Air in the hydraulic system - yikes!

[Peter Golledge]

Bob,

As others have said...  Odds are very, very high it is the pump.  Rebuild
kit is ~ $25 from what I recall.  Rebuild is not a huge issue, but it can
take a couple of hours if things are gummed up.  

You have to press off/on the pulley and you need a "drag link socket" for
the piston caps which can be obtained easily enough.  I can dig up the
HOW-TO if required.

Regards

-----Original Message-----
From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com] On
Behalf Of Kunz, Bob
Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 1:57 PM
To: quattro at audifans.com
Subject: Air in the hydraulic system - yikes!

Hi all,

Been trying to diagnose this problem on my '86 5Ks avant. The first symptom
was fluid overflow from the reservoir which I thought would be the
accumulator not holding its fluid charge. Tested that out and it is fine.

It appears that air is getting mixed in somewhere in the system. The return
flow from the steering rack is charged with air since it bubbles up in the
reservoir and causes the fluid to foam and increase its volume. The only
explanation I can come up with is a leak on the vacuum side of the system
which is really only the one line from the reservoir to the pump. I have
replaced that line with no change.

Could the pump itself be the problem? Perhaps a crack on the vacuum side of
it? I can't think of anything else since the rest of the system is always
under pressure. There are no leaks of fluid anywhere else. Of course the
steering rack exhibits some air lock symptoms now (hard to initiate turns).
Anybody BTDT and have a solution?

--bob

'86 5Ks avant
'02 TTQR
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