power steering idea

[cb7wagonPL]

i had this idea to modify the power steering ever since cpmike has mentioned it. i was thinking of replacing the belt driven hydraulic power steering pump that moves the power steering fluid through the system with a electric hydraulic pump. i understand that i would need something more heavy duty that could withstand the engine bay temps. i know that it wouldn't fully bring back the power steering but it would be an improvement over no power steering at all while not drawing any power from the engine. what do you guys think of this idea? any input is appreciated. im planning on doing this in the summer.

[cp[mike]]

thats been my exact plan. i have all the lines set up and i know which pump im going to get, just havent gotten around to buying one yet

[cb7wagonPL]

haha i have been scratching my head ever since you mentioned it. care to reveal any info on that pump. now i just need to find a good spot for the pump. i was thinking on the firewall behind the intake manifold.

[Otto]

...but it would be an improvement over no power steering at all while not drawing any power from the engine...

And may I ask where this electric pump will get its power from? (hint hint)
Me thinks it won't be as efficient, since it'll be going from mechanical (engine) to electrical (alternator) to hydraulic pressure (electric pump), instead of mechanical (engine) straight to hydraulic pressure (PS pump). That extra step will be not be 100% efficient. You'll loose some power in the form of heat.
I don't think it'll be a huge difference, just food for thought. Maybe do a before and after dyno run.
I could the benefits of having the PS pump on a switch, just shut it down when you want that last bit of engine power.

[Otto]

Oh, and +1 for creativity/ingenuity

[4thgenaccord]

I always laughed at people that think one little belt is taking away that much power from your motor. PS pump does not mater all that much. Your A/C draws more then the PS.

[deevergote]

I always laughed at people that think AC causes a loss of power when its off.

AC presents almost 0 parasitic drag when it's off. Power Steering is constant. Believe it or not, I noticed a difference in acceleration with the belt off.

[cb7wagonPL]

otto - thanx for the input. i plan to run the power from the battery and install a fuse. an on/off switch is a great idea. honestly im not expecting anywhere near 100% efficency because i know its pretty much impossible with a set up like this. i just want something that will aide in parallel parking for example. i did some research about how electric power steering works and its a completly different concept that uses a small motor that does the job and is regulated by speed and torque. im simply trying to change what will power the powersteering.

like deev said there is some difference with no ps. it is not as noticeable at a cruising speed but from a dead stop there is a little extra there. and if you try turning the ac compressor when its off it will spin freely with 0 resistance therefore removing it is pointless for powergains.

[4thgenaccord]

otto - thanx for the input. i plan to run the power from the battery and install a fuse. an on/off switch is a great idea. honestly im not expecting anywhere near 100% efficency because i know its pretty much impossible with a set up like this. i just want something that will aide in parallel parking for example. i did some research about how electric power steering works and its a completly different concept that uses a small motor that does the job and is regulated by speed and torque. im simply trying to change what will power the powersteering.

like deev said there is some difference with no ps. it is not as noticeable at a cruising speed but from a dead stop there is a little extra there. and if you try turning the ac compressor when its off it will spin freely with 0 resistance therefore removing it is pointless for powergains.

Who said anything about A/C on vs off?

[deevergote]

You compared the AC to the PS in terms of parasitic loss... the AC presents almost none when off, whereas the PS is a constant power drain. Unless you race with the AC on, it really has no bearing.

[4thgenaccord]

Most people would remove their A/C first before removing their PS. I wouldn't remove either. They are not that big a deal for a daily driver.

[J-specCb4]

idea cred +1 lol... me and mike have discussed this many times and have et to find an answer but it WILL happen in the future

[4thgenaccord]

Anyone stop the think... If this was such a great idea and power saver, wouldn't you think Honda would have done that to begin with?

[Otto]

A/C weighs more and isn't as needed (for most people) as PS. So I think those two make A/C removal more common. Also (as in my case) the A/C may not work and not be worth it to fix, so out it goes.

But anyways, I'm actually interested in this electric PS myself. I think it would be great if it was automatic, too. It could run at speeds under 5 or 10 MPH, then shut off at higher speeds.

[cp[mike]]

with the a/c off, its a free spinning pulley and does not cause any parasitic drag.

the whole reason behind this is to allow power steering to be able to be turned on and off whenever its needed. which is not very often, just when parking. plus the stock pump takes up too much room, and i dont have a spot on my crank pulley for the belt. in that case, considering parasitic drag from the electrical system on the alternator is pointless, as the pump will be turned off most of the time.

this is a very realistic idea, and im just about done implementing it. i just dont have a spare $100 for the pump, which is surprisingly hard to locate. i already have all the lines set up, and i have the electrical diagrams- theres more involved than one would imagine, its a very high torque, high current motor. when turned on, it will cause a surge that will probably cause the headlights to dim. theres of course easy methods around such problems, but i wont go into any detail until im finished hooking it up.

idea cred +1 lol... me and mike have discussed this many times and have et to find an answer but it WILL happen in the future

correct. me and chris have discussed this a long time ago, and he was the one who found the right pump that will work!

Anyone stop the think... If this was such a great idea and power saver, wouldn't you think Honda would have done that to begin with?

they did. nsx, s2000, etc. just when our cars were made, it wasnt mainstream yet. other companies have been implementing different versions of it in production cars for many years now, as far back as the mid 90's.