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sterly View Drop Down
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    Posted: 06-July-2011 at 17:36
Hello to all
Hopefully someone can help me out with this.

A few weeks ago my steering went stiff.not really hard to turn but
when coming out of corners it would not return to centre but would
stay a 10 or 2 oclock and would have to be pushed straight.so it
seemed to be tight in the middle.it got progressivly worse and also
developed a bad knock.i took it to my garage and was told steering
rack knackered.

I have now had new rack fitted and although it has cured the knocking
the stiffness is still there and in the same place.

Spoke to mechanic and he said give it a week as rack is new and
might loosen up??????

If not new rack is no good

The rack is a recon with 2 year warrenty witch i supplied and he fitted.

Could he have missed something??

Any help would be greatly appeciated
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Andrew Rolland View Drop Down
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Joined: 19-August-2004
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Points: 6579 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Andrew Rolland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-July-2011 at 08:07

Power steering pump.

Sounds like it is either broken, blocked or has very little fluid in it/PAS system in general.
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jetsetwilly2000 View Drop Down
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Points: 701 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jetsetwilly2000 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-July-2011 at 09:42
what model of E39 do you have?
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Previous: Disco 3 TDV6, 2x E34 540i6,

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Points: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sterly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-July-2011 at 17:16
523 i se auto on 97 plate
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Points: 4000 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dergside Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-July-2011 at 17:50
Check fluid level in the PS resevoir first and top up if necessary.  If it needs a top up then watch the level carefully for a few days for further drops.  If so, then its probably what killed your first rack.  If looking for a leak, check the oil cooler in front of the radiator.  My old 523i, a '97, sprung a leak there where it had corroded through over the years.
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sterly View Drop Down
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Points: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sterly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-July-2011 at 22:24
Fluid level seems ok.

Is there a way to check pump?
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Bigian View Drop Down
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Points: 2167 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-July-2011 at 01:49
sounds like pump i had sorta same problem when i had e39 it would go stiff them a bit later it would be fine
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Points: 1 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JCapirote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-February-2012 at 10:43

Hi,

Did you find out if this was down to the steering pump?
 
my '98 528 has just developed a similar fault I think
 
weather been very cold, car not getting used so much and steering is unassisted when starting up and until I start moving, did the obvious and checked resevoir, topped it up was at bottom of level.
 
Still find that the steering is unassisted at startup until I actually start to move then is assisted again, although intermittently goes unassisted whilst on the move.
 
sat still when turn the steering the revs drop from 6/700 to around 4/500, but feeling quite heavy still, doesn't seem to make a difference if I give it  some revs and turn it either
 
just going to re-check level make sure it isn't leaking and then looks like a visit to garage!
 
have  a great day
 
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