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have a 01 s60 with a leaking rack which due to its age cant justify replacing. As a result my pump goes dry and locks up and needs replacing too often, last one lasted 4000 miles. I dont know how much if any power steering I'm getting now but im willing to find out if its possible to get a shorter belt to bypass the pump all together------------maybe this is a stupid question,, can this/be/ has this been done?? Whats the likelihood that any of these additives which im generally skeptical of will stop the leak and which might be the recommended one to try
well, if you are burning out pumps due to not filling the the reservoir and don't want to repair/replace the rack, I don't see any downside in throwing in some stop-leak product, particularly if they have a seal softener. I wouldn't hold out hope though since is sounds like your leak isn't just a drip if you are running through a pint of ATF in about 500 miles. Have you considered installing a used rack (check car-part.com for availability and pricing at yards near you). As to bypassing the PS pump - I assume you already know what the car feels like with no power assist. I'm not sure if there's a path that would allow a PS pump bypass or how you'd figure out the exact length/availability of a shorter replacement belt. Maybe a better option would be to leave the PS pump in place and loop or block off the lines to the rack until you figure out how to fix it right?
thanks for the response. I could maybe justify the cost of a rack r not the labor for a shop to install it--------i do a lot of my own work thanks to Youtube but a rack remove and replace looks like something i wouldnt be inclinded to do. That probably was dumb question bypassing the pump with a shorter belt cause thats prob intergral in routing the rest----ill know in a bit cause im going to try to route the belt today in the pump replacement. If i cant bypass the pump which prob cant if i looped or blocked off lines to the rack then i would eliminate the losing of fluid all over the drive but wouldnt get any lube to the pump and it wouldn sieze up again if the pully is turning. Am i correct on that or with no pressure on the line might it not seize up then?????????????? Again if ive been operating without power steering / i let the reservoir run dry I'm willing to continue that since i dont dry much if it would save a new pump install every 4-5000 which is how long the latest pump lasted
Well thank you for that Mt6127, very interesting and again that is my query, you are good to have been able to find that.. Yes, I'm killing pumps thru no lubrication cause of badly leaking rack---I'm willing to take the rack out of the loop to avoid having to clean up fluid regularly and maybe deal with the lack of power steering if I can maintain lube in the pump /pulley so it doesnt continue to freeze up and need replacing regularly. Possible ive been driving without PS for a while and just adapted but will know if thats the case if i go the by-pass the rack route. Havent totally digested that thread so please stay tuned.. Am i right on this on the direction of the flow ---from reservoir, to pump, to rack and then back into reservoir.?? Again still trying to digest all that---- is he saying to keep the metal pipe coming out of the pump and cut it and then run a rubber hose from it back into the reservoir? ( so pump and pulley get lubed and nothing flows to rack? Thank you!
I did it. Bought a used pump that had been cut off and with a hose joiner joined a washing machine water supply hose to it with screw clamps--------------I'm hopeful-- and no reason it shouldnt be-- this is the end of my ruining pumps cause i cant keep fluid in cause of leaky rack. Got a year our of 1 pump that went dry and 3 weeks out of the last one.--not putting a new rack in a 20 year old car. I have been driving it a long time with no power steering and hasnt been bad at all when moving, only an issue parking but certainly quite doable.
PS pump issue/serpentine belt ?
