Noticed steering heavy at times on turns got under car power steering oil coming out of the rack on the left and right sides at the rubber tie rod boots leaking from the inside end of the boots. Does that mean i need a new rack.?

Saw my local mechanic today, he will take the rack off and have it rebuilt for me, dropping of car tomorrow night. He said about $300 Australian dollars to have it rebuilt.

Dear Volvo426,

Hope you're well. How much power steering fluid leaks: a few drops, or more? If there is a "puddle" of fluid, then the rack likely needs to be replaced.

Is this a 940 or a 960? If a 940, is the rack CAM or KOYO (see rack dataplate).

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Big puddle one side coming out fast. Drips on the other side its a 940 wagon.
cam rack

Please try Jorgen Auto should you want to go quality re-manufactured.

http://www.jorgenauto.com/rack-pinion/volvo.html

New inner and outer tie rods, new inner rod boots and boot zip ties and clamps, new seals, everything greased up right in the reman racks these folks build.

Also, you can use synthetic, yet use the proper synthetic type in the TRW or KOYO CAM type rack. In your Volvo 940 owner manual very the fluid type.

If you have a TRW CAM rack, I think the owner manual specifies Ford "Type F" auto trans fluid in the power steering pump. Many universal power steering fluids are a blend of lubricant properties and may not work like the owner manual specific power steering fluid. Yet you can use a synthetic "Type F".

If you are replacing the rack, it may not hurt to consider replacing or having the power steering lines rebuilt with new high pressure hydraulic line.

With the rack removed, and awaiting rebuilt power steering lines, you could also take a look at other wear items:
- Engine (and transmission) mounts.
- Harmonic Balancer Crank Pulley - how's the bushing material?
- Accessory item (AC, Alternator) bushings

If the power steering pump pulley has much play or you can wiggle it side to side, the pump may be worn, and you may want to replace that also.

cheers,

dud.

If it is a big puddle then the rack probably needs replacement. As a last resort, you could try flushing it and replacing the fluid with synthetic ATF. That stopped a less serious leak in my 850's rack.

Dear Volvo426,

Hope you're well. Methinks the race needs to be replaced. A CAM rack can be replaced with a TRW unit.

A KOYO unit can be made to fit, with some effort. Search for posts by "lucid", who did this work.

To ease rack removal, saturate with a penetrating oil (e.g., PB Blaster, Kroil), the bolts that secure the rack to the frame member. Also saturate - daily, for several days - the locking nuts that secure the tie rod ends.

Before removing the tie-rod ends, count the number of threats netwee the locking nuts and the start of the threads. That will ensure that the alignment is about right, and enable you to drive to a place that can re-set the alignment.

Finally, flush the power steering system to remove any metal fragments, etc. Inspect the hoses: now is the time to replace hoses, which if factory-original, do not owe you a penny.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

"A KOYO unit can be made to fit, with some effort. Search for posts by "lucid", who did this work."

Good luck searching - I get nowhere with it here lately.

But my recollection of that "KOYO effort" is that the problem was caused by (unknowingly) trying to replace a ZF with a KOYO. The Koyo rack fit OK, but the problem was in getting the (ZF formed) lines attached at the (new) KOYO rack. Some bending was needed, but it as barely doable*.

My mistake was rooted in the belief that the small outer ends on the rack boots meant we had a CAM/TRW or KOYO rack to replace. Only after the new KOYO was in place did I discover the embossed "ZF" on the greasy old rack (with CAM-type rack boots ) on the floor.

* The actual problem came in connecting the old ZF hoses to the new KOYO rack, where the threaded holes for the Pressure and Return line fittings are swapped 180°.



--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

As I remember, (as you wrote) the supply and return lines to the rack are swapped between ZF and Koyo. If a person is going to exchange those racks, he should get the hydraulic hoses correct for the rack. Then it is easy.
--
john

I put a CAM into a 93 that had a Koyo. Side note, all 93-94 940's out here I have seen have had Koyo. That was a replacement rack in a nice 760 at the JY; I got lucky. After 7 plus years, that rack is now in its 4th car, and works perfectly.

I'd not put one (Koyo) in, I'd more want to take it out and put in a CAM; parts are and will be easier to find, especially the hp lines.
As has been said, the lines are reversed at the rack; one can be moved, the other from the pump has to be replaced.

Dear lucid,

Hope you're well. I sit corrected!! I recalled the post and was impressed that you were got everything "buttoned-up", despite fitings of different manufactures.

That is a plumbing tour-de-force.

Yours faithfully,

Spook