Long-term maintenance

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by RedRide

Aren't all types of PS in cars power assist in reality?

Frankly I am dubious that electric power steering gives you better gas mileage than power steering with a pump.

You don’t get something for nothing. Especially in physics!

[sh0rtlife]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Frankly I am dubious that electric power steering gives you better gas mileage than power steering with a pump.

You don’t get something for nothing. Especially in physics!

as far as gains vs loss..im willing to bet money on the parasitic draw of a pump running 24/7/365 when not needed is a whole lot more than the drag of an alternator only being used when needed

if a clutched pump was made than only kicked on when the wheel was turned and could "free wheel" when going straight down a road then id bet they would be pretty even...but the mass of the internal spinning parts on a pump and the fluid drag....adds up fast

better comparision is look at an electric fan vs a "static" fan and then compare a "clutch/thermal" fan....the electric fan wins HEAVY over the fixed blade static fan..but only marginaly over the clutched unit..and yet its still enough for a mostly across the board industrial change to have neerly everything come with electric fans....and this is looking specificaly at traditionaly mounted engines IE trucks vans RWD's ..where they typicaly have the HP to not care

[RedRide]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Frankly I am dubious that electric power steering gives you better gas mileage than power steering with a pump.

You don’t get something for nothing. Especially in physics!

Yeah but, doesn't a power steering pump usually rob more engine power than an alternator?
This is why if you go full left right with the steering wheel it puts a noticeable load on the engine.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by RedRide

Yeah but, doesn't a power steering pump rob more engine than an alternator?

I’m not sure it might. But then again if nothing is being pumped maybe you wouldn’t take much power at all. I really don’t know what the drag is on an alternator not being used as opposed in one developing power. Same thing with hydraulic power steering. Most of the time it’s just spinning not pumping oil.

One thing I can absolutely say for sure. A few years ago Toyota went to a disposable element oil filter saying it was “green“. That’s pretty crazy. They have since gone back to spin on filters. So even Toyota makes mistakes!