I dont know if this will last a long time but the rack leak is totally stopped and holding well after 2 months.
This is a description on how I flushed the rack tube by the rubber boot. This is a CAM type rack and use F type fluid.
The cause: the teering rack rubber boot failed on the driver side. Some dirt got in there and interfered with the tube O-ring seal.
From a previous experience of the same problem on a 1981 I had given to my son, I tried to save or prolong this steering rack since fluid was replaced many times. I feel it is not worn.
What I did:
1- jack the front end, remove the left damaged boot and inner tie rod end
2- clean a replacement (used) boot and secure it on the rack with the plastic large band, bent the boot up and tie with a line, turn the steering wheel full left
3- fill the boot with new engine oil,
4- turn the steering many times from full left to full right in order to free as much dirt as possible
5- bent the boot down and turn steering many times full left/full right to expell most of the dirty oil, repeat until clean fluid come out, then remove boot and do a couple more left/right steering run as more fluid may be expelled out
6- use a long thin screw driver loaded with grease and cover the dented toot shaft by the steering pignion
7- put back inner tie rod end and make sure it is locked by punching in the lip, wipe dry new boot inside and outside with a clean rag
8- put everything back
9- add more or less 50 ml of engine stop leak to power steering fluid reservoir
This may not work on steering rack that never had fluid replaced regularly, severe wear may already have done extensive damage.
|