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MG MGF Technical - This EPS

Guys,
is there anyway of resetting the EPS or changing it, as mine has become a bit strange - feels a bit loose for some reason, like there's some play in the rack, but when I took the fuse out to see if the rack it self was loose it was fine, so must be the EPS maybe playing up - has anyone experianced and other problems with EPS in the past.

Regards,
Mike Gibson
Mike Gibson

EPAS, EPS would be _all_ electric or 'fly by wire'

There is no way of resetting the EPAS, if you want a better 'feel' then changing the entire coloumn for a TF one is the way forwards (que rob).
The EPAS has two functions:
power assistance below ~30 and
Extra load at speed, without the EPAS on the stearing at speed jumps and jiggles over bumps, EPAS stops this

The EPAS has a speed signal and an engine speed signal, it alters the assistance with the speed so you get less assistance at higher speeds. If it sees your engine speed exceed ~3000 RPM for a while without registering on the speedo it assumes that the speedo is broken and switches off.
Will Munns

Thanks Will

Regards,
Mike
Mike Gibson

>>There is no way of resetting the EPAS, if you want a better 'feel' then changing the entire coloumn for a TF one is the way forwards (que rob).<<

I haven't changed the steering column (that's indeed where all the EPAS gubbins is located) - I've just had swapped the steering rack :o) Happily, the Mk1 EPAS and TF steering rack make good bed fellows ;o)

Mike, the excess play is odd - especially as it follows a recent reset of the tracking? I'd be slightly concerned that the trackrod adjustment rods are not tight enough, and may be allowing some surplus movement...

I'd recommend you get this checked out.
Rob Bell

Thanks guys

Regards,
Mike
Mike Gibson

Mike, I meant also to ask about the condition of the track rod ends?
Rob Bell

Rob,

thanks mate I'll check them out at the weekend..

Regards,
Mike
Mike Gibson

I'd check the intermediate shaft - between EPS and rack pinion. Mine developed play last year and was sorted with a replacement. Hope this is of some use.
Regards
Iain
Iain Blanch

Guys,

How much is a replacment rack and shaft?

Regards,
Mike
Mike Gibson

> Extra load at speed, without the EPAS on the stearing at speed jumps and jiggles over bumps, EPAS stops this


? Thought EPAS was inoperative at above 30 MPH. Does this mean that hitting a big bump at about 60 will be felt differently through the steering if I have my EPAS fuse out?

Leigh
Leigh

Yes, I found this out very recently by experiment and have been waiting for a thread like this to drop this in ;-)

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/epas_bypass.htm

Allows me to switch on and off at will, and I guess that even though it is not providing any(much?) assistance the cluch is still in and so it provides more drag to impulses otherwise felt thru the stearing.
Will Munns

>>? Thought EPAS was inoperative at above 30 MPH. Does this mean that hitting a big bump at about 60 will be felt differently through the steering if I have my EPAS fuse out?<<

Yes, exactly Leigh. As Will says, there is always some interference from the EPAS at any speed - one of the reasons why many sprinters and racers choose to disconnect it - to improve steering feel :o)

A new column would be prohibitively expensive to buy and fit Mike - but a rack could be economical - especially if you have a word with the lovely Victoria at the MGF Centre ;o)
Rob Bell

When I took the fuse out it felt really bad to drive so tough to move, it was really difficult to use.

Regards,
Mike
Mike Gibson

>When I took the fuse out it felt really bad to drive so tough to move

Horses for courses, do you want a very light feeling car which feels solid at higher speeds, or do you want a solid feeling car where you car really feel the road surface?

TBQH you shouldn't be turning the wheel much when it's difficult, when parking you should only turn when rolling (when avoidable), otherwise you are stressing tyres and all steering compolents. EPAS does take a lot of the feel out of steering
Will Munns

I agree with Will - and moreover, if you fit Will's switch, then you have the option of being a 'girlie' whilst parking, and being 'macho' when travelling at speed over your favourite B-road ;o)
Rob Bell

> EPAS does take a lot of the feel out of steering

Had the fuse out for the CSMGF run at the weekend. Some of the surfaces were poor (well, when forced to go 'off road' cos of a big LandRover coming my way), and could really feel the steering getting snatched when I hit a ditch. I take it the EPAS would normally smoothe this out?

Anyway, where I was leading with this was here:

Some people have mentioned tramlining as a problem when moving over the standard 185 front tyres. I haven't noticed this, but am now wondering if this is mainly due to cars with EPAS not experiencing this, whereas in 1.8's without EPAS, this will be much more noticable? Perhaps when people are enquiring about tramlining, the important thing is whether they have EPAS or not?

Leigh
Leigh

Maybe Leigh, but there aren't that many folk out there with cars not fitted with EPAS...

So the differences in reporting of tramlining probably has little to do with the fitment, or not, of EPAS. More likely to be dependent on the sorts of road people drive on, tracking settings, tyre pressures etc etc.

In my experience tramlining doesn't get really noticable until the tyre profile reaches 215mm.
Rob Bell

I _think_ that the tramlining experence would not effected, my guess is that the motor only gets in the way of impuleses (getting grabbed by a pothole etc) but wouldn't change the effect of a gentle pull (like tramlining), think of it like a shock absorber for your steering.

Will
Will Munns

I have to say that I feel 'tramlining' with the Bridgestone tyres, not a lot but yes I can feel it whilst I did not feel it with the NCT3s.

I think is more the tyre compound that effects this - and certainly on the bike this is true as identical size tyres behave in different ways according to the compound.

BTW I have EPAS (on the MG not the BMW bike) which I do not normally 'switch off'.

Ted
Ted Newman

This thread was discussed between 16/04/2003 and 17/04/2003

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