read by the OBD reader, no light on dash etc).

As soon as I fit it to the column and connect it all back up, the steering light is on, no sport button, not connecting to OBD reader and no power steering.

I’m lost now… I feel like it must be something to do with the worm gear and the column.

The worm gear (the big screw/thread thing) rotates continuously when it is out of the column… which EPC Testing say is correct. But as soon as it’s in the column something happens and it throws up a fault, stopping the system from working….

Does anyone have any clues? I’m completely stuck and it might have to go to an auto electrician

 

[ZeddyTea]

To close this topic down, after fitting my old EPS motor about 20 times and paying an auto electrician to spend 2 hours to find nothing wrong, it was decided that the EPS motor was still faulty (despite ECU testing saying it was fixed).

It went back to ECU testing and it was confirmed that the unit was beyond repair so they refunded the repair cost to me.

Then, along comes enuff_zed to help again. He sold me one of his spare EPS motors and it arrived today. I slotted it in this evening and I now have power steering again…. Result!

Another massive thanks to Martin for his continued help. This process would have been a bit lonesome without the support from Martin.

If anyone needs the job doing and is worried about it, being upside down under the steering wheel is like a second home now… so I don’t mind doing it for someone in need!

I’m now off to buy every spare EPS motor I can find so I can hold a monopoly on them for the future

 

[enuff_zed]

Glad you got it fixed.
Great to hear you're prepared to share your hard-won expertise too.

 

[Pabby1980]

Glad you got it fixed.
Great to hear you're prepared to share your hard-won expertise too.

Martin, upon replacing my steering column wheel etc, I have a rattle which seems to be coming from inside the steering wheel (although it's impossible to tell exactly where its coming from). To me it sounds like it's coming from inside the airbag.

This only happens over cobbles and bumps and also only when the steering wheel is straight. Turn it even 15 degrees or so in either direction and the rattle doesn't happen on cobbles at all.

Absolutely bewildering.

My thought is to remove the airbag again and drive the car without it to see if that's the culprit. Is this a wise choice or will it mess with my warning lights etc?

Secondly, do you know the correct torque settings for the 4 main bolts that hold the steering column in. I'm not great at explaining but I'm sure you know the ones i mean. Right now mine are just "tight"

Happy to chuck you a few quid or donate to the forum as a thank you for any advice.

Well done OP by the way. Having done this myself I know its a bugger, but very satisfying to save the extortionate prices from BMW and even indy garages for the work. Good job mate

Cheers. Paul.

 

[enuff_zed]

[ref]Pabby1980[/ref], did you replace the whole column? If so there are any number of places it could be coming from. Maybe a plug not secured properly, or a bolt just loose enough to let a washer rattle.
Turning the wheel is obviously taking up the slack in something, but again, hard to tell what.
There is a bearing in the top of the column, but that would be noticeable if it was worn I think as you'd be able to wobble the wheel from side to side.
You could disconnect the airbag and try it. You may well get an airbag light, but a decent diagnostic gadget should clear that.
Try removing the cowls too and see if there is anything loose around them. You may be able to pinpoint the noise more easily that way too.
As I'm sure you are aware, there are actually 8 bolts securing the column. I admit to being a bit gung-ho with torque settings, after many years of spannering, I just do it by feel.
Just checked NewTIS and it says 21Nm.

Oh and advice is free, so don't worry.
What you learn will, I'm sure, make it's way back onto the forum to help the next person.

 

[Pabby1980]

[ref]Pabby1980[/ref], did you replace the whole column? If so there are any number of places it could be coming from. Maybe a plug not secured properly, or a bolt just loose enough to let a washer rattle.
Turning the wheel is obviously taking up the slack in something, but again, hard to tell what.
There is a bearing in the top of the column, but that would be noticeable if it was worn I think as you'd be able to wobble the wheel from side to side.
You could disconnect the airbag and try it. You may well get an airbag light, but a decent diagnostic gadget should clear that.
Try removing the cowls too and see if there is anything loose around them. You may be able to pinpoint the noise more easily that way too.
As I'm sure you are aware, there are actually 8 bolts securing the column. I admit to being a bit gung-ho with torque settings, after many years of spannering, I just do it by feel.
Just checked NewTIS and it says 21Nm.

Oh and advice is free, so don't worry.
What you learn will, I'm sure, make it's way back onto the forum to help the next person.

Hi Martin,

No, I just removed the EPS motor and sent it off to be refurbished. Alsolute bugger of a job for me with big hands and limited patience but I got there in the end.

This was last year (maybe even the year before... How time flies when you're getting old) so you're almost certainly right... but there were 4 bolts I was "worrying" about they went through a frame that attached the steering column towards the wheel. I think they were just behind the part you can see in the image attached but again my memory is foggy as this was a while ago.

Sorry for the rubbish explanation!

I'll get back in the footwell and torque all the main bolts I can see to 21nm. Thanks for that.

I've got the MOT on Thursday and after just replacing the starter motor myself (with swear words and bloody knuckles) I'll get it through that first then start troubleshooting the rattle. Fingers crossed for a pass

Much appreciated and I'll keep everyone in the loop if I find out what the pesky rattle is coming from.

Thanks.

Paul.