Questions and Answers

Power Steering Q. Dear Autorepair: I have a question concerning my 1987 Toyota 4 runner, I have the 22RE engine with a 5 speed automatic, A/C and power brakes. My question is the vacuum hose routing. The power steering pump has two vacuum line running from it to the intake were they attach to a valve with an adjustable dashpot?

Why is that and what if any adjustments to the dash pot need to be made. Or how do adjustments affect the power steering pump. And last, can it be removed and vented another way? Thanks for your time. I am in no hurry for an answer I have the motor coming apart for heavy maintenance at this time. (I have looked all over the place for this information and can not find anything on it at all.)

Chris

A. If you look close at that dashpot you'll see a total of four vacuum lines going to it. Two larger ones from the back of the P/S pump and two smaller ones from the air conditioner Vacuum Switching Valve (VSV) which is mounted on the valve cover. The adjustment you see has nothing to do with the P/S even though it looks like it does. That adjustment sets the engine idle up when the A/C is turned on. In other words, if the idle was 1000 rpm with A/C off you would turn the A/C on and turn that adjustment until the engine came up to the same idle speed. This keeps an automatic transmission vehicle from lurching when the A/C turns on and off in traffic.

The lines for the P/S pump get manifold vacuum. The vacuum switch on the back of the pump varies the assist the pump provides according to manifold vacuum. Low speed, high assist. High speed, low assist. Please don't remove or switch anything around, the system works fine as designed.

Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA