EPAS

[DCELEC 182]

Bought a clio 182 a couple of months ago to use on track and first time out had something let go in the steering rack and kept pressurising the fluid reservoir and spewing out the cap?I've bought another rack but having a few issues with siezed pipes etc and reading up a bit thinking perhaps I should just ditch it now and go EPAS, but tbh can't work out exact parts I need to make it work correctly I just keep reading conflicting things.
Do I need to change column and rack, and what exact models do I need?
Wiring too, I understand there is some sort of ecu involved and a variable switch to adjust the rate of assistance?
Lastly anyone who has actually done the conversion, are the parts a direct/easy fit....I've been around modified cars long enough to know invariably nothing is straightforward when it comes to it haha!
Thanks for your help in advance guys,
Dave

 

[bloke]

dci rack, epas column, motor, ecu, wiring and you can get controller from ebay to save making one.

then change the track rods on the rack for the longer ones and that's about it.

 

[DCELEC 182]

Thanks for the reply.....Any dci rack, mk2 clio? Column/ecu/motor all from the same car? Longer track rods from my existing rack I'm guessing?
Sorry if they sound like daft questions but I don't want to end up buying a load of bits that don't fit....you'd think there's a market for a conversion kit. Ecu and wiring for example, I'm not daft but wouldn't really know what would need wiring into where!

 

[NorthloopCup]

Epas column can come from a 1.2 or 1.5 mk2 Clio. Just make sure you get the stuff that bloke has listed above all from the same car, oh and make sure you get the lower half of the column too! The 1*2 one isn't removeable.

To fit it is a relatively straightforward job. Pinch bolt at the rack is a bit of a t**t to get at, and you'll have to split the epas motor off the column to fit it without removing the dash.

Wiring is easy as well. Just use decent sized cable for the battery feed to the motor. In a perfect world you could ask the people you buy the epas column off to supply the plug and a length of wire to join on to.

Oh and use your steering arms off the original rack mate. Fit them to the dci rack.

 

[DCELEC 182]

Perfect mate ^^^^
Thanks very much, hopefully I can get the existing pas going to do a few more trackdays before winter then I'll get all those bits together and give the EPAS conversion a go....was hoping not to to it in a rush now but might have to be sooner rather than later!
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=181027314492&globalID=EBAY-GB

Is that what you wire into the ecu to vary the assistance and not any inputs from the car itself?

 

[bloke]

that's the guy i get them from, he does one with an inline fuse as well.
you'll need to sort something out with the belt as well as you can't route it normal way without the pas pump in place.

one tip, old rack off, then fit the column, pull the lower boot on the bottom in place and then fit the new rack.

 

[sam JFM]

You can also run a looped standard rack

 

[GrahamS]

32mm to remove the track rods

 

[barnesautos]

Have my Epas under way and I've ordered the resistor pack adjuster .
Just wanted to know - my looped standard PAS rack , anyone got any pics ?
Is it the high line and low line that loop ?

 

[NorthloopCup]

Have my Epas under way and I've ordered the resistor pack adjuster .
Just wanted to know - my looped standard PAS rack , anyone got any pics ?
Is it the high line and low line that loop ?

I'll try and get a pic for you tomorrow buddy. If you look at the rack though, you need to loop the section that's to the right of the exhaust manifold and about bang on the centre of the car.

 

[barnesautos]

Is it these two pipes Mark , the little ones that pass fluid from chamber to chamber ?

 

[NorthloopCup]

Is it these two pipes Mark , the little ones that pass fluid from chamber to chamber ?

View attachment 132964

Yeah the 2 on the left mate! Join them together.

 

[barnesautos]

Okee dokee [emoji106]

 

[barnesautos]

Where those pipes are looped @NorthloopCup - would it be an idea to loop them to the reservoir so servicing of the fluid and level check could occur ?
Just a suggestion

 

[NorthloopCup]

Where those pipes are looped @NorthloopCup - would it be an idea to loop them to the reservoir so servicing of the fluid and level check could occur ?
Just a suggestion

You could try it, but tbh they are normally alright with just the residual fluid in there. Failing that, fill it full of grease. As it heats up it'll turn to fluid anyway and lubricate the rack.

 

[barnesautos]

Right O , roughly what quantity is within that part of the rack ?
Seems it'll be small I suspect.
If it's brimmed it'll lock up won't it ?

 

[barnesautos]

@Kelv has my steering column and ecu @NorthloopCup , now of to EBay to get that resistor loom

 

[NorthloopCup]

Right O , roughly what quantity is within that part of the rack ?
Seems it'll be small I suspect.
If it's brimmed it'll lock up won't it ?

Not much at all mate. It will indeed lock up though if brimmed as the fluid won't transfer fast enough through the pipe. That's when you need to strip the rack and get creative.

 

[barnesautos]

That's why I thought my idea of having the pipes go to a reservoir , then the level will just rise and fall from lock to lock won't it ?

Maybe it's just cafufle anyway [emoji14]

 

[NorthloopCup]

That's why I thought my idea of having the pipes go to a reservoir , then the level will just rise and fall from lock to lock won't it ?

Maybe it's just cafufle anyway [emoji14]

In theory yes mate. The cap would need to be vented though to allow for the air to escape.