EPAS still no joy!

[bula]

Hi all please help! Right, am at my wits ends right about now, have replaced the epas ecu with a "working" used one off the bay. Still nothing Have jacked the front wheels up too, no creeping to one side, still no power steering and the warning light stays on. Taken the car up the road for a bit pulled main fuse, checked alternator charge, bridge fuse 4 is ok as is drivers footwell fuse box fuse 1. all I can think it is now is the motor faulty/stuck Am I right in thinking if there was a major problem it would shut down the system before it burnt out though? so maybe its the clutch in there seized and not disengaging. What sounds(if any) should I be hearing on turning the key, a click or two, maybe a whirr when the wheels turned a bit? Ere indoors is saying now that the front drives a mess and one of the two projects needs to go. Definitely not losing my TR and don't want to be beaten with this either as it was 1. kind of an anniversary pressie for her and 2. It was starting to grow on me. Could the testbook diagnostic thing find out? Advice sorely needed!

[talkingcars]

Previous thread - viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20448&p=159085#p159085

My 1.8i has a broken speedo cable which switches off the steering and lights the EPAS light.
Pulling the 70A fuse under the bonnet and refitting clears it for a little while.

I take it the steering isn't actually working.

James

[bula]

Sorry, should have added that. This is further to another post I made "steering woes' everything seems ok, that's the thing that's bugging me.Tried all the reset tips and tricks, nothing. Speedometer is working fine also. What a pita! Steering column out to bench test the motor now then.

[Rob Bell]

Hopefully Phil will be able to update the pscan to include EPAS ECU interrogation - that is the last ECU to be "sorted".

That there is a warning light suggests that the EPAS is getting power. That two units show no change in the status effectively excludes a fault here. So the question now is where...

Has the EPAS system ever worked on your car Bula?

How did it fail?

I suspect the most likely problem will be with a wiring fault - be that with the road or engine speed input, or from the steering column position sensors. This may be something simple like a dirty contact with one of the many multiplugs - so a quick and easy next step would be to unplug each one and clean with contact cleaner (purchased from your local electronics store)

[bula]

Hi Rob thanks for taking the time to post. That the rev counter and speedo both work though would suggest the sensors are working ok? Also with front wheels raised and engine on, the steering is still central so the column position sensors aren't fighting one way or another to compensate an imbalance. Will bend my (not inconsiderable frame) into the footwell later to disconnect and clean all the various multi plugs associated with the column. Power assistance is simply not there but bought the car knowing this having read all the reset posts and thinking it would be something within my capabilities. Am very used to the "whims and strops" of older cars being the proud (if that's that the right word!?) owner of an 80 tr7 which I've converted myself to V8 spec janspeed turbo. Lucas wiring+Leyland build quality! don't ask lol. Will update later on how I get on.

[cavaddict]

Don't know where you're located Bula, but if you have no joy with this, I have a spare column & ecu here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rob Bell]

Hi Rob thanks for taking the time to post. That the rev counter and speedo both work though would suggest the sensors are working ok? Also with front wheels raised and engine on, the steering is still central so the column position sensors aren't fighting one way or another to compensate an imbalance. Will bend my (not inconsiderable frame) into the footwell later to disconnect and clean all the various multi plugs associated with the column. Power assistance is simply not there but bought the car knowing this having read all the reset posts and thinking it would be something within my capabilities. Am very used to the "whims and strops" of older cars being the proud (if that's that the right word!?) owner of an 80 tr7 which I've converted myself to V8 spec janspeed turbo. Lucas wiring+Leyland build quality! don't ask lol. Will update later on how I get on.

The fact that the gauges work tells us that those outputs are there, but not necessarily that the EPAS ECU is seeing them. Cleaning up the connectors is probably the cheapest and easiest next step, and hopefully a "win".

Jeepers - a turbo V8? Now that has to be something special in a TR7! FHC or DHC?

[bula]

DHC have had to strengthen the already strengthened shell to cope with the torque, its fun when the boost comes in I digress back to the task in hand, stripped the dash and steering components to get at all the multiplugs yesterday, a liberal spray of electrical contact cleaner on all surfaces, refit connect battery, pull and replace big fuse, quick trip up the road annnnnd .... still the same. Have had an offer from cavaddict (cheers bud) for a replacement full unit but its from a tf. Am I right in thinking this may be a pita to retrofit to an f as mines a my2000. Does anyone know what the differences are between the various part numbers of the ecu's? What production number they changed over to the different generations?

[Rob Bell]

Check the Rimmerbros or one of the on line electronic catalogues - www.rimmerbros.co.uk, www.mgfcar.de/epc - but from memory the TF will share the same part numbers for the steering column and ECU as the MY2000 MGF

[talkingcars]

What a kind offer - I think the change was from mk1 to m2 F, if you have rake adjustment you should be ok.

[bula]

It does have the rake adjustment, though why anyone would want the steering wheel in their laps is beyond me?!?!?! ha ha

[Rob Bell]

It does have the rake adjustment, though why anyone would want the steering wheel in their laps is beyond me?!?!?! ha ha

Agreed! Unfortunately, the column is bolted to the cross-beam between the A-posts, so to be able to raise the column significantly would have meant altering the position of this beam. Could have been done, but inevitably, would have cost more money. It would have been fine too if it weren't for the fact that they (Rover) had to raise the seats to add additional torsional stiffening. Hey ho.

[pscan.eu]

We will get the EPAS ECU done, I promise.

[Rob Bell]

Thanks