Power Steering Way Too Heavy (3.0)

[q2quest]

After a timing belt procedure (low pressure lines disconnected from the cooler) I noticed my power steering was very difficult to turn. I figured I had air in the system. I tried adding fluid, bleeding the air out (turning wheel lock to lock with wheels in the air) and all the other things suggested in the forums. There are no longer any air bubbles appearing in the reservoir. I have replaced the pump, small hose coming from the pump and both lines connected to the cooler, but nothing has helped. The new low pressure hose came without restrictors so I swapped the old ones over. The PS rack has no visible leaks and feels smooth enough with the engine off and the wheels in the air. I don't detect any notchiness or anything. But the steering still feels ridiculously heavy. Feels like servotronic is out, but it didn't come with servotronic. Please, any ideas?

[MoparFreak69]

If I recall you posted another thread about the restrictors in the return line with one of them plugged with tape looking material. If more of that material passed through your steering gear, it's a good possibility that the pressure relief valve has been held open, preventing pressure from building to provide you hydraulic assistance. If you're not mechanically inclined I would just replace it rather than trying to repair the one in the car.

[q2quest]

I'm not opposed to replacing the rack, however I have thrown a lot of money at cars in the past which turned out to be unnecessary in most cases. The thing is that the steering actually felt fine prior to the timing belt procedure. During that procedure I disconnected both low pressure lines from the cooler loop. After reconnecting everything the steering was very hard. I am certain there must be air still in there somehow, even though air bubbles no longer emerge from the reservoir. I will continue to try and get the air out using varying methods until my patience runs out. I have no explanation for that clogged restrictor or how the steering could have felt fine with it in there; a total mystery.

[diagnosticator]

Is the drive belt routed properly? If it is routed around the PS pump the wrong way, would drive the pump in the wrong rotation direction.

[q2quest]

I don't think it is physically possible to route the belt the wrong way; at least not so the power steering pump spins backward seeing as how the power steering pump is at the very top of the engine.

[q2quest]

I discovered that the inlet nipple to the power steering pump was clocked too far counter clockwise compared to the OEM pump and was causing the "S" hose to be somewhat pinched. It looked as though the flow might have been restricted a little. I was able to turn the nipple clockwise until the hose straightened out (from 2:00 position to about 3:30). I then removed the cooler return line and removed the two restrictors that I had been careful to reinstall since the new hose from Audi did not come with them. I discovered that the hose has been superseded by Audi to a new hose which does not use restrictors so I decided to remove them. Once everything was back together, with the wheels off the ground and the car off I turned the steering wheel lock to lock until there were no more bubbles. I swear I must have turned the wheel 90 times. It took over an hour because the bubbles just kept coming. Finally there were no more. Then I started the car and turned the wheel 20 more times lock to lock before topping off the fluid. When I drove the car it appears that the steering is back to normal. FINALLY. Just wanted to close this out. Thanks.