[V6-12v] Leaky steering rack?

[Elvis Palombizio]

Thanks Frank and everyone who responded! I'll check this out and update the
list.. Hopefully this is what it is :)

-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Chapchuk [mailto:chapchuk at hotmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 1:49 PM
To: epalombizio at yahoo.com
Cc: V6-12v at Audifans.Com
Subject: RE: [V6-12v] Leaky steering rack?

E,

I thought my rack was leaking too (maybe because I replaced about 5 of them 
on my 5000) but it turned out to be the high pressure hose. Feel the hose. 
If it has fliud on it that may be your problem. You won't be able to "see" 
the leak as the hose is some sort of double walled high pressure hose. I got

the hose (over $235 at the dealer) from rockauto.com for $69. If the rack is

your problem, they can be had for $250 - $300 at jorgenauto.com. Either way,

the job isn't too bad.

Below are a mixture of procedures I used from the archives: Some steps may 
not pertain to your exact model - but you can get the general idea.

Frank

Power Steering Hose Replacement

I believe the hose is leaking due to deterioration. What happens is that due

to age + heat the inner layer of this high pressure hose is starting to leak

and the fluid follows the path between the inner and the outer rubber layer.

Impossible to see actually where it is leaking, but the oil spill will 
normally take place just behind the engine. Solution is to change the hose 
which runs through the V-of the engine (under the plastic cover).

Sounds like the hose you are talking about. It has a connection right along 
the fuel rail on the passenger side of the engine under the plastic cover.

I just replaced mine, it is quite common for these to leak. I removed the 
plastic air intake from the back of the engine and also removed the brake 
booster. I thought about trying it without removing the booster, but decided

it would be more trouble than it's worth. I am glad I did remove the booster

as the hose is very accessible with the booster removed, and there was a lot

of dirt and grease around the connection to the rack that I was able to 
clean off before removing the old hose.

The job was easier than I anticipated. The hardest part is getting the 
booster out, and back in again.

Remove the plastic air intake (at the throttle body) and also remove the big

vacuum hose at the rear of the drivers side valve cover. Move any 
hoses/connectors that look like they may get in the way of the booster out 
of the way.

Dissconnect the 2 brake lines from the master cylinder and gently bend them 
out of the way. Also, prop the hood up with a suitable 2x4 and remove the 
hood mount that screws into the strut (this will give you a little extra 
room to remove the booster)

Inside the car remove the plastic cover under the drivers side dash, and 
remove the footwell vent & light.Remove the pin that attaches the brake 
pedal to the arm from the booster. The pin is held in by a clip that you 
slide off.

Remove the foam plug at the firewall where the brake booster arm goes 
through. There are 4 nuts behind the foam that you need to remove. This is 
the hard part. I used a combination of extensions and swivels to get to the 
nuts.

Once the nuts have been removed the brake booster is free. You will have to 
gently push the steel brake lines out of the way as well as some vacuum 
lines as you fanagle the booster out of the firewall.

Once the booster is out you will have a clear shot at the end of the hose 
where it goes into the rack. This is where the banjo bolt is.

I suggest you clean the area around the banjo bolt so that no dirt gets into

the system when you remove the hose. Be sure to use new copper washers on 
the banjo bolt.

Once you have everything back together. Add power steering fluid as needed. 
Jack up both front wheels and turn the steering wheel from lock to lock 
several times(engine off, then on) to bleed the system. After you have done 
this, lower the car, add fluid as needed and idle the car until warm with 
the wheels pointed straight ahead. Re check the fluid level. Any air still 
in the system will bleed as you drive, just keep checking the fluid level 
often for a few days.


Power Steering Rack

1.Follow procedure for removing power strreing hose.
2.Center the steering (not crucial to alignment but for ease of removing tie

rod plate).
3.Remove the two bolts holding the tie rods to the rack. You have to bend 
the tabs of the lock plate out to get access to the bolt heads. I used a 
variety of screwdrivers and a chisel with a big hammer. If you forgot to get

a new lock plate (like me) you should take care that you don't destroy the 
one you've got. The nut and bolt running vertically through the lock plate 
and tie rod bracket should be loosened but need not be removed. Then you can

remove the assembly from the rack. Tape the tie rod ends to something, but 
keep in mind that you'll probably need to move them around at stages during 
removal and installation. You don't need to remove either tie rod.
4.	Remove the flange tube, which connects the steering column to the
rack.
5.	Disconnect the hydraulic lines.
6.	Put the car up on jackstands (you don't need space under the car,
you 
just need to unload the wheels). Remove right-front wheel, where the rack 
will come out.
7.	Unbolt the rack from the car. The rack is now free.
8.	Go get your helper, if not already there. Begin the game of getting
the 
rack out through the tie rod hole in the fender well. We found that you 
must:
1.	pull the passenger's side end of the rack forward a little, then up
high, 
and then pushing the big bunch of cables underneath it (those are hard to 
clear)
2.	wiggle the rack from both ends until you get the pass. end out the
tie 
rod hole.
3.	rotate the rack (about its lengthwise axis) as needed to clear hoses
and 
such, till the rack is mostly out
4.	rotate the rack till the column-end is pointing down, and then tilt
the 
whole rack till it will come out the fender
9.	Before you even think about putting the new rack in, do the
following to 
the new rack:
1.	Practice getting the flange tube onto the new rack. Note that it is 
sort-of keyed; it only goes on at one angle. The fit will be very tight at 
first, because of all the paint on the rebuilt rack. Keep pounding the 
flange tube on (gently) until you can get it on and off easily, because it 
won't be so easy once it's in the car.
2.	Connect the tie rod bracket assembly to the new rack. The tough part
is 
getting the bracket connected to the boot. While one person stretches the 
boot, the other can push the bracket into one hole at a time. Again, I don't

know how you would do this once the rack is in the car. Then screw the two 
bolts into the rack, just to hold everything in place for later.
3.	Connect the return line to the new rack, at the proper angle and
with new 
crush washers. You may want to connect the pressure line, too, because it's 
tough to do later, but I found it too difficult to get the rack in with the 
pressure line connected. You really can connect the line later, though with 
some difficulty.
10.	Putting the new rack in is, of course, the reverse of removal, but
it's 
just plain tougher with the hoses and tie rod bracket attached. But it 
really is worth it! We actually goofed and put it in without those pieces, 
and then had to take it all the way back out. Don't do that. You may find it

necessary to turn the input shaft until you drive the tie rod bracket to a 
convenient location for negotiating all the tight spaces. It will tend to 
hang up on the wastegate. I even loosened one tie rod bolt and tightened the

other at times, to angle the lock plate so that it would clear things. It 
will fit.
11.	Once it's in place, bolt it to the car first. Since you've got that 
wheel off, it shouldn't be hard to remember to have the car up in the air, 
but in case it isn't, the Bentley says "steering assembly must be free of 
strain while tightening."
12.	Now bolt the pressure line to the rack. times, and then removed the
tape 
once the bolt started in the threads. This made it much easier.
13.	By removing one bolt at a time, loosely bolt the tie rods to the tie
rod 
bracket and all. If you leave one bolt screwed in at all times, it keeps the

bracket lined up on the rack, so that it's easy to screw the other bolt in. 
At this point you get your reward for having negotiated the tie rod bracket 
past the wastegate and other obstructions. Do not torque the bolts all the 
way yet: "tighten with vehicle standing on wheels," Bentley says.
14.	Connect the flange tube to the rack and the steering column. Since
the 
shaft and the flange tube are keyed, you have to get the right 
orientation--but you don't have to worry about the steering wheel ending up 
at some funny angle. Just be sure to put the key in so that the steering 
wheel can rotate. And don't put the bolt into the flange tube until you've 
already got it on the shaft; it won't go on very far with the bolt in. 
You'll need an assistant to push down on the steering wheel while you 
connect the flange tube, so that the steering wheel is down all but 1/8" of 
the way. Other listers have warned to be careful not to break off the turn 
signal cancel tab; I don't know if it's easy to break, but I'll mention that

warning here. I didn't have any such problems.
15.	Lower the car to the ground. Reconnect the windshield washer bottle
and 
hydraulic reservoir.
16.	Now torque the tie rod bolts up all the way. Bend the tabs of the
lock 
plate over the tie rod bolts.
17.	That should finish the reassembly. All that's left is to pour fresh 
Pentosin in and bleed the system, i.e. start the car and turning the 
steering lock to lock, adding fluid as needed. I would agree that you should

do this with the front wheels off the ground, to be nice to your new rack. 
Check for leaks. Enjoy.




----Original Message Follows----
From: "Elvis Palombizio" <epalombizio at yahoo.com>
To: <v6-12v at audifans.com>
Subject: [V6-12v] Leaky steering rack?
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 19:26:58 -0400

Hey all,
	The 'wife's' 95 A6 avant hit 100k and it looks like the steering
rack is leaking some hydra fluid. The leak occurs whether the car is on or
not, right behind the drivers wheel well..
	Anything I can do short of replacing the rack? Anyone have a BTDT on
replacing it or how much it costs, how long it takes?

Help is much appreciated!!

E

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