ok so my power steering belt been very squeaky and looked underneath and power steering belt badly frayed. changed it but had to disconnect the power steering hose to get room because the adjustment bolt came loose and needed room for my hand to access it. what a pita.
Put new belt on, but then since all the fluid drained out, I had to get some from Advance. Guy there tells me that Castrol ATF w/DEX will work, so I bought it and filled it up. Turned over and steering is very jerky and rubber belt smell/smoke coming from bay. Did I fubar this? It seems to me like the belt isn't turning the power steering pump pulley..

 

The Castrol ATF is not the problem, unless you spilled some on the pulleys.

What kind of belt did you get?

 

the economic one lol yea maybe some fluids on the pulley...will check back tomorrow thanks maxi!

 

Maybe the belt isn't tight enough, either.

 

The belt might be loose tighten the belt no plays. The belt size is it right size. The bottom bolt counter clockwise turn tightens the belt. Clockwise will loosen belt. The bolt has a washer like end fit that into the bracket than counter clockwise turns to tighten up. Is there any squealing or chirping.

 

no it's tight enough I think. how much deflection like half inch?

 

Maybe you have air in the system. Pull off the cap, warm up the car and turn the wheel from lock to lock several times. It should smooth out.

 

97 FSM-MA says apply 10kg/22lb force, deflection should be 6.5-7mm for new belt, 7.3-8mm for old belt. Limit is 11mm (0.43 inch).

 

1/2 inch sounds like a lot

 

A half inch of deflection would be about twice what it should be.

The specs posted by saig says 6.5 to 7mm at 20 pounds for a new belt. 6.5 mm is a hair over a quarter inch.

 

25.4mm to inch, i haven't actually gauged the deflection yet. that tension bolt is a real pain to get to. So the Castrol dex/merc should be OK?

 

It should be. Nissan specifies Dexron auto trans oil for the power steering. That Dexron/Mercon mix works ok in the auto trans.

Even if it wasn't, it wouldn't smoke. Smoke is either from oil that was spilled or leaking or the belt slipping on the pulley.

 

This is something that would sound defiantly accurate. The belt would slip if the belts not super tight. The smoke and power steering intermediately would and wouldn't work. Is as if it's the powersteering died or locked up or the powersteering failing. This is what is exactly happened to me on my quest. I had to super tighten the belt till it had NO PLAY.

 

figured it out brothers thanks!

 

What was the issue? So people can see this in the future

 

Well the set bolt was loose lol.

 

Isn't the set bolt the one that holds the bracket in place while the adjustment bolt tightens the belt?

 

correcto! Yea it was loose, and I could have swore that I tightened it the first go round. It was coated in oil so that must've interfered with the torque, so I removed it completely, cleaned it up a bit and reinstalled (pita to get that bolt in).

 

That's the 14 mm bolt that you can reach from behind. I've found a swivel head gear wrench works good for that bolt.