Installation of EZ Electric Power Steering

[Eugene at Pelican Parts]

Bravo on the positive results of your installation, Vincent! After years of owning an SC in San Francisco, I can recall many moments when I missed power steering.

Thanks for bringing this product to light to the Pelican crowd. Even though the kit seems a bit pricey, I definitely understand why it can be worth the effort and money. And while your testimonial was excellent, I think it would help others if they checked out the manufacturer's website here:

EZ Electric Power Steering

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I was neutral until I read that part. I will file that little tidbit under 'reasons for me not to do it'. But otherwise I am interested in the outcome....

!! Please come with a Warning, I was eating and almost lost the food in my mouth!!

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by Eugene at Pelican Parts

Bravo on the positive results of your installation, Vincent! After years of owning an SC in San Francisco, I can recall many moments when I missed power steering.

Thanks for bringing this product to light to the Pelican crowd. Even though the kit seems a bit pricey, I definitely understand why it can be worth the effort and money. And while your testimonial was excellent, I think it would help others if they checked out the manufacturer's website here:

EZ Electric Power Steering

AGREED ON "pricey" That is why I bought it when I did because of the Dollar vs Euro Situation at the time I bought it. Some people here are fairly well Off and trust me, I am NOT one of them!

It was NOT easy to spend a little over $2,000 for something that no one else had and NOT in this country either. Some of you may know that I handle Credit & Collections so I am not a Trusting person either. SO I did a little Homework before I ordered this and paid for it!

The Motor is made in Japan by a well known company (NSK who we all know is famous for the Quality of their Bearings) and even the simple things are very well though out. I even asked "Why the Lower U Joint did not use Stock, and the answer was simple enough that the splines did not fit the Shaft. The Main ECU for this is made by "Fujitsu Siemens". The ONLY thing that was missing was a KNOB for the Potentiometer which I am going by Radio Shack to get one today, All of the fitting and Shrink wrap were ALL there.

I was going to remove the Oil Cooler and install the Fan I have set up for it before I took the car out, but after all, I am Human and Need to know so again "Go away Irene!"

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Vincent Hill

I hope to answer this Sunday evening Weather permitting!

You going to let a little wind bother you? This guy can take 200mph wind on his bike and I hear he is still alive and kicking.

[Vincent Hill]

I should Have been Keeping an Eye on YOU!! Where did you find That?? That is my Wife standing on Top of the Silver Astro Van!

[Vincent Hill]

Ok, I also realized that I had not shown the Electronics. Here is the entire Package of Wires and ECU.

The EZ People show a pic of using a Drill to Notch the Steering Box Shaft. I do not have a Diamond Drill, So I used a Colbalt to make Marks, then a Dremmel Tool to Notch the Shaft to clear the Bolt. I also screwed the Bolt in the other side to make sure when drilling that somehow I did not get into the threads and Muck the U Joint up.


Here is the U Joint Bolted in Place to the Steering Box.


I bought a New Steering Shaft Cover and for a change cut it perfect the1st time. I hated the "Speed Nuts" Porsche uses so went to McMaster Carr and got their 1/4 inch removable Nuts and Hammered them to close the hole and they Fit Perfect. (It is the Little things that count)



Now I am "FINALLY" at the point of Installing the ECU and Wire this thing for sound. I looked a lot of places but this one looks the best for Accessibility. I need to figure out some kind of Bracket.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Vincent Hill

Where did you find That??!

Heh heh

[Vincent Hill]

Got a Late Start because of the Hurricane and would would have Finish if I had 2 more Hours. I need to make 1 Bracket and put 1 wire on the Positive of the Battery, Ground 2 wires and run 1 wire to Switched Positive!

I spent a lot in the Dash today mounting the Potentiometer. Need a Much Smaller Knob because I had Originally planed to mount it under the Dash where you would dial it by feel and it needed to be bigger. While I was at it I mounted the Blue light rocker Switch for the Fan I am going to mount on my Oil Cooler.




I installed the Defroster and blower which scarred the Hell0 out of me because at first I could not get it in over the PS Motor. Then I removed the 1 mount Bolt and rotated it as far clockwise as I could and the DeFrost unit when right in.

.
Next, Looking at the Inventor's Pics I realized that he was not using a later (1981 to 1983) 911 that has the ECU Box mounted up front. I made some Adjustable Brackets out of 1/8 x 1" Flat Aluminum and Ended up needing to loosen everything and push it over to the Right to clear the Defrost Blower Box. If I ever go in there again I will lower it 1/4 inch more. I had to grind the Ridges from the Mounting Strap in the cover to make it fit. I also had to trim out a small 1/2 Circle like the instructions show.


Here is where I ended up tonight. and Hopefully I will be finished either tomorrow night or Tuesday.

[Bob Kontak]

What if you put the electric box on the back of the cardboard shield?

This install will hardly be noticeable.

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

What if you put the electric box on the back of the cardboard shield?

This install will hardly be noticeable.

I thought about that but needed a place I could Clamp it down and not move and be totally accessible! It will partly be hid by the Carpet, ( I think) :

[Vincent Hill]

I mounted the PS ECU and wired everything. I grounded the main wire to the Large Bracket bolt and the small Ground to the Reservoir. I also had to add about 18 inches to the Switched Power Wire so that I could hide the wires to the Fuse Box



Done! Carpet back in the Trunk




I Hated the Potentiometer Button in my Previous Post so I changed to this one



I let the car down and feel a tiny bit of Notchyness. But I can feel the Power and take the car out for a ride and Immediately see what the problem is! You NEVER Know where the steering is until you drive the car Forward

I have the Steering wheel Mis-aligned which puts the U-Joints in the wrong place. This is the Position of the Steering wheel with the car going Straight Ahead! SO the #1 Mistake is Mine!

Anyway, I take the car for a ride and can Seriously feel the power boosted in the steering. I try the Potemtiometer and feel a small increase and decrease in the effort.

Saying that I now know for SURE that if the amount of Boost cannot be reduced, I AM going to put in and Off / On Switch. I did not get up to High Speed (About 50 to 60 in the Circle driving around the sewer Plates. I could feel the car but it had a Lighter feel that was lighter than I expected. So at this point I think I am adding the on / off Switch Other than the Switched Power

The good part is that steering works with JUST the Ignition on but not running (For the times I need to push the car around in the yard.

[balleta]

Really cool. We have the same parking space situations as in DC and would benefit from something like this.
Keep us informed of the end results and steering feeling.
And after that, to top it off, please, change that ugly steering wheel cover!

[jase007]

Nice job. Looks OEM installed.

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by balleta

Really cool. We have the same parking space situations as in DC and would benefit from something like this.
Keep us informed of the end results and steering feeling.
And after that, to top it off, please, change that ugly steering wheel cover!

on the Steering WHeel cover Actually I may be able to since We will not longer need to have a Gorilla's Strength to move the car out of the parking place! That was my best Smile today!

I have already contacted the Person that manufactures this and asked him if they have a Potentiometer that will go from almost OFF to fully on. If he has that, then I am TOTALLY Happy. If not, then the On / Off Switch will be used!

This morning I learned all of the Mistakes I made when I installed this and the things I did right!

The Steering Shaft Cover may look neat sitting about 1/8 inch from the PS Motor, but you cannot remove the PS Motor unless you take the Defroster unit back out and then remove the cover. The Smart thing was the Speed nuts I used so at least I can unscrew then and remove the cover.

Tonight I will remove the Blower Assembly and the cover (Which I will cut about 1 to 1.5 inches off and CHECK to see that I can get the Motor off without removing it). I will reset the Steering wheel to the Correct Position and then Removing the Motor from the Shaft clock it 1 notch at a time both ways until I havbe Perfectly smooth Rotation of the Steering wheel. I may have to "Adjust the Notch to clear the Lower U-Joint Bolt if the number of Splines is off too far.

Please note that I am NOT going to get all of this done Tonight BUT plan to be totally finished this weekend,

Remember I started this on the 21st of August and here we are 10 days later almost finished (And would be finished if I was a little more smarter and careful).

The Amount of Time to do this (SO far) is 5 hours last Sunday and 7 hours the 1st Sunday and about 1.5 hours in the evening for the 1st week (7.5 hours) and 3 hours this week. About 24 hours of Actual working time of which about 8 to 10 were removing, Modifying and replacing the Stock Porsche parts. My feeling is that If I had a full weekend from Friday Night to Sunday Night I could do this in that time period.

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by jase007

Nice job. Looks OEM installed.

Totally Appreciated! At least you know JUST how tight people can park in this area leaving you INCHES in Front and Back along witht he Impossibility of finding a space at the end of a line of cars or at the Beginning.

[Vincent Hill]

Tonight I finished taking Everything back apart. First, I shortened the Steering Shaft Cover then Aligned the Steering WHeel to the Road Wheels. This time I am going to Clock the U-joints like the Pictures I took of the U-Joints of the Stock Shaft. I then Place the joints as close as I can to the Pictures and find that I am 1 Notch shy of being able to use the Original Cut side of the Shaft. I move the Shaft 1 more Notch and "PERFECTION"!!

The wheels turn Smoothly and everything works like it is supposed to! FINALLY!

The Arrows that are Supposed to be aligned are WRONG. Set the U- Joints just as the Original shaft was and no Notching of the Shaft is Necessary either!

Tomorrow I will finish putting everything back together and wire in the On / Off Switch.

I sent an e-mail to the Designer / Manufacture of this system to see if there is a Potentiometer that will give and Assisted range from almost "0" Boost to the Max Boost! If I can do this, then this system will be better than anything I have ever used because "I" (not the Designer Engineer) will have total control over over the Driving Feel of the car! AND When turned off, I still have the Original feel of the car. Something no other car has.

[Koizumi]

Very impressive modification. Certainly something for me to consider

[69911e]

Please do a long term update after you have used this for a while. I have been considering this system for my wife's Volvo P1800 which has very heavy steering.

[Vincent Hill]

Originally Posted by 69911e

Please do a long term update after you have used this for a while. I have been considering this system for my wife's Volvo P1800 which has very heavy steering.

You KNOW I am! ANd Yes, they do make this for the Volvo!

[Vincent Hill]

BINGO! These people SERIOUSLY Know Steering and Jumped into to EVERYTHING I have done to the car and I never told them ANYTHING.

He first asked me about Caster (I had the Caster Changed from in the High 6's to the Low 5's. Then he asked me about Tire Pressure and Yes, I run the max pressure because we drive fast, Want the Best Fuel Mileage and the easiest Steering.

Then he sprung it on me! They have a SPeed Switch! He stated that it was like Crise Control and it has a button that when you push it, it sets the Speed in the ECU that the Power Steering turns OFF and when you drop 2 MPH Below that it turns back on. He further stated that this stays in the Computer's Memory.

I have asked the follow up questions like DO youi have to reset it Every time you turn on and off the car?

I also asked that can you set it for 3 MPH so that at parking speeds it turns on and as soom as you leave the Curb it turns off?? If it does these things then I amd 200% Happy and once installed I am done!

I will be taking the car out for a better ride since I got up early and finished the car this morning. I also cleaned up the FACTORY ECU Brackets I made that mount it and looking at it I now know that I could not mount the Unit ANY lower!. Stay Tuned.