Power steering pump pressure and return lines...

["Gerard van Vaugh" <gerard@acenet.co.za>]

Hi!

I've known for a while that I need to rebuild
my steering pump. It is pretty noisy from
within the engine bay, can be heard on the
highway and can also be felt growling when
turning. Must be bad to be heard at highway
pace and noise.

I've just got off the phone from the Audi
agents' parts division and I've been quoted
the following:

     pressure hose (reservoir -> pump) $150
     return hose (pump -> reservoir)   $85
     sealing washers                   $3 ea.
     power steering v-belt             $15

I have always had a leak on the hose coming
out of the lower edge of the reservoir and
would like to have this checked when the pump
is reconditioned. (Recon, BTW, is $120 cheapest
with 6 month guarantee, and $40 labour for
removing and refitting the pump).

Yes, I'm a cheapskate. The above prices might
look cheap or decent in US dollars, but it is
another story from my South African point of
view. So, I'd like to know if these hoses/pipes
are special in any way or can I pick them up
at any hydraulic supply shop? Any makers of
non-agent hydraulic lines for the 1990 200?
What type of shop doors should I start
knocking on?

Will also be doing the removal and refitting
myself to save money that can be applied
elsewhere of the scrap metal, such as the
brake pressure accumulator rebuild.

Pentosin: the 1990 200 requires the green
gold, right? Or is it some other fluid? I'll
do the bleeding myself (danger zone ahead!).
The brake bomb also gets fluid from the
reservoir, right? Any precautions to take
note of when bleeding the hydraulic system?

I'm in an office now with only a Haynes at
my disposal. Just would like to know where all
the lines coming out the hydraulic pump go to.
There are 3, a pressure line, return line and
damper line. I assume that damper line heads
to the accumulator. Or am I off the track again?
Haynes shows a return point at the reservoir
that comes from the accumulator. Also indicates
on the 4-cylinder car layout that the damper
line meets up with a high pressure hose. Any
of this stuff related to the auto tranny? On
Monday the mechanic told me something like
"pressure hose to the tranny is leaking from
the reservoir". Keh?

Thanks in advance. Just looking to save some
cash for other repairs and learn something
in the process. Cash can go towards tracking
down the oil pressure problem, which reared
its head this afternoon as soon as the motor
when to about 90 celcius. On cooling down a
bit (via use of the aircon switch to run the
fan ... ah, another place to put some money
into ... a new resistor pack!) the pressure
came right again. Ack!

G.