Re: Keep it a 2.2 4-pot?...
properly sorted power steering only comes in handy in parking lots. once the car has any useful speed, assist just makes the steering feel sloppy.
and, because someone always responds with the fact that "major league race cars (notably f1) have power steering" when i make the above comment online....
F1 cars have power steering. they also have gumballs for tires, aero that causes the car to weigh twice as much at speed, and a steering ratio of about 1 turn lock to lock. when my "race car" with its 200 treadwear tires and 3.5+ turns lock to lock, starts doubling its weight at 50 mph...i'll consider putting power steering back in it.
Let me start by saying.... I agree with you.
However, it is my understanding that F1 cars actually have quite high steering ratios. This allows the drivers to make very fine adjustments.
Also, it may be 1 turn lock to lock (which has nothing to do with ratio), but that lock is drastically shorter than road cars. From my analysis, F1 cars have the turning radius of the titanic.
In other words, if your wheels only turned 10 degrees either direction, but had a 25:1 ratio, it could still be 1 turn lock to lock.
Again, I do agree with you. The steering force is drastically higher on an F1 car than a street based car.
Rob R.
Car #350 78 Chevy Malibu (Least horrible Yank Tank, Heroic Fix) (Gone)
Car # 556 1987 Mazda RX7 (6th place MMC 2013) (1st place Capitol Offense 2013)