Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 16:11:07 +0000
Reply-To: Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Finkbiner <mike_l_f@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Power Steering Rack Balance Line Popping Off
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Volks -
I have an '87 Westy. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a whining noise from
the rear which got louder when I turned the wheels. The power steering
reservoir was quite low. When I filled it up, the noise went away, so I
drove about 50 miles on the highway. The noise was back, and the reservoir
down again.
I re-filled it, drove 50 miles home and took it to Randy, my mechanic. He
discovered that the pressure balancing tube on the top of the PS rack had
popped loose at one end. Thinking I might have had an odd bounce from a
chunk of ice or some other unusual occurance, he popped it back in, refilled
and tested the system.
It seemed to work OK. I drove around town for a bit and checked for leaks.
No problems, so I drove the same 50 highway miles.
The noise was back and the reservoir down again. Randy hasn't looked at it
yet, but I assume the line has popped out again. When we talked about it
this morning, he said he had not run into this before, and the line just
seemed to press in. As it is a line to return fluid from one side of the
rack to the other, it shouldn't be under much pressure.
Bentley doesn't show any means of fastening the line down, or mention it in
the troubleshooting section that I can see.
Randy is willing to JB weld it in, or something like that, but we are both
concerned that if this is a symptom of a problem inside the rack that I
could be asking for trouble.
Has anyone run into this before? If so, is there a good solution other than
replacing/rebuilding the rack? How about damage to the PS pump from running
low on fluid these several times? The reservoir has never been empty, but
it has been down to an inch in the bottom.
Any help would be appreciated!
- Mike
Mike Finkbiner
'87 Westy
Moscow, Idaho
mike_l_f@hotmail.com
I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education. - Wilson Mizener
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