damage done to steering how soon to replace?

[Nadim]

Hi there,

I'm driving an amazing 1994 325is. It leaks a few things amongst them steering fluid. I've had it looked over twice, and have resigned to the fact that sometimes i'll just need to top up the fluid. now it's been a year now and then I haven't added as much as I needed.

I still get the groaning noise when turning even when the fluid level is full. I'mhoping it's not a bearing or some rack thing but if it costs $500 or more to fix I will. My question is that my mechanic is in Toronto and I'm 3 hours away,

how much longer will my car's steering keep up or should i find someone in windsor to fix it ...

am i safe for a month or two? what are the possible implications?

ps my car is great in winter driving, downshifting can be a bit squirrely tho

[nick_318is]

^do you live in Widsor, you could take it to a dealer in the detroit area and with the current exchange rate you might get it done at a decent price.

[Nadim]

i'm about 100 km east of windsor and 100 km west of london so there's not a whole much of anything in between that could either work on an older bmw, still on the obd2 scanner, or not rip me off

i know from reading your threads [nick] and others that steering is totally complicated with fluids for the rack and pump, etc. and I've lifted the front end, seen the whole mess of oil dripping from everywhere and felt the boot casing for rips, had someone turn the wheel, etc.

I'm not used to driving nice cars though and I'm more accustomed to ignoring the whining bearing noise until it seizes and a tow truck is required or driving with no clutch fluid and unable to change gears or losing brake lines, all those exciting things ...

there is no vibration whatsoever driving at any speed and the steering is as powerful and smooth as ever just now adn then it whines when i turn the wheel much like the sound when it's missing power steering fluid in the resevoir but i've checked it several times while hot and usually I might overfill it but it's always been at a decent level

i'm hoping i could drive with it for another 5 years ...

[denyo77]

uh... I'd say the same thing as Nick

[3050rpm]

One thing that's a bit bothersome with these cars is that the routine maintenance for them calls for replacing the engine oil, the brake fluid, the coolant, transmission fluid, and differential oil, but oddly enough the power steering fluid is left out of the mix. Indeed, there is no easy, or thorough, way to get the old stuff out and the new stuff in, about the best one can do is use a turkey baster to suck out as much as one can and then replace with new.

It seems to me that having clean p/s fluid in a well functioning system, principally meaning no leaks or worn hoses, means that the rack will then last a good long time, and help avoid a replacement of same, which I gather runs something like $1200. I think you're starting to push your luck and before you run out of it you should get the p/s system tended to, even if it means replacing the reservoir and hoses. It's not all that costly, especially when you consider the alternative, and 13 or 14 years without maintenance for a system such as this is long enough.

[Nadim]

i'd say you're right considering the past 2 years, i've been adding the cheap domestic power steering fluid from canadian tire instead of atf transmission fluid

but it is a right pain to get fixed and get a loaner car in teh interim