Any Advice, Part 2!

[loki_the_glt]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Reading around the site, I found this by honestjoe who had replaced the steering rack on his 240:
'I think its just air in the system, it improves over time..turning left is good turning right hard..' here: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...ng+rack&page=2
Sounds the same as ours, but unfortunately the thread doesn't go so far as to say if replacing/ bleeding the power steering fluid sorted that problem.
Reading elsewhere on the net, the steering rack (non-functioning valves?) seems to get identified often as the source of heavy steering in one direction only. So maybe that's where we'll end up.
In the meantime, the last MoT identified the suspension component ball joint dust cover O/S which I photographed above as needing sorting asap;
and in need of monitoring were steering rack inner joints (some play); and track rod end ball joint O/S, slight play.
We'll do all these, starting with the suspension component ball joint.
We'll also try the turkey baster method of refreshing power steering fluid, just in case.

Two questions:
1. Can we use any brand of power steering fluid? Are they all the same/ mix ok?
2. If it comes to the worst case and it's the steering rack, do we need to replace the whole thing or just the 'steering gear'?

Thanks for any advice.

The BofH suggests either 20W-50 or 20W-40 engine oil as a lubricant for the PAS and Dexron or ATF Type A as the fluid in the reservoir.

If the rack is shot then you'll probably be looking at an exchange or another second-hand one. Make sure that the various nipples and threads are in good condition; I bought a "re-conned" rack whose bleed nipples had been cross-threaded and ended up having to obtain another one.

[Chris152]

Thanks Loki - I can get that locally so we may have a go at it tomorrow (turkey baster on its way). Hopefully it won't come to replacing the steering rack...

Two new tyres fitted today (the other three turned out to be in decent condition, so a little money saved there).

I have to say, there's money to be spent and lots of effort to be made, but it's definitely a keeper, so whatever we do now he'll benefit from in years to come. And speaking personally, I love driving it! It's old enough to remind of my younger years but equipped well enough to keep up today. Brilliant!

[Chris152]

When drawing the fluid out of the reservoir with the turkey baster, do we draw as much as we can get each time? Is there potentially a problem if we introduce air by taking the level too low?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Chris152

When drawing the fluid out of the reservoir with the turkey baster, do we draw as much as we can get each time? Is there potentially a problem if we introduce air by taking the level too low?

This is for the PAS pump, right?

It doesn't matter if you take as much as you can out of the reservoir before filling it up again Chris, as long as the motor isn't running you won't get any air into the system.

Bleeding the PAS is pretty simple anyway: just move the steering from lock to lock (with the motor running) a few times and any trapped air will get purged - it is a good idea to do it anyway.

Alan

[Chris152]

That's great - many thanks Alan.

[Chris152]

Collected the car after welding yesterday. The repairs look just about passable in terms of welds but the floor pans in the channels where the cables run are now too high for the galvanised covers to fit properly over the cables - came back buckled and not fitting properly. So, having cut the covers down so they could sit flat (I decided it was a waste of time taking it back to complain and ask them to fix), we decided to take the front wheels of, look at the ball joints that need replacing and put WD40 on the nuts ready for removal once we get the parts. Front right wheel, which had had a tyre fitted last week, was held on with finger-tightened nuts only. We'd been driving around like that.

Important lessons for the lad about the motor vehicle trade. And me, I'd forgotten. Once he's learned to weld well enough, we'll redo the floor pans properly.

[loki_the_glt]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Collected the car after welding yesterday. The repairs look just about passable in terms of welds but the floor pans in the channels where the cables run are now too high for the galvanised covers to fit properly over the cables - came back buckled and not fitting properly. So, having cut the covers down so they could sit flat (I decided it was a waste of time taking it back to complain and ask them to fix), we decided to take the front wheels of, look at the ball joints that need replacing and put WD40 on the nuts ready for removal once we get the parts. Front right wheel, which had had a tyre fitted last week, was held on with finger-tightened nuts only. We'd been driving around like that.

Important lessons for the lad about the motor vehicle trade. And me, I'd forgotten. Once he's learned to weld well enough, we'll redo the floor pans properly.

The wheel-nuts item is terrifying - it might be worth speaking to the "tyre-fitting" place and ask if they torque up wheels after fitting them, as a gentle reminder of their duty of care. If you hadn't checked then you could easily have been killed or at least seriously injured.

Use Laird Scooby's weapon of mass penetration (Acetone and Carlube ATF mixed 50/50) on the ball joint nuts, rather than WD40.

[Clifford Pope]

Originally Posted by Othen

This is for the PAS pump, right?

It doesn't matter if you take as much as you can out of the reservoir before filling it up again Chris, as long as the motor isn't running you won't get any air into the system.

If it has the separate reservoir screwed onto the suspension turret you might as well just unscrew it and tip the contents into a jar?

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Collected the car after welding yesterday. The repairs look just about passable in terms of welds but the floor pans in the channels where the cables run are now too high for the galvanised covers to fit properly over the cables - came back buckled and not fitting properly. So, having cut the covers down so they could sit flat (I decided it was a waste of time taking it back to complain and ask them to fix), we decided to take the front wheels of, look at the ball joints that need replacing and put WD40 on the nuts ready for removal once we get the parts. Front right wheel, which had had a tyre fitted last week, was held on with finger-tightened nuts only. We'd been driving around like that.

Important lessons for the lad about the motor vehicle trade. And me, I'd forgotten. Once he's learned to weld well enough, we'll redo the floor pans properly.

Loki is right about the wheel nut issue Chris, you should at least call the owner or manager of the tyre fitting place and let him know, it might save someone’s life.

You sound disappointed about the welding - is that not what you thought you were paying for? I’m cynical about garage services generally, that is why I tend to acquire tools and learn to do nearly all jobs on my cars and bikes (and houses), I’d agree it is a waste of time taking the car back, you would just get frustrated. Your boy learning to weld is a really good idea, it will be satisfying for both of you to get that little job sorted out properly.

Your project car is really taking shape now :-)

Alan

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by loki_the_glt

The wheel-nuts item is terrifying - it might be worth speaking to the "tyre-fitting" place and ask if they torque up wheels after fitting them, as a gentle reminder of their duty of care. If you hadn't checked then you could easily have been killed or at least seriously injured.

Use Laird Scooby's weapon of mass penetration (Acetone and Carlube ATF mixed 50/50) on the ball joint nuts, rather than WD40.

I would speak to Trading Standards. They might even send in some incognito vehicles to be worked on, inspected before and afterwards.

EDIT. That might depend on how many referrals they receive. So your contribution might be valuable. An instance of doing finger tight and omitting to tighten is very unfortunate indeed. Multiple occurrences of significant mistakes is carelessness. As Lady Bracknell did not say.


P.S. Yes Loki. Re checking. I always check wheel nuts after anyone has done anything to any wheels.


*****

At my nearest tyre depot I am in there, moving wheels around, agreeing what they advise to be done, &c. They do mainly lorries and do not do finger tight. And they absolutely use a torque wrench. I've been going there for decades. About 20 years ago I told them I'd be slightly late 'cos of a flat battery. Dave arrived a few minutes later with jump leads at the ready. No charge.


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