Weekend Ruined By Blown Power Steering Pump At The Track...I Don't Think So!
 

I was on my third lap of my first session of the weekend when I noticed oil spraying through my hood vents onto my windshield. I quickly pitted and discovered that my power steering pump main seal failed and power steering fluid was gushing out (thank god for the plastic under tray on our cars or I might have taken out half the advance group). After a few calls I came to the revelation that I was not going to be able to source a new pump in time to save my weekend. Dejected, I called my wife and let her know I would be coming home soon.

That’s when a fellow driver walked up to my car, surveyed the situation, and said “just drain the pump and drive without power steering”. He added “you only live once and don’t get that many opportunities to play”. I thought about it and quickly sprinted across the paddock to one of the spec 350Z guys. I asked him if they (spec 350Z) ever run without a power steering pump. He looked at me like I was crazy (mind you he was a really frail guy and a single amputee). I rephrased my question and asked him if I would damage anything if I drained my pump and drove anyway. As he reattached his leg he looked at me and sad “you have muscles…and your car will be fine”.

I ended up running four sessions two of which were thirty minutes long. The feel of driving without power steering is amazing and you can feel everything the tires are doing.

It was different (i.e. grueling). I would compare it to doing a track day while taking a spinning class. Even with my cool shirt I was completely drenched in sweat from head to toe.

However, If you ever experience the same problem, here is confirmation that you can indeed track your car with a blown power steering pump.

Now you have forearms like PopPie and shoulders of a bull. :icon17:

Good info to have in the back of the brain. :tup:

The thing that worries me. Is the bearings in the pump seizing from having no oil. With the Z having one belt running everything. You just can't remove the PS belt, and be done with it. But if you did it. I don't know then.

I can't deny that the thought of the bearing seizing never crossed my mind. It definitely did and I was trying to play close attention to any new metal on metal sounds coming from the engine (which I did not hear). Mind you there was some residual fluid that continued to spray on my windshield. That probably provided some temporary lubrication.

And I intend on replacing the pump ASAP.

So kids. Quick lesson. You can (at least in my experience) track your car without power steering because the power steering pump is drained. But if you intend to always track your car without power steering you probably should fabricate some type of power steering pump delete kit.

And on that bombshell...

"I asked him if they (spec 350Z) ever run without a power steering pump." hahahaha! I'm surprised he didn't beat you with the leg.

Post up what the problem was with your PS pump after the repair was completed...

If he had, I would have accepted my beating and sulked away...

My Z06 had issues until I upgraded to a racing PS pump. I like running w/o PS also (>40 years of power lifting though).

A bypass kit that would loop the fluid back to the pump to keep it lubricated and bypass the steering so there is no heat should work. A simple tee valve to tee should be very doable.

Any comments if this would work and could someone work the details?

Sounds like it was a fun time! I autox'd a friends Miata that had the power steering removed (no abs either) and it was the most fun I have had.