PRESSURE TESTING POWER STEERING PUMP

[Drew Boyd]

Yes i suppose you are correct Roy, but for a tool that youll use once
in your life it is in fact cost prohibitive (assuming a "shadetree
mechanic" situation).

the power steering system is unbelievably simple and that sort of tool
isnt really required. a weak pump is easily discovered. and youve
already mentioned 99.9 percent of failure indications... a leak.



On 4/27/05, E. Roy Wendell IV <erwendell at mac.com> wrote:
> To the contrary, pressure gauges in the required range are available
> from many industrial suppliers for about 100 - 200 dollar range. Try
> looking up Grainger, McMaster-Carr, and MSC or the nearest heavy
> equipment hydraulic shop. The trick is adapting said gauge to the odd
> Audi fittings. I'd cut a spare Audi hose in half myself and have a
> fitting that matches the gauge installed by the local hydraulic shop.
> As you may already know, the Bentley manual lists the nominal pressures
> and where and how they should be measured.
> 
> For the steering, there's only two components, rack and pump. The usual
> route of failure is leaking so no testing required. The braking system
> is a different issue, and where I will apply a pressure gauge next time
> I don't want to throw parts at the problem. On my last go around with
> type 44 hydraulics I ended up blowing the pump seals twice and a new
> line once because the pressure relief valve in the bomb jammed/clogged.
> Rather than figuring it out by way component failure analysis and parts
> swapping a gauge would have told me the story right away.
> 
> Roy
> 
> > From: Drew Boyd <qu4ttro at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: PRESSURE TESTING POWER STEERING PUMP
> > To: Jeff Babcock <jbabcock at ispwest.com>
> > Cc: quattro at audifans.com
> > Message-ID: <14911cfe05042616333325e32a at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> > in general, you dont.  power steering systems run in excess of 1200psi
> > of the high pressure side. while there are tools to test it, they are
> > cost prohibitive even for most shops.
> >  Dodge PU, D-250, 318, auto
> >     85 Audi 4k - - sold but still on the road
> >     88 Audi 5kq
> >     90 Audi 100q
> 
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