[s-cars] Re: Weeping power steering cap question

[Adam Chovanak]

Bill et al,

I just went through addressing a long-weeping cap. The original o-ring had hardened and was noticeably chewed up. My not_so_friendly Audi dealer wanted $60 for a rebuild kit but would not try to match my O-ring. I tried to replace with similar looking O-rings soured from local auto shops only to have each blow a short while later spewing oil in my nice engine compartment (especially the sound-deadening mat)...

I decided to stop in at a Porsche/Audi dealer (Barrier in Bellevue, WA) who offered a neat looking green O-ring Porsche uses in a similar environment. The Porsche part # 999-707-252-40 with a list price of $12.51. Hope this helps.

Adam Chovanak
'95 S6 w/upgrades
'80 Gwagen



My experience with replacing the seal was also not good. Though I
remember from earlier posts, that some have had no problem with
replacing the seal, others have ended up with a new pump. Rebuilds are
available from some guy on the East Coast. Don't know the name right
off, but he told my mechanic that he sells a lot of post-seal
replacement units. The system operates under some ungodly high pressure
-- reasons known only by Hans and Fritz.

Probably worth a shot, but in my case the pumped spewed hydraulic oil
all over the engine compartment a very short while after the fix and car
was down a couple days waiting for the rebuild to arrive via FedEx. So,
as they say, ya pays your money and takes ya chances.

Bill Noland

>The plug is threaded and comes out (and goes back in) with a big damn
>screwdriver.  The seal is an o-ring, available from the dealer (!) for about
>a buck.
>
>I'm not sure the leaky o-ring isn't a harbinger of things to come - I had to
>replace the pump a short time after I fixed the plug.   I hope your luck is
>better.
>