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Been fighting the power steering on my recent purchase - a 1990 740 wagon with 145K. The steering felt stiff when first driving the car - thought it might be the difference between the cam and zf rack, as I have noticed a difference in feel between various volvos I have owned. It just did not feel right. Bought it off ebay and had someone else pick it up - probably would not of bought if I had felt the steering and seen a shot exhaust system ( was not disclosed - but it's buyer beware).
Checked the power steering fluid and it was nasty (gray muck) to say the least. I went the route of changing the fluid by siphoning out the resevoir several times and have installed a magnefine filter (as per the 700 faqs) and thought I would give the filter a shot. I get no groaning or squealing from the pump - just a bit of a bump or hitch on right hand turns - it gets better as it warms up and the fluid is now much cleaner. Some small signs of leakage near the rack (going to get a good look today as I putting on an entire exhaust front to back and changing the kickdown cable and trans fluid.)
I am getting more suspicious of maybe a ball joint or tie rod end in the mix too? Right now the steering feels about as stiff as my 88 240 sedan used to be - assist is there, but higher effort. However, in contrast to my 86 240 wagon and both 850s - their effort is almost the one finger to roll the wheel?
Hope I am not looking at a new rack or pump...in all the Volvos I have owned I have never replaced a steering rack. Had a few leaky ones on the early 240s.
Bob Weber
14 Hughes Court
Hamilton, Ohio
55 Volvos since 1979
95 850 138K (being driven by a 20 year-old after wrecking a 240)
93 850 166K ($900 project car #2)
90 740 145K (daily runner project)
86 240 140K (it will never die - a sweetheart wagon - now the backup)
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