Over the weekend I now have a few problems with my 2003 WRX. I decided to go out and have some fun in a parking lot since there was a little bit of snow on the ground. In the middle of doing a donut, my car made a skreeching noise like the sound of a belt slipping, so I stoped. I wasnt reving the engine past 4500rpms or beating on it at all. About 15 minutes after that happend, when I am at 500rpms to about 1200rpms my power steering does not work at all? Anything above 1200rpms the power steering works just fine! Any ideas? And the last problem is that for the past week I have noticed a small amount of coolant leaking under my hood. It's not alot at all, but today I took a closer look and it is slightly wet on the whole top of the radiator and a little wet on the passanger side on the bottom of the radiator. No hoses are wet so I was thinking maybe its the little plastic drain plug on the bottom passanger side of the radiator. When the system gets under pressure I think it may leak and when it does it hits the fan and splashes it around. I wasn't sure if this has happend to many other subaru's? Any ideas???
Factory style radiators do fail, its just a matter of time with the plastic end tanks. They often crack. If your power steering only works at higher rpm's/ then check the belt. Turning the wheel at low rpm's puts more stress on the belt, and if its too loose or worn, it will not hold the force necessary to turn the power steering pump.
Doughnuts tend to play hell on power steering systems. Like Dan said, check the belt first and see if it's glazed, loose, etc. As far as the radiator, your endtanks are probably cracked. I'd start looking for a decent Koyo or a used stocker in decent shape.
If you were being really aggressive at counter steering donuts, then you more than likely fried the relief valve in the PS pump. I took mine out doing the same thing. Spendy pump makes you not make that mistake more than once! And don't feel bad about the radiator, mine is leaking too. Just waiting to get annoyed enough to replace it with a Koyo.
Maybe its just for the older ones, but there are rebuild kits for the ps pump. I don't know if that would take care of the problem.
Nope, good idea though piddster. The rebuilds don't come with the relief valve. That's what always fails from the added load.
I will first check my belt and probably replace it just to see if that fixes it. I almost think its the belt because the pully on the power steering is wet from coolant so that might be why it glazed over. And if that doesnt work ill just have to spend a little money and buy a new one. (And yes I have learned my lesson!!!) And ill take your guys advice and just go buy a new radiator so hopefully that also fixes my power steering problem! I figure its cold out and I would hate for it to crack even more and break down some where. Its too cold to find out!
