v7 sti steering issue

[Subru]

My V7 has something wrong with the steering, when I corner tight at low speeds the wheels seem to pull left and right and can feel it through the steering which feels weird.

Any suggestions? Will take a look on Saturday.

[Batbaruman]

when was last wheel alignment?

[That Guy]

Any odd noises during this? P/S fluid full and clean? No major leaks? P/S pump belt tight and not slipping? 

 

I am now out of ideas....

[Subru]

Just now, Batbaruman said:

when was last wheel alignment?

With last set of tyres im pretty sure but idk when that was. I saw the alignment sheet in the boot yesterday but didn't read the date. will try and find that tommorow.

1 minute ago, That Guy said:

Any odd noises during this? P/S fluid full and clean? No major leaks? P/S pump belt tight and not slipping? 

 

I am now out of ideas....

no noise, had a quick look at PS fluid few days ago but might need changing. No leaks that im aware of (looking Saturday)

[THUNDA]

29 minutes ago, Subru said:

My V7 has something wrong with the steering, when I corner tight at low speeds the wheels seem to pull left and right and can feel it through the steering which feels weird.

Any suggestions? Will take a look on Saturday.

 

Do v7s have that "active steering" S***? does it feel like steering feedback but like x 100 ? 

[Subru]

Just now, THUNDA said:

 

Do v7s have that "active steering" S***? does it feel like steering feedback but like x 100 ? 

uhh... possibly. ill have to experiment with it more tomorrow.

[boon]

Nah no active steering on them.

 

Has it been lowered at all?

 

If I were to bet my shiny diagnostic penny again, over the internet, I would say it's got flogged out wheel bearings. Mine did all sorts of weird S*** when that happened.

 

Alternative possibility is that it has some pretty aggressive tyres on it which tramline (follow contours in the road) furiously. Again, happened to me with RE070s.

 

Final possibility, it's just how a V7 STI feels.

 

If you get stuck I'm happy to take it for a quick drive and tell you if it's normal... been a bloody long time since I drove a stock one though

 

EDIT: Other possibilities is a slipping power steering belt and low/F***ed PS fluid, wouldn't make it pull side to side but makes the steering feel really weird as one moment it's power assisted and the next it's not.

[Guest]

F***ed centre can cause similar steering feel. Id start with an alignment check.

[Subru]

1 hour ago, boon said:

Nah no active steering on them.

 

Has it been lowered at all?

 

If I were to bet my shiny diagnostic penny again, over the internet, I would say it's got flogged out wheel bearings. Mine did all sorts of weird S*** when that happened.

 

Alternative possibility is that it has some pretty aggressive tyres on it which tramline (follow contours in the road) furiously. Again, happened to me with RE070s.

 

Final possibility, it's just how a V7 STI feels.

 

If you get stuck I'm happy to take it for a quick drive and tell you if it's normal... been a bloody long time since I drove a stock one though

 

EDIT: Other possibilities is a slipping power steering belt and low/F***ed PS fluid, wouldn't make it pull side to side but makes the steering feel really weird as one moment it's power assisted and the next it's not.

Thanks for the info. Im getting it checked out tomorrow, it sometime also happens when going round a roundabout doing 30-40 and the steering tries to pull left and right just slightly. If I come up with nothing, you could take it for a spin, u live in Wellington?

on another note, my tyres are Goodyear Eagle f1's I heard they are good but how good are they?

 

1 hour ago, evowrx said:

F***ed centre can cause similar steering feel. Id start with an alignment check.

Will prob take a look at that if I come up with nothing (taking it to get looked at tomorrow)

Edited May 21, 2017 by Subru

[boon]

18 minutes ago, Subru said:

Thanks for the info. Im getting it checked out tomorrow, it sometime also happens when going round a roundabout doing 30-40 and the steering tries to pull left and right just slightly. If I come up with nothing, you could take it for a spin, u live in Wellington?

on another note, my tyres are Goodyear Eagle f1's I heard they are good but how good are they?

 

Will prob take a look at that if I come up with nothing (taking it to get looked at tomorrow)

 

Yep I'm up in Karori if you get stuck.

 

To be honest it could well just be the tyres. If they have really stiff sidewalls they will follow shitty little contours in the road and make the steering feel twitchy as.

If it IS this though, it will do it while slowing down on a perfectly straight piece of road, if the road surface is wobbly enough.

[Subru]

1 hour ago, boon said:

 

Yep I'm up in Karori if you get stuck.

 

To be honest it could well just be the tyres. If they have really stiff sidewalls they will follow shitty little contours in the road and make the steering feel twitchy as.

If it IS this though, it will do it while slowing down on a perfectly straight piece of road, if the road surface is wobbly enough.

Okay sweet.

While cleaning the engine bay, I also looked at coolant (in the milk bottle by battery) and that was near the low line and there was a black tube that goes down to the coolant and it was barely in it (engine was 90% cold if that matters), I also took radiator cap off and was brownish liquid on the cap and the level of coolant was well below the top by 20mm ish (isnt it supposed to be right at the cap?).

How should I be topping these up (if I need to)

lol im really new at all this coolant stuff, never had to deal with it  

 

Might be able to get pics if you want em.

Edited May 21, 2017 by Subru

[IZichard]

27 minutes ago, Subru said:

Okay sweet.

While cleaning the engine bay, I also looked at coolant (in the milk bottle by battery) and that was near the low line and there was a black tube that goes down to the coolant and it was barely in it (engine was 90% cold if that matters), I also took radiator cap off and was brownish liquid on the cap and the level of coolant was well below the top by 20mm ish (isnt it supposed to be right at the cap?).

How should I be topping these up (if I need to)

lol im really new at all this coolant stuff, never had to deal with it  

 

Might be able to get pics if you want em.

If the coolant is brown then you should really drain it and flush the block/radiator and replace it with fresh stuff. How long has it been since it was last changed?

 

Fairly sure the level isn't supposed to be at the top of the coolant reservoir. All of the Subies I have owned have had the level as you described, if you try and put more in it will usually just push it out into the overflow when it gets up to temperature. The overflow however should be between the low and the high marks on the bottle. The level you described means that air has likely sucked into the system and it will need to be bled.

 

 

[Subru]

Just now, IZichard said:

If the coolant is brown then you should really drain it and flush the block/radiator and replace it with fresh stuff. How long has it been since it was last changed?

 

Fairly sure the level isn't supposed to be at the top of the coolant reservoir. All of the Subies I have owned have had the level as you described, if you try and put more in it will usually just push it out into the overflow when it gets up to temperature. The overflow however should be between the low and the high marks on the bottle. The level you described means that air has likely sucked into the system and it will need to be bled.

 

 

okay, the previous owner did get it flushed sometime during his ownership after the radiator hose came off and it does have receipt so I might take a look when im next in it. (still cleaning the damn engine bay of all the burned coolant )

I might have to watch some videos and figure out how to do all of that. I wont be able to do it until Saturday next week so shall I just put a little bit of distilled water in the milk bottle coolant just to make it not so low or will it be okay to leave until Saturday?

Alternatively, should I get a shop to do it?

 

[IZichard]

7 minutes ago, Subru said:

okay, the previous owner did get it flushed sometime during his ownership after the radiator hose came off and it does have receipt so I might take a look when im next in it. (still cleaning the damn engine bay of all the burned coolant )

I might have to watch some videos and figure out how to do all of that. I wont be able to do it until Saturday next week so shall I just put a little bit of distilled water in the milk bottle coolant just to make it not so low or will it be okay to leave until Saturday?

Alternatively, should I get a shop to do it?

 

Depending on how good the water supply is in your area you could put tap water in it. Distilled is definitely the "correct" choice though. There is nothing too challenging about replacing coolant so you could do it yourself. You just have to be patient and ensure you have bled all of the air from the system. It can be a bit tricky on subarus and you may have to jack the front of the car up a bit to do it. Watch some videos and you'll be able to decide for yourself if you want a shop to do it or not.

 

Edit: If the coolant isn't that old and is still a nice bright green you shouldn't need to replace it. Just top it up and make sure the system is bled.

[newsuba]

does the car have a front lsd ?

that can cause front end funnies at ow speed and full lock.

 

 

 

 

[Subru]

Just now, newsuba said:

does the car have a front lsd ?

that can cause front end funnies at ow speed and full lock.

 

 

 

 

not sure