Re: Digest - GTV6 Power Steering

[Alan Lambert <lechefgerard@xxxxxxxxx>]

For what it's worth, with the engine in the car, you DO have to lift
it, and possibly loosen the exhaust manifolds to get the rack in or
out--not a short time job, but not overwhelming.


--- George Graves <gmgraves@domain.elided> wrote:
> Anyway to the Power Steering.
> 
> First of all, we GTV-6 owners get some luck (for once). The
> suspension 
> on a Milano Verde and the suspension on a GTV-6 are identical. That 
> means that the ZF power steering rack for a Verde not only fits in 
> place of a manual GTV-6 rack, it mounts in the same holes and
> connects 
> to each wheel's tie-rod ends without modification. What it does NOT
> do 
> is connect directly to the GTV-6's steering column which IS different
> 
> from the Milano. There are three choices here: Replace the GTV-6
> column 
> with a Milano column, cut both a Milano column and a GTV-6 column in 
> half and TIG weld the Milano lower portion to the GTV-6's upper
> column, 
> or use the adapter that Alfa Parts Exchange makes up. The first one
> is 
> messy. It means you have to replace the GTV-6's steering wheel with a
> 
> Milano steering wheel and replace all the GTV-6 column switches 
> (lights, turn signals, wipers) with the Milano stalks. the second one
> 
> is less messy, but the GTV-6 steering must still come out, the TIG
> weld 
> must be absolutely straight, and the welded-up column is difficult to
> 
> place. The third alternative is the one I used. APE replaces the
> lower 
> joint on the GTV-6 column (the one that's inside the car's footwell) 
> with a composite that's GTV--6 above the U-joint and Milano below it.
> 
> This works almost perfectly.  I say almost perfectly, because the one
> I 
> got was just a scoche too long, and we had to shorten it. I suspect 
> that the ones APE cobbles-up in the future will be more correctly
> sized 
> -mine was the first one they sold, I understand. Now, there are two 
> ways to go on the pump and the rack (or any combination thereof). You
> 
> can buy the whole ball of wax from APE, or you can buy a new 
> (remanufactured, actually) pump and rack from International Auto
> Parts 
> for about $800. The problem with the "new" pump and rack option is
> that 
> you get NO hoses, no fluid reservoir, and no mounting bracket for the
> 
> pump. While you can buy a new rack-to-reservoir hose from IAP ($90), 
> the bent steel tubing pressure lines are NOT available from them. If 
> you buy the whole ball of wax from APE (I don't know what APE charges
> 
> because my PS "kit" came as part of a package deal along with the new
> 
> 3.0 liter engine and a new air-conditioning pump as well), you get 
> almost everything. The problem with this second solution is that the 
> rack may or may not leak. APE tries to weed-out the leaking racks,
> but 
> there is no guarantee. The pumps, OTOH, are all probably OK. My 
> mechanic says that they don't fail very often. If you do buy a
> complete 
> "system" from APE, ask them to include a fluid reservoir and mounting
> 
> bracket from a 164. This can be mounted to the inside fender wall on 
> the driver's side using a couple of stand-offs cut on a bias to set 
> vertically against the slope of the fender. Oh, yes, I forgot to 
> mention that because of where the PS pump mounts on the engine, you 
> lose that huge windshield-washer tank on the drivers'-side fender
> wall. 
> The PS fluid reservoir fits there in it's stead.  If you carefully
> work 
> out where the reservoir is mounted, you might be able to squeeze a
> late 
> model spider's windshield-washer bottle in next to it, but most
> likely 
> you'll have to order one of the older plastic bag-type washer 
> reservoirs from IAP or do without. I chose the latter - for now.
> 
> Of course all of this is much easier if you have the engine out BUT
> it 
> can be installed with the engine just lifted a bit from it's motor 
> mounts (so my mechanic tells me).
> 
> The installation works well, and needless to say, it transforms the 
> car. It's not just that the steering heaviness is gone, but that it's
>  
> much quicker as well. The standard GTV-6 steering rack givers one 3.5
> 
> turns lock-to-lock. While not exactly '49 Buick territory, its
> nothing 
> to write home about and makes the car much more suited to the freeway
> 
> than it is on back country roads. This is a shame, because otherwise 
> the chassis is quite agile. The Power Steering, on the other hand, is
> 
> 2.3 turns lock-to-lock, making turn-in crisper and the car is much 
> easier to negotiate on mountainous twisties without being "twitchy"
> in 
> normal driving. Alfa chose the steering ratio well for the Milano and
> 
> it suits the mechanically similar GTV-6 equally well.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Thursday, April 10, 2003, at 05:51 AM, William Bean wrote:
> 
> > Hi George -
> >
> > I saw your "primer" on Vermont = Rhode Island, nicely done.
> >
> > However, I am interested in your comment that you added power
> steering 
> > to your GTV6. Given that the incredibly heavy steering is my main 
> > gripe about this otherwise terrific vehicle, can you provide a bit
> of 
> > information about what you did and how difficult it was. I cannot 
> > imagine that you could find room for the rack and the other parts.
> I 
> > also see a 3.0L motor in its future.
> >
> > Best Regards,
> >
> > Bill Bean
> > 84 GTV-6
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=====
Best Regards,

Alan Lambert
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