Power Steering Test
 

Is there any way to test the motor in the steering rack?
Can you apply voltage to the terminals?
TIA

Let me ask another way.
The connector under the battery tray with the big wires runs straight to the rack motor. One wire is for clockwise, one is for counterclockwise. If I put 12 volts on those wires, the steering should move, right?
The battery is out of the car so the computers would not be affected.

OK, I figured out how to power the rack and it works fine.
Now my question is does the power steering work with just the key on or does the engine have to be running?

You might see if you can resurrect the Flash electrical manual. Might find your answer there. Any reason not to drop a battery in and just test it for yourself?

The battery is in the car now. I did the test with a power supply because if the PS motor was bad, I didn't want the full amperage of the battery shorting out.
The car is not running right now so I was wondering if the PS would function without the engine running. My though is it would have to have a signal from the PCM to show the engine running before the PS computer would send voltage to the unit.

Powering the steering
 

How did you actually do the power to the steering rack for a test? I’m I’m the middle of swapping to a LGX, rotary was dead when I bought car. So I don’t know if it works or if the pcm has to have an engine running signal to engage the steering module either. Good questions for us newbies.
thanks

All I tested was the electric motor in the rack. I was worried it didn't work and I was in a place where it would be easy to take the whole rack out.
I used an old computer power supply. Jack your front wheels off the ground. Disconnect the battery. Turn the key to unlock the steering wheel. Disconnect the big connector under the radiator bottle. I made two jumper wires with spade terminals that fit into the socket going to the rack.
Put the positive on one wire and the negative on the other. The rack will turn one way. Reverse the wires and the rack will turn the other way. I cut the power as soon as it reached one side. I don't know if you could damage the motor by keeping it turned one way too long.
All the does is confirm the motor on the rack is working. There could still be other problems including the torque sensor, wiring and EPS computer.. Other than the resistance test provided in the manual, I don't know of any way to test the torque sensor.
We will see when I get the car back together.