I love being the center of attention but not like this.

Ok, ive been reading old posts for a few days now tryign to get a handle on where my power steering fluid was going. It got so bad that i cluld look under the car and see it running out in a constant stream. No good.

I got her in the air yesterday and you wont believe this.



the damn hose had dropped down and was being slowly cut in half by the power steering pump belt. I'll give that a 4 on the "This sucks-o-meter".

It wasnt too hard to fix, being that it was sunday my chanses of getting that hose when i needed it were not good. So i did my first custom repair



FIXED!!!!



For those of you who dont know PS fluid is the devil

I had it a the shop and the writer told me that i would need ot get teh a-arm replaced due to the leaking fluid ($210 parts + labor). I opted to not do it at that time but after looking at this mess i'm going to have it done asap.





I start to think i have this car licked, then this damn thing goes and kicks me in teh nuts again.

It seems I am missing a bolt on the rack or pinion or whatever this thing is.

That shiney hole should not be there, and fluid is just dribbling out.
No good. what goes there and who has one. I need it bad.

 

Looks like your passenger-side bushing on the front sway is shot too.

I don't know why the whole a-arm needs to be replaced, it looks like maybe just a new caster block and front bushing is in order. Get that hose replaced, and then clean everything up and access the damage.

 

Yup, had similar issue. PS fluid on mine ran down and required replacement of the A-arm, castor block, and the swaybar bushings. Rubber swells like a pig when soaked in PS fluid.

 

I'm right there with ya.

THe dude at eh shop showed me the a spare a-arm. THose bushing look to be a biotch to replace. Ide much rather pay for that one.

 

Actually I'd bet that pretty much any and all rubber pieces, hoses, bushings, etc. in that area of the car are failing now.

One of those pics looks like you have a coolant leak too, or is that from the disassembly?

One more reason to keep those engine bays clean! Oil, grease, etc. cause stuff to fail.

 

Kudos on your temp fix.

Update the caster arms to the 968 part number.

 

Will they even work on early arms? I think that is different. I could be mistaken though.................

 

Puhlease dont even jinx me. I took some pruning shears and just cut the PS hose. tht stuff shot everwhere. then combined with it just flowing while i drive the car mix it with dirt and you have a pretty ugly situation.

 

oh and what part goes in that hole?

 

I think that is the equalizer line fitting. See attached...

You need to get a handle on the leak before replacing all those rubber bits. If you don't - you'll be doing that same job twice.

This looks like a job for...RENNBAY!!

 

Would this be a good time for me to speak as to the wonders and pure unadulterated joy of having a manual steering rack?

 

Probably not...but you can put those arms on an 86 951..and 968 caster arms on an 86 951 so...maybe??

 

No - it wouldn't

Not that the non-assisted system isn't good. It does come at a cost. This is repairable. It just takes (where have I heard this before?) a bit of work and a lot of patience.

 

Yes, but you have to change the casters to early models when putting the early steelies on a 86 951 I believe, so that may kill that theory. Having never done it myself I cannot be counted on to be a sure-fire source though.

I do have 968 casters on my 86 951 alu arms (at least for a little while longer until I install the Charlie Arms and Elephant Racing billet casters).

 

Wait wait wait wait....let me get this straight.....are those *****?