Hello,
I was wondering if I can drive the car with the power steering pump removed, so that I can send it out to get fixed.. As it is iam already driving with no power steering so would it even make a difference?

Thanks,
Jm

 

I believe the pump assembly has some mechanical linkages that are necessary for the steering to function, even without power.

 

You could probably pull it off technically. The fact you're already driving without PS means you'll have forearms like Popeye by this time next week.

 

I tried it.......I wouldn't recommend it.
Steering wheel is very hard to turn. Next to impossible to make an evasive maneuver.

Jim

 

Parts of the steering linkage through the column have not been designed to handle the loading required to manually steer the car. You would be (or are) over stressing some of these parts.

 

Hahahaha, I have been driving with no PS for about 4 months, its really expensive to replace and I have finally just given into trying this Ebay thing where you send them your pump they fix it and send it back, all I want to do is be able to drive my car while the pump is sent in for service.. I talked to a friend who is one of the head mechanics at Mini and he said it could probably be done but all the juice would leak out from the rack and potentially damage the rack (a whole new issue)... So now Iam up in the air about the whole thing... uhhhhhh

Jm

P.S. the first few weeks were hard, now I actually dont mind driving it with out PS, you get used to it fairly quickly!

 

It's going to be quite the change once you get it fixed. I once coasted down a parking garage from the roof with the car off. The effort needed to steer was not that bad at all - of course I have forearms like Bruce Lee. Once the car was on and power was restored, it was regrettably effortless and took a while to get used to again. I'm still trying to find a manual steering rack...

 

Reminds me of when I went go-kart racing a few weeks ago. After a 20-minute practice session and a 25-minute race spent muscling the kart around a *very* twisty track, when I got in the MINI to drive home, I almost put the car into a curb the first time I turned the steering wheel. The MINI's power steering isn't overly-soft by any means, but after driving the kart, the MINI's steering wheel felt like it wasn't even connected to anything!