so im in the process of removing my power steering...i have the belt off and the more fluid you drain the easier to turn...but i am going to loop the lines at the resivor and use that as a breather, is this gonna work? P.S i love the response my wheel gives back, you have to work more at speeds below ten but anyone who can pick up a gallon of milk can turn the wheel

 

There has been some debate on several different threads in this forum and the neon.org forums that say that if you remove the power steering belt you will eventually wreck your rack and pinion unit , but I don't buy that.

The power steering pump only pushes fluid through the rack to hydraulically pull and push the rack back and forth and as long as you don't let the remaining fluid get contaminated with foreign matter and don't let the seals dry out, you should be fine.

So if I understand you right, you removed the belt and reservior, but you are leaving the rest in place and are looping the lines that went to the reservior back to each other? Or did you just drain the fluid out of the reservior leaving everything else intact?

I assume the last one as you say it is easier to turn when you did this and that is because you are not manually pushing as much hydraulic fluid around, so it would be easier as you say.

Just don't let the seals or the fluid in the rack dry out and leak or you could end up with a wrecked unit due to lack of lubricants.

 

+1 loop them tight no breather when sitting still and trying to park will be a hasle but once you start to move the car it wont be a big deal.....