Power Steering puddle under my car after first start in 6 months

[FFWD]

The car is on my 4-post lift with the tires on the runways. Can the two steering rack mounting bolts be undone while the suspension is loaded? And then will there be enough play to move it forward a couple of inches to get to that flare nut?

[jayjaya29]

No, you will have to unbolt the steering column from the steering rack to get the rack to move forward.

[FFWD]

No, you will have to unbolt the steering column from the steering rack to get the rack to move forward.

Right, but no problem doing that while the car is resting on the suspension? I actually have a new steering Giubo I can install while I'm in there.

[Cubieman]

Right, but no problem doing that while the car is resting on the suspension? I actually have a new steering Giubo I can install while I'm in there.

Just make sure to run the seatbelt or something else through your steering wheel so it cant turn and potentially break your clockspring while disconnected from the rack.

[jayjaya29]

Can just engage the steering lock with the key out of the ignition.

Ive never tried to remove a steering rack on a loaded suspension, but I dont see why it wouldnt work, the rack should have enough freedom with the tie rod inner and outer ball joints.

[davidinnyc]

I’ve rebuilt nearly fifty racks in the last two years for people, so my recommendation if you’re going to replace the crossover lines is to do it with the rack off the car. Lift the larger line off first starting with the side that attaches to the long rack tube first, then the end that inserts into the pinion shaft. Make sure you are getting new o-rings as well because these typically smooth out and harden over time.

Turn the pinion shaft to each extreme to get all the fluid out (it will shoot out because of the pressure so place a bag or a rag in front of the hydraulic crossover line exits). When reinstalling the crossover tubes, make sure you feel a “pop” when inserting to ensure the o-ring slips into place, then tighten the threaded locks until snug since there’s no torque setting for these lines.

David

[FFWD]

Just make sure to run the seatbelt or something else through your steering wheel so it cant turn and potentially break your clockspring while disconnected from the rack.

Can just engage the steering lock with the key out of the ignition.

Ive never tried to remove a steering rack on a loaded suspension, but I dont see why it wouldnt work, the rack should have enough freedom with the tie rod inner and outer ball joints.

Thanks, I heard about locking the steering to avoid clockspirng damage and was going to rely on the built-in steering lock by just removing he key. I'm guessing the seatbelt is for dedicated track cars with the OEM ignition lock removed? I'm also planning on unlocking the tilt mechanism to allow the steering shaft to move in/out and up/down if that will help in removal fo the giubo - unless it's better to leave it locked (steering wheel is set as far down and forward as possible).

[FFWD]

I’ve rebuilt nearly fifty racks in the last two years for people, so my recommendation if you’re going to replace the crossover lines is to do it with the rack off the car. Lift the larger line off first starting with the side that attaches to the long rack tube first, then the end that inserts into the pinion shaft. Make sure you are getting new o-rings as well because these typically smooth out and harden over time.

Turn the pinion shaft to each extreme to get all the fluid out (it will shoot out because of the pressure so place a bag or a rag in front of the hydraulic crossover line exits). When reinstalling the crossover tubes, make sure you feel a “pop” when inserting to ensure the o-ring slips into place, then tighten the threaded locks until snug since there’s no torque setting for these lines.

David

Thanks for the tips. The new hard lines include new o-rings. I originally thought I could flare my own out of the copper/nickel lines I have for the brakes, but then saw the o-rings and figured maybe it's not worth trying and ending up having to do the job all over again. Maybe if they were easier to get to. So I went with a set of OE lines/pipes.

[FFWD]

This steering leak might drive a whole lot of extra work I hadn't planned. If the rack needs to come out to replace those hard lines, then in addition to the steering shaft giubo, I might want to replace the tie rods and steering rack boots. And if the subframe reinforcement plate needs to come out for the steering rack to come out, and I can't reuse those 12 one-time use bolts, then I might as well replace the engine and transmission mounts while it's off. I also see that the VANOS accumulator needs to come off to get the new engine mount in, but "luckily" I need to replace mine anyways and got a new (used) one...

[FFWD]

Welp, i think I might be adding FCAB’s to the list. All of those torque to yield bolts came out easily except the two that go into the FCAB’s. Both gave me a hard time - the passenger side snapped right away and the driver side snapped just as I thought it was almost out. I guess galvanic corrosion between the steel bolts and the aluminum popsicles on top of the steel bolts being torqued so much. I’ll try drilling them out with reverse drill bits but I suspect it will be a lot less hassle to just replace the lollipops with the old ones I had before these were installed, and press in new bushings.

[oceansize]

Welp, i think I might be adding FCAB’s to the list. All of those torque to yield bolts came out easily except the two that go into the FCAB’s. Both gave me a hard time - the passenger side snapped right away and the driver side snapped just as I thought it was almost out. I guess galvanic corrosion between the steel bolts and the aluminum popsicles on top of the steel bolts being torqued so much. I’ll try drilling them out with reverse drill bits but I suspect it will be a lot less hassle to just replace the lollipops with the old ones I had before these were installed, and press in new bushings.

Did you use an impact by chance? On those I typically hand loosen.

[FFWD]

Did you use an impact by chance? On those I typically hand loosen.

It was a combination of hand and impact. I started with the passenger side and it wouldn't budge with a breaker bar, so I switched to my DeWalt impact on medium setting and it started to budge, so I worked it back and forth until it started to move noticeably. Then I switched back to the breaker bar and while turning it back and forth about half a turn, it snapped. When I tried the driver's side, I ended up using the impact most of the time, switching to the breaker bar a quarter turn back and forth to free it up when the impact got stuck. Again, it was when I was turning with the breaker bar that it snapped, but at least I got it about halfway out. To be honest, I could have been a little more patient, but it was 34 C feeling like 44 (111F), and I was drenched in sweat and being showered by rust dust.

[davidinnyc]

It was a combination of hand and impact. I started with the passenger side and it wouldn't budge with a breaker bar, so I switched to my DeWalt impact on medium setting and it started to budge, so I worked it back and forth until it started to move noticeably. Then I switched back to the breaker bar and while turning it back and forth about half a turn, it snapped. When I tried the driver's side, I ended up using the impact most of the time, switching to the breaker bar a quarter turn back and forth to free it up when the impact got stuck. Again, it was when I was turning with the breaker bar that it snapped, but at least I got it about halfway out. To be honest, I could have been a little more patient, but it was 34 C feeling like 44 (111F), and I was drenched in sweat and being showered by rust dust.

Honestly you can just install the underside tray when you’re all wrapped up vs. buying new FCABs unless you know they need to be replaced. You won’t lose any protection or strength by not having those two bolts securing the plate to the underside of the car because there are 10 other bolts!

[bigjae46]

You got off lucky. Just weld a nut on to the end and heat up the FCAB housing a bit.

Before you replace the crossover lines, check the rack pinion seal. That is a far more likely leak point that the hardlines.

[FFWD]

Honestly you can just install the underside tray when you’re all wrapped up vs. buying new FCABs unless you know they need to be replaced. You won’t lose any protection or strength by not having those two bolts securing the plate to the underside of the car because there are 10 other bolts!

That would save me a lot of time and those bushings are practically new - sort of (they might only have 500 kms on them, but were installed about 5 years ago just before I stopped driving it regularly). Since BMW calls it the "suspension subframe reinforcement plate", and the only part of the suspension that connects to it is the FCABS, I figured it was important.