How to tell if a steering rack has been converted to manual

[civicx3]

Bought a EK9 subframe with steering rack and the power steering lines coming out of the rack have been looped with a rubber hose

Im wanting power steering so is there a way to tell if the rack has been converted inside to a manual rack before i go ahead and fit it?

 

[jesse888]

youll have to open it up i guess

 

[civicx3]

youll have to open it up i guess

if thats my only option i think il just put it on the car and hope for the best, would anything bad happen by trying to run powersteering on a rack thats been converted to manual?

 

[Murray]

If the piston has been removed then the power steering will just pump fluid around and wont make a difference.

 

[jesse888]

as murray say really. youll still have a manual rack, just a wet one lol

 

[civicx3]

i can hear the fluid moving around when turning it by hand, surely that would mean theres a piston inside?

 

[jesse888]

would assume so bud yes

 

[jesse888]

tbf a manual rack done properly isnt that common so youd be unlucky if it was.

 

[civicx3]

yeah true, more confident it hasnt been converted now so will chuck it on

 

[Murray]

As above it sounds like the piston was never removed so it was never converted properly to a manual rack.
Your rack should function ok with it all set back up