Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1998 12:49:57 -0500
Reply-To: ray.wei@US.PWCGLOBAL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Yi-Ruey Wei <ray.wei@US.PWCGLOBAL.COM>
Subject: Re: Power steering rack seals shot
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Kevin,
I've found VW may not have good quality like Japanese counterparts, but
the consistency of the quality (good or bad) is outstanding. No, I don't
have leak yet. But I found my rubber boots broke in '91 (40K miles). From
the way it broke I believe the factory anti-rust spray caused the failure.
I talked to VW dealer trying to recover some of my cost since it failed too
early and it's a poor workmanship with the anti-rust spray on the boots.
Of course they told me to get lost.
Don't feel bad about adding the 'off the shelf' ps fluid. I believe you
have had leaks at steering rack for a while (may be you have broken boots?)
and that's why your fluid were all gone. By adding the 'off the shelf' ps
fluid make it worse. And DO NOT USE ATF Dexron. Make sure to get the
VW/Audi 'very expensive' ps fluid from your dealer after flush out the old
fluid and put your new rack in. Audi used to have infamous steering rack
leaking problem caused by people adding regular ps fluid or ATF and those
were not friendly to the Audi rack seals.
Good luck,
Yi-Ruey Wei
87 Vanagon GL Syncro w/78K miles
85 Jetta GLI w/165K miles
Dallas, TX
Kevin Sullivan <ksull@WAVE.MBARI.ORG> on 08/18/98 05:04:32 AM
Please respond to Kevin Sullivan <ksull@WAVE.MBARI.ORG>
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
cc:
Subject: Power steering rack seals shot
...
My questions are:
Is this a typical problem, kinda like the head gasket ordeal?
Does anybody know of a cheaper alternative to replacing the whole
unit. Can it be rebuilt, are they readily available?
The problen started about a month ago when I turned the wheel and
heard the the classic dry cylinder noise. I had neglected to check
the fluid for a year and the reservoir was dry. I then added some
'off the shelf' power steering fluid instead of the ATF Dexron which
is spec'd by VW. Could this have caused the failure.
...
Kevin Sullivan
'87 syncro westy
Soquel, CA
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