Good morning all

After a nice drive home from a mates yesterday i noticed that the power steering pump was making a nice whine. Having owned a Calibra in my past i quickly recognised that the power steering fluid must have developed a leak and got low. Once home i checked the resevoir to find it as empty as my plate on Curry night

a quick hunt around under the car confirmed my suspicions and i found the nearside end gaiter of the steering rack was nicely covered in a film of power steering fluid :(

My question to all you lovely chaps is this, Is it a common fault? Or im just unlucky. Do you think it may require a new rack or could a pipe have split and run down to this point on the rack? I did check as throughly as possible to find the source of the leak but to no avail, it just looks to be weaping from the end of the rack.

If i do need a new rack is there such a thing as a quick rack for these cars as i have always found the steering a bit lazy and un responsive?

Thanks in advance.

Kind Regards

Garry

(Car details in Sig)

Doh. Looks like one off problem on my car then,

Shall stick some more fluid in it tonight, pop it on some ramps in the workshop and see if i cant spot where the leak is coming from.

Keep you posted.

Kind Regards

Garry

Give it a chance lol

You can get a TT quick rack iirc.

I know VRSphil had one on his, a pm his way might be an idea

TT QUICKRACK SUBFRAME INSTALL PIC HEAVY - uk-mkivs

That might be of some help... looks like a lot of work though :thumbdwn:

I don't think it's a common fault.

That might be of some help... looks like a lot of work though :thumbdwn:

Although I think on the octy it's as easy as just changing the rack.

I ducked out as I couldn't get a rack quick enough.

We need Phil too let us know really.

Cheers for the replies everyone. The TT rack change does look promising. I have always found the turn in slow and lazy on our cars and not very connected. Hopefully the TT rack will go someway to curing this

I shall see if it is definatly the rack that is goosed tonight and take it from their. On the one hand i want it to be as simple as a pipe as its alot cheaper, but on the other hand a better rack is very tempting

Any ideas where i may get a TT rack, Audi i guess.

Garry

Any ideas where i may get a TT rack, Audi i guess.

Garry

Yes but you had better take out a second mortgage lol

Circa £500-600 for brand new iirc.

Thats not so bad. If it needs a new rack Skoda just quoted me £450.00 for a standard one so i dont mind paying the extra to get a better product.

Will try breakers and the second hand market first tho

Kind Regards

Garry

Let us know if you do go for a TT rack if it improves the turn in, I've always found the turn in to be shocking on the vRS too.

Agreed. The rest of my car is all up to spec, fully polybushed, H&R Coilovers, Quaife ATB and yet it still does not turn in or handle as positively as a standard Ford Focus.

Shall keep you posted and do a fitting guide if it does come to it

Kind Regards

Garry

hi just reading your steering troubles , there is an additive i use and swear by in my garage,its called LUCAS power steering stop leak . (guaranteed to stop all leaks or your money back)

its American in a white bottle with red and blue writing.trust me i dont usually recomend "additives" but this one realy works. not immieadete (a couple of days )

i buy it from my local Wilco parts shop at £9.99 a bottle.

they have a website wich may list a stockest close to you

WWW.LucasOil.com. If it is the rack this is for you,

it also cures "tight spots" in a rack . wich i spent ages trying to cure ,ball joints , universal joint link, track rod ends etc . a bottle of this later ,SORTED

hope this helps

For a short term fix that sounds okay. But sadly im a total perfectionist so i will know that something is wrong and it will bug me until its properly fixed tho

Thanks for advice and welcome to the site.

Kind Regards

Garry

For a short term fix that sounds okay. But sadly im a total perfectionist so i will know that something is wrong and it will bug me until its properly fixed tho

Thanks for advice and welcome to the site.

Kind Regards

Garry

thats what i thought when i used it , but its been in my wifes personal car over a year now with no probs, so its no short term fix . i have used it several times on customers cars (with there knowledge) and not one has been back for the same fault..

just tryin to save you a few quid, but if it will bug you spend your £450 and pray no leaks spring up just after the guarantee runs out

Okay after a good check over of the rack and power steering pipes and pump etc last night it does indeed look like the rack has blown a seal. What fun. So i am now on the hunt for a TT/S3 rack for my car.

The obvious question is does anyone know where i may be able to source one. From a breakers would be fine i guess so will explore the second hand market first

Shall keep you all posted.

Kind Regards

Garry

Aren't there websites that search a nationwide network of vehicle dismantlers?

Yeah, im going to try that also.

Having a quick look on EBAY i have found this:

TT RACK ON EBAY

Can anyone confirm if this will be fine?

Kind Regards

Garry

Another update.

I have sourced a MK4 Golf R32 steering rack now so will be fitting that on Saturday along with some S3 upper and lower braces at the same time.

Shall take lots of photos and do a little report on the difference it makes once i have done a few miles on it.

Kind Regards

Garry