E34 Help.....

[BIGJO]

Can anyone tell me why there would be power-steering fluid leaking from the passanger rear door? It seems to me that one of the pipes/cartridges are leaking. I have it booked in on Monday but need to know whether I need to get any parts from BMW...


I also need help with the steering on the E34. It seems that there is too much free-play in the steering. Any suggestions why & how to overcome the problem?


Any help will be much appreciated.


Regards, BJ.

[Jesus325iTouring]

Can anyone tell me why there would be power-steering fluid leaking from the passanger rear door? It seems to me that one of the pipes/cartridges are leaking. I have it booked in on Monday but need to know whether I need to get any parts from BMW...


I also need help with the steering on the E34. It seems that there is too much free-play in the steering. Any suggestions why & how to overcome the problem?


Any help will be much appreciated.


Regards, BJ.

Can't be power steering fluid in the rear door mate,doesn't make sense,all pipe work etc is in engine bay,quite what is leaking out of your rear door is rather strange

[BIGJO]

Think the M5 has self adjusting suspension though fella. The fluid is red so am assuming it's LHM fluid. Just topped it up today as was on the low. I noticed the leak when the car was up on the ramp getting the tracking & balancing done.


Regards, BJ.

[Jesus325iTouring]

Think the M5 has self adjusting suspension though fella. The fluid is red so am assuming it's LHM fluid. Just topped it up today as was on the low. I noticed the leak when the car was up on the ramp getting the tracking & balancing done.


Regards, BJ.

Ah didn't realise it was an M5,was just thinking of the system on the 525 sat in my drive.
In that case,my advise is about as good as a chocalate teapot

[BIGJO]

Thanks anyway fella...

[m-dtech]

ATF fluid ??

[BIGJO]

ATF is what I meant..............

[M5pilot]

Follow the powersteering and try to find the leak. The PAS pump also supplies the rear SLS shocks so it could be one of the pipes going to the rear.

Finding the leak should not be a problem, fixing it however may well be as there is not alot of space.

The free play in the steering is a very worn steering box - you'll need to get it refurbed or buy a new one.

Sal

[bimmaman]

My old e34 was leaking power steering fluid from the rear - it had self levelling suspension, and one of the pipes had corroded so badly it had made a small hole. I think you have to use a special hydraulic fluid, not ATF, but I cant remeber what it was now... Used to buy it from GSF - about £8 a litre... I was having to buy about a litre a week!

Got a couple of quotes to fix it - around £1000.. . Needless to say, I sold the old barge instead!

I think you can adjust the steering box as well - there is an adjusting screw or something on top, I was gonna sort mine out, but never got around to it... Oh, and on the steering column under the dash is another big nut which sometimes need tightening, but again, I don't know any more than that! Check out http://www.bimmer.info/forum/index.php - its a really usefull e34 forum (mainly yanks, but very helpfull!)

[DanThe]

Im stripping an E34 Tourer with self leveling suspension at the moment mate so if you need anything just pm me

[M5pilot]

Do not adjust the steering box, it will not self centre properly and will be horrible to drive.

Sal

[BIGJO]

Thanks for the help people. The plan is to get it up on the ramp & then to have a good butchers tomorrow morning. Once i've established where it's leaking from the next step is to get the bit(s) replaced.

I might need to take you up on the offer Dan. I just hope it's nothing major like Bimmaman experienced with his E34. The fluid is red & am not sure what it's called. My mate Fowler told me once before but can't remember now.

I'm a member on http://www.bimmer.info/forum/index.php I tend to use it now that I have an E34. Yes majority are Yankee's & some of them know their sh*t i'll tell you straight!

Sal, thanks for the help & i'll be calling you tomorrow as I promised...


Regards, BJ.

[cliffybabe]

Bigjo red fluid is ATF fluid, Steering fluid /gear box fluid mate

[DanThe]

Im sure the stuff your supposed to use in these systems is green, like the LHM fluid

[cliffybabe]

Im sure the stuff your supposed to use in these systems is green, like the LHM fluid

spot on like chef

[BIGJO]

LHM fluid is what I first thought, but m-dtech said about it being ATF fluid. So I just went along with that. The garage has been topping it with the ATF fluid, which is now worrying! Thought it was all the same sh*t!

Looks like i'm in trouble, yet again


Regards, BJ.

[bimmaman]

Just remembered! CHF 7.1 is what I had to use. It should say on the top of the reservoir though...

[Ant]

should be LHM dude

ATF will ruin all the seals

almost defo a corroded pipe or union, check where the pipes are clipped to the floor in the wheelarch area

you can remove the SLS and go with 535i dampers, will need a non SLS PAS pump assy though dude

[BIGJO]

Where can I get LHM from? I didn't need to get any before but looks like I will now.

And who's moved my thread? For what purpose? Doesn't make any sense!


Regards, BJ.

[DanThe]

I might need to take you up on the offer Dan.

OK mate, just pm as and when.
Ive got a cracking tow bar if your interested

Heres a link
http://forum.performancebmwmag.com/viewtopic.php?t=4407

[ste]

Hi BEG JO. Sal's advice is spot on.

When I used to own your car with about 15k less miles on her she was long overdue a steering box then. Have you looked at how much they cost?

[BIGJO]

No mate, so why don't you tell me? I thought it was the steering rack. Why don't you enlighten me with the price of fixing the steering? Am assuming the previous owners didn't get the box fixed.........


Regards, BIG JO (get it right mate)

[M5pilot]

A few guys on the M5board got their boxes refurbed - go on there and do a search or ask. Cheaper than buying a new one.

Sal

[stuartgallafant]

was just about to mention that i think it should be Pentosin Chf 11S. dunno how much it is as i've never bought it.

i think, but im not totally certain, that the steering fluid should be Chf 11s too, and the rear suspension feeds off the same reservoir/system?

[BIGJO]

Thanks Stu, I got some from Cliffords just down the road & was about £13.00 for a litre. Went to BMW to get a few parts for the M5 & enquired about the LHM fluid CHF11 & was about £11.00.


I think the leaks coming from these pipes that lead to the rear of the car with brake lines, fuel pipes etc. Need to get myself a fresh set of pipes as topping up the resorvoir is getting annoying. Think I might as well change them all as they will need changing at some point.


Regards, BJ.

[stuartgallafant]

if you care about the car, and you're gonna keep it, its always worth changing more than is necessary imo

good luck mate, if there's anything i can help with, gimme a shout