Does anyone know the truly correct type of PS fluid to put in these cars? I was going by the owners manual and using transmission fluid, but when I called the dealer, they said just to use the regular power steering fluid from the parts store. I'm also in the process of replacing my rack and pinion and the one I took out of the junkyard car had a clear yellowish fluid - aka definitely not transmission fluid. So now I'm second guessing which one is right. Any ideas? Does it really matter?

Thanks in advance! 2001 C70 stick

 

Your car uses ATF.

 

That's what I thought. Thanks for validating me haha.

 

You know ATF & PS are pretty close in constituents right? I have run regular PS fluid for over 70K miles on the replacment rack. No issues.

Also, dont buy that OEM junk rack. They all fail.

 

Nope, didn't really know that. I believe you, but I'd rather stick with specifications.

Already bought it, but I could return... any suggestions on what to get? Just a lifetime warranty one from any parts store?

 

TRW made most of the OEM racks for those vintage of C70s. And they all fail.

I believe ZF made a very small batch of racks (between 2000 & 2004) which are much better. Those should be compatible.

When I changed the TRW rack on mine (it was leaking all over the place) I had compared costs and found that the ZF rack was twice the cost of the parts store life time warranty ones. So I just went with the one from the parts store.

Are you planning on removing the engine or will you be working on it from the bottom?

Working from the bottom - I could not get the rack out without cutting the metal lines. Used a compression fitting (closest standard size that I put on a lathe and got it to the correct metric size) for pressure line and then fuel compatible hose for the return line. Again no issues with those so far.

 

I forgot to add. I bought a rack that was meant for a 2000 S70. It was cheaper than the one marked for '98 C70 and guess what - they are the same.

So compare prices and then buy. Good luck

 

I have been working on it from the bottom and it has been a serious pain in the butt. I am stuck at the same place you were I think. I've gotten everything out except the last power bottom steering line. I think it's the high pressure one. I've tried everything I can think of - first just a 19mm wrench with some PB blaster, then a 19mm flare nut wrench coupled with a hammer, then I put my floor jack under it, and finally I even tried a torch. It has just been getting stripped and I'm starting to lose faith. I'll probably have to end up cutting it

I actually found the rack out of a (2001?) S70 at the junkyard too. It was $50 plus a $9 core. I saw a Volvo stamp (in the metal) on it just like the one in my car, but I noticed today that it had a RMFG 09 stamp on the top, so that's nice.

If I can, I would like to try rubber hoses on some fittings from the store to make it actually doable if I ever need to again.

 

That should work. Before you buy it from the junkyard, take off the boots and see if you can find any leaks.

Also for the pressure line, I doubt if a rubber hose will work. I would recommend getting compression fittings (parts stores don't have metric sized ones). The return line can be oil/fuel compatible hose.

 

Well, I finally got it out and I think I know why it went bad.





A while back my car stalled in a huge puddle. I was an idiot for driving through it, but thankfully after it dried out it started right up - whew. HOWEVER, the water looks like it got in the boots of the rack and pinion and rusted it all up. It was only a matter of time before the rack went out.

The new one looks much much better.



I did end up having to cut the one line off. I also removed the engine mount and pushed the sway bar off of its mounts to give a little more room.