Greetings!

One of my 89 wagons has a stiff steering problem! Upon further investigating i discovered that i have fluid leakage. It appears in drops and not all at once. Also the reservoir appears to be working in conjuction with the pump, because i can hear a whirling sound when i found the reservoir to be empty. Upon fillling it up i noticed a bunch of small air bubbles begining to surface. So do i have a simple hose connection/faulty issue, or worse is it my rack. The steering knuckle, ps pump connections, pulley and belt appear to be ok? I have to locate the direct source of the leakage. What are the typicals in cases such as these? It just happened so i intend on looking into it further, please help! 1989 740 GL wagon(NON-TURBO)8 valve 285,000 miles.


Best Regards

1988 740 GLE (non-turbo 8 valve) 423,000 MILES

1989 740 GL wagon (same as above) 360,000 miles
1989 740 GL wagon (same as above) 285,000 miles

7x3,

The donor rack should work fine. If this is your first rack replacement it could take you most of a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I've done a few and the last rack I pulled at the P&P took ten minutes to remove and I installed it in about 1/2 hour. Take your time and follow the instructions in the 700/900 FAQ on rack replacement and you should do just fine. Good Luck.

SevenX3

Typically a leaking rack will leak into the rubber tie rod boots. Remove the clamps or zip ties holding these in place and look for fluid in the boots. You should also check the seal at the center top of the rack where the steering linkage connects. My 87 700 had a very bad leak there. Also check the two hydraulic line connections at the rack. Don't over tighten these if loose ... the threads in the rack can strip out. If your rack is bleeding into it's boots or from the top seal a new/rebuilt or used rack is the only practical solution. Rebuilt racks are $200 ... My Pick and Pull asks $40 for any used rack and occasionally has a half price sale. Not a difficult repair ... check steering in 700/900 FAQ. Hopes this helps.

You will have to trace the leak. In all likelihood, your rack is dying.

THANKS GUYS! I have a donor 1988 740 GLE rack, will this work for my 89 740 GL? And how long of a job is it to remove/re-install?

Best Regards