Louie Lungbubble 0 Posted November 21, 2004 Was fighting through traffic to get home earlier when my car started making all kinds of totured howls. Seemed to scream louder when the steering wheel was turned. Eventually got back home and in the last 50 yards had little or no power steering at all. Had a butchers under the bonnet, and have found a leak from the hose under the power steering fluid resovoir and it was completeley empty. :roll: Question is, will i kill the power steering pump if i drive to the VW dealers tomorrow to get the bits for the job? (5 miles) Also, does it HAVE to be VW, or will any other stuff do? Cheers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Supercharged 2 Posted November 21, 2004 Probably - PAS pumps don't like being run dry... Yes, use the VAG stuff (green), not expensive, you'll need at least 2 litres. DO NOT use ATF fluid! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevemac 0 Posted November 21, 2004 Could well have been the PAS pump making all the noise.. :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Louie Lungbubble 0 Posted November 21, 2004 Ok, Vag stuff it is. What's the difference between this and atf fluid though? Seem to remember the resovoir had atf written on top of it. And yes Steve, it could've been the pump, but I'm hoping it'll shut up howling when i give it a drink. Fingers crossed! :| Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reggit 0 Posted November 21, 2004 Is it not possible to disconnect the belt drive to the power steering pump and drive it? albeit with very heavy steering. Or does the same belt run water pump/alternator as well? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g-dub 0 Posted November 21, 2004 you can remove the power steering pump just by taking the belt off, it only runs the pump so no problems there just heavy steering Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gman 0 Posted November 21, 2004 Y should you not use ATF?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevemac 0 Posted November 21, 2004 Y should you not use ATF?? Because it rots the seals used on VW steering equipment.. :shock: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevemac 0 Posted November 21, 2004 And yes Steve, it could've been the pump, but I'm hoping it'll shut up howling when i give it a drink. Fingers crossed! :| Hopefully you're right, although steering pumps don't like being run dry & it may now be fcuked. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Louie Lungbubble 0 Posted November 23, 2004 Thank Gorrd for that... Trimmed the end off a split hose and changed a jubilee clip to stop the leak, topped up the res with Hulk blood, and away we went. :) The pump doesn't sound any worse for it's scrape with dryness, and hopefully should last as long as it was ever going to. What's the score with bleeding though? Went lock to lock a few times with the lid off the resovoir. Is that it, or is there anything else I should've done? Cheers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevemac 0 Posted November 24, 2004 Louie Lungbubble, So far as I'm aware (although I've never done it), the steering system is self bleeding. Moving the rack from lock to lock a few times should be all you need to do. :wink: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Louie Lungbubble 0 Posted November 25, 2004 Bugger. Looks like I spoke too soon. Checked the power steering fluid level earlier, and it's on the way down again! Leak's not coming from the pipe I tightened up, but somewhere else I can't quite see. Friggin thing's in the garage now getting looked over (or under as the case may be) So. If the worst case scenario comes off, and I need a new PAS pump, can I use one off a 1.8 16V Golf? Not that it'd help me to find a second hand one any easier. Suppose they're getting as scarce as Rado's now. :roll: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bobby 0 Posted November 25, 2004 i've got a spare one if your interested pm me, bobby :D p.s the 16v golf ones are exactly the same Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Louie Lungbubble 0 Posted November 25, 2004 Nice one Bobby. If the diagnosis aint good, you may well be getting that PM. :salute: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Louie Lungbubble 0 Posted November 25, 2004 Nightmare! Just got off the phone to the garage, and apparently one of the pipes on the steering rack had worn through. Garage bloke gets on to VW only to be told they don't sell this pipe seperately, you have to buy the whole rack! :shock: Surely that can't be right? Anyway they're supposedly getting a pipe made up, so it'll be tomorrow when i get the car back. :( Dy'a reckon they're pulling my leg over this pipe though? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted November 25, 2004 I'm guessing the pipe you're talking about is the one that runs from end of the rack to other? I wouldn't be surprised if VW only sell that with a rack but you can always pilfer that pipe off a knackered rack from a scrappy, or get one made up. Needs to be made man enough to contain PAS fluid pressure, which is high. How did it wear through? K Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Louie Lungbubble 0 Posted November 25, 2004 God only knows. Probably gnawed through by mischievious chav snails in a revenge attack for the slug pellets I put down in the garden. Damn those invertibrate mollusc maniacs! :mad: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted November 25, 2004 Yeah you need to watch out for those Snails with burberry shells :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
