Power steering -how big a job to fit to MG Maestro 1600?

[John C]

It's a rally car and proved to be pretty heavy on the steering around hairpins etc.

Is it practical to retrofit PAS onto the MG Maestro 1600 (R-series)? I believe that the rack already in the car is a PAS one (3.5 turns lock to lock) from a different model, BTW.

[Guest]

It was an option on the S series, so I suppose if you can find the parts it could be adapted.

mind you a modern euro box electric set up is more likely to be the easiest option.

[normanmg2000]

power steering

Hi John,i am in the process of fitting it to my S series mg 1600,Mal is right I got it off a 86 mayfair [s] series, there is not much room because of the weber carbs. I must admit [mal may be able to tell you different] but ive never seen it on a mg 1600 r series, I would like to do it also.

[Russ]

MGF electric power column with a maestro manual rack maybe an easier option. The MGF seems to use quite a few maestro bits and the splines between the rack and column may even be the same

[peter blaylock]

Hi just a thought but if the rack in the car is a power steering one with out assistance then it will be quite a lot heavier than a manual one anyway

Peter

[normanmg2000]

power steering

Russ, do you know anyone whos done it,or just an educated guess?

[Russ]

Russ, do you know anyone whos done it,or just an educated guess?

Just an (un) educated guess really. But would have thought if any power column is going to fit a maestro the F would be the place to start.

[John C]

Hi just a thought but if the rack in the car is a power steering one with out assistance then it will be quite a lot heavier than a manual one anyway

Peter

You may well be right there.

This is what the car's vendor said when I bought it:
Power assisted steering rack fitted, without power assistance. Still light to drive, but sharpens up the handling.

The gen on this thread:
http://www.maestro.org.uk/forums/sho...t=19830&page=2
would indicate that:
MG Maestro 1600 rack (non PAS): Approx 4.25 turns lock to lock
MG Maestro 2.0 EFI rack (PAS): 3.5 turns lock to lock

I have the latter and this might be why it is heavier i.e. because it is a higher geared rack that expects power assistance.

[threelitre]

For the R-series no power steering was ever awailable, so fitting a standard hydraulic one might prove difficult (i.e. finding pulleys to match). I would also get rid of the PAS rack if it is not fitted to a pump, as there will be a little added slack at higher steering forces (needed by the mechanism that operates the power delivery and usually completly masked by the hydraulics). There are companies that fit electric power steering to basically every car, which would be the way to go for me, as they will adapt the assistance to the particular car.

As an alternative you need to look at the setup of the first generation of the new Mini (R50): The had a hydraulic rack, but an electric pump feeding the rack. That way you may be able to keep the quicker and nicely weighted PAS-rack and get it to work properly.

Regards,

Alexander

[E_T_V]

Yes the PAS rack has less turns lock to lock than a manual rack.

[Russ]

There was a maestro challenge rack that was basically a pwer pinion in a manual rack

[Simon]

...and I'm sure earlier racks were even higher geared, 2.9 turns lock to lock springs to mind. They changed the gearing to make the steering less twitchy which was a complaint on earlier cars with PAS. They did this in 1986 I believe. The first PAS rack I fitted was from a 1985 C reg 1.6 Auto and this had a really high geared rack. My replacement (which I had reconditioned) was definitely lower geared and the steering response was definitely smoother as a result.

R series PAS will be difficult especially fabricating the necessary bracket for the pump and as has been said, getting the pulleys to fit and finding a suitable belt, hoses and cooler design.

The S series requires:
The rack which needs the plate for the VW transmission gearchange bracket (missing/not needed on 2 litre/diesel cars) and the 4 mounting bolts.
You need the gearchange relay bracket that bolts onto the rack too, because that is unique to the PAS S series car.
Different O/S engine mount which the pump mounts onto
The PAS Belt
PAS Pulley and stiffener, plus the 3 mounting bolts
Different intermediate shaft with stronger Universal joints
Different plastic sealing plate for the drivers floor (some mods to the soundproofing under the pedals will be needed too)
I'd fit new track rod ends
Different cam belt cover to accommodate the PAS belt/pulley
The PAS pump itself and its mounting bolts, nuts and washers.
The flexible hoses
The cooler pipework (trombone arm shape) and a bolt to fit that to the front of the sump.
Good luck getting the rack out of/back into the car with the engine installed - it's a horrible job and the exhaust has to be undone at the manifold/front pipe joint, so a new gasket would be an good move here, too. I've done 3 S-Series PAS conversions now, but never on an MG and I can fully understand that the carbs and the carb cooling fan/ducts could well get in the way of the PAS pump/reservoir. Oh yes and one more nugget of information, whoever designed the PAS system on the S Series forgot access to the oil filter, which is a nightmare to remove with all the PAS bits on. Last time I changed my filter I had great scratches and gouges all across my left wrist. People were looking at me in a strange way for days afterwards!

[Mike Brock]

I highly recommend you simply install a electric power steering pump - namely the Citroen Saxo 106 type. Very easy to plum in to maestro Pas rack. The wiring needs a simple rely with 30A fuse with switching from ignition source. I know this as its a well known conversion which I'm doing myself.

[Guest]

Hi just a thought but if the rack in the car is a power steering one with out assistance then it will be quite a lot heavier than a manual one anyway

Peter

A non powered PAS rack is impossibly heavy.

The steering on a manual rack is nicely balanced and TBH if my T16 maestro had a PAS rack I'd go manual.

[normanmg2000]

steering rack

Simon ,I know its all about timing,but it would have been excellent for me when doing mine, to have read your account of events youre right it is a horrible job, I also had to swap a s series sump as the manual version[non p/steering] didn't have the bracket to fit the clamp for the cooler pipes on the sump . On the mg 1600 s series there is only 25mm spare from the end of the weber carb body [before it hits the steering pump filler pipe] , to the space for the air-filter,so the factory unit [ air filter housing] has no chance of fitting,and at the moment cannot find an after-market one to do the job, suggestions more than welcome.