Pentosin volcano!

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

By special request for the "What's going on here?" department: My 86 5KS has
developed a great appetite for Pentosin - it is foaming in the resevoir and
out of the top where the car check sensor fits.

First thought was the resevoir gasket (which was shot), changed the gasket,
problem not abated. A call to one of the parts suppliers on the list
resulted in the following statement: "Well, I'm not a mechanic, but the reed
valve in the power steering pump is shot - happens all the time - you need a
new pump - just $300!" I looked at the cutaway drawing of the pump AND at a
spare pump graciously GIVEN to me by my local parts yard, and there's no
reed valve I have found, either on paper or in metal (or am I looking in the
wrong place?).

Obviously, I'd rather not do the shotgun approach of changing everything
until its fixed - pump, rack, brake booster, bomb, etc., because not even
Bill Gates could afford that approach on an Audi!

I'd rather be smart and ask on the list, hoping that someone else has had
and solved this problem - "Oh, yeah, that's the frammistat, costs three
bucks. Fix ya right up." (Dream on - but I'd sure appreciate some input on
this.)

Any suggestions on where to start looking? Loose fittings? Air leak?
Defective component - autocheck complains about brakes about 75% of the
time, but level is fine and effort OK, brakes work, PS works, rack boots not
full of fluid, everything SEEMS OK, but fluid is foaming joyously and I'm
getting about 40 miles (!) between adding Pentosin - to the correct level.

BTW, response on the 5000 coupe, cheap, was underwhelming, so we'll let him
keep it. Also, Bill Shields advises me that it is a 4000 - hey, if everyone
knew ALL the answers, what would we need this list for?

Dripping Pentosin from every pore (glub),

Mike Arman