Author Topic: Power steering box leak (Read 7407 times)

yves · « **on:** September 01, 2019, 14:17:22 »

Hi Pagoda lovers , it's one of my first post here . I have a "french" pagode since 10 years with not big issues but now I have a leak from my power steering box see the above photos :

i saw some joints kit for refurbishing the box but my question is : is it difficult to take out the box from the engine bay almost with the steering column ?
Is it a Professional job ?
( i have some little skills with a complete Etype restoration :https://forums.motorlegend.com/forum/voiture-anglaise/forum-voiture-anglaise/43733-restauration-type-e-série-1 )
Does some one has already done this job and can give me some advices ….?
I Don't find any " how to do that" here or may be i Don't look at the right place ?
Thank you

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2019, 14:37:35 »

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Steering/PowerSteeringBox

the techmanual is a good place to start. i removed my box years ago and its not to complicated. digest this information and keep asking questions

yves · « **Reply #2 on:** September 02, 2019, 11:23:53 »

I'll do that…. another question / is the color :gloss black correct for the casing ?

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2019, 00:58:09 »

i painted mine with satin black spray paint. good enough for me

yves · « **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2019, 20:02:25 »

I have taken out the steering box, it's on the Bench but i have an issue with a circlip which i can't take out ….! some one has an idea?
May be i'd be better by another way …? I tried with a circlip plier without succes
I'll dismantle the other parts and see if i can then take this circlip out ?

yves · « **Reply #5 on:** September 15, 2019, 18:16:07 »

I have almost put back the steering box , what remains to me is to put back the metal balls in the box…..

does exist a trick for that?....

I think to put some grease to stick the balls but the balls can go out of the large groove where they must rest...

Tyler S · « **Reply #6 on:** September 15, 2019, 18:24:25 »

Have a look here..
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=18325.0

yves · « **Reply #7 on:** October 25, 2019, 20:04:04 »

The steering box story continue….

After refurbishing the box with new seals washer … I have tested the car with no steering problem...

10 days after , i have made some tidying up job in he garage and what was my surprise to find one ball of the balls bearing sticked Under the magnetic plate i use to collect parts ….

The car was fine but i couldn't drive knowing there was a missing ball in the bearing…. so … 2nd dismantling process …. and the problem was that i couldn't fit the missing ball Inside the bearing.
It's a friend who carefully succeded with the 31 balls Inside

Above how control the torque with a DIY dynamometer tool !

Tomorow i'll fit the box in the car .... with my good friend !

mdsalemi · « **Reply #8 on:** October 25, 2019, 20:44:00 »

C'est un projet ambitieux!

Many people would have simply replaced the box with a rebuilt unit--thus assuring it was to full specification. Congratulations.

Benz Dr. · « **Reply #9 on:** October 25, 2019, 21:57:33 »

The difference between being fearless and being foolish is very small sometimes and I've been both when it comes to cars. As long as I'm never foolishly fearless there's a small chance for success.

yves · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2019, 18:05:37 »

I have fitted the box for the second time in the car and i was specifically focused about the horizontal adjustment of the Wheel ( ask me why….!!

) the problem is to push back the box toward the column without turning the Wheel .
I have fitted at the top of the column a piece of wood with 2 holes for the two horizontal bolts of the column and this piece of wood was tightened at each end at the two front seat bolts . So the Wheel and the column couldn't turn . after that i returned Under the car and push the steering box already aligned with the wheels straight.

I have tested the car on the road…. a lot of noise rumbling especialy when i turn completely right or left. The steering Wheel is also much hard than before . After some kms it seems to be better about the rumbling but it's still harder when i turn . I hope it will disapear tomorow, i saw there was still some oïl missing in the tank.
Tomorow is another day…. i am tired and my back is …... $:-\$
Above the garage tonight after a full day of work

waiting for a new test

PS: Dr BENZ i am folishly fearless …!

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #11 on:** October 26, 2019, 18:16:14 »

great work. i seem to remember the same noises. i suspect you have air in the power steering system. read up about the bleeding process

yves · « **Reply #12 on:** October 26, 2019, 20:17:47 »

I think y're right Jeff, i have some Raspberry foam at the surface of the reservoir . It vanishes after a few minutes…. so the air is going out … i have already refill with some oil twice .

Shvegel · « **Reply #13 on:** October 27, 2019, 14:20:53 »

Congratulations! I am a very experienced mechanic. Former BMW Trainer and current superyacht engineer and when I restored my steering I bought the kit, looked at the steering box and said, “Nope. If it isn’t leaking I am not touching it.”

yves · « **Reply #14 on:** October 27, 2019, 14:49:02 »

Thank's Shvegel, today the test on the road is fine about the noises : no noise at all

but the steering is still hard and now when i turn the steering Wheel it keeps the angle turning direction... so i must turn back with some "effort" the Wheel to return straight ?
May be have i too much tightened some screw on the box ? Though i have followed the forum torque explanation…
Some one has an idea ?

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #15 on:** October 27, 2019, 15:22:09 »

what is the condition of your power steering pump? i replaced my pump around the same time as i refurbed the box. if i remember correctly the ball bearings are pushed around by hi pressure fluid from the pump. there direction changes with the steering wheel, insufficient pressure will effect the ease of operation

yves · « **Reply #16 on:** October 27, 2019, 17:27:59 »

May be a coincidence… refurbishing the box and a pump weakness …? i must test the pump pressure but have not the manometer $:-\$
i had a look around the pump, no leak visible, the belt tension seems good...

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #17 on:** October 27, 2019, 20:33:50 »

its been a while but i think i changed my pump first which caused the box with old/poor seals to leak more than before. in my case this may indicate a connection. i remember buying a tool to remove the pully. cant be done without a proper tool

yves · « **Reply #18 on:** October 27, 2019, 20:59:01 »

May be it is that tool ?

mbzse · « **Reply #19 on:** October 27, 2019, 21:22:22 »

Another picture

Shvegel · « **Reply #20 on:** October 28, 2019, 01:51:42 »

The screw is almost certainly too tight. Having to steer back to straight is a dead giveaway. Even a manual box with no assist will return if properly set up.

yves · « **Reply #21 on:** October 28, 2019, 06:34:49 »

I think i must take out the box another time.......! and check and adjust the torque again in 1 and 2 above. I need a good tool for the 2 holes "bolt" before

And almost this one ….

yves · « **Reply #22 on:** November 01, 2019, 07:38:59 »

I have tested the torque on the two adjustable bearing above:

I found my mistake…. $:-\$ i have increased the torque while i was fixing it by screwing the hex nut and dome nut (2) which must have blocked it… but the round two holes cover Under has turned a little and made the torque harder…. it is very responsive torque….!
Idem for 1 …!

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #23 on:** November 03, 2019, 15:07:47 »

great news. congrats

yves · « **Reply #24 on:** November 04, 2019, 16:17:19 »

For those who want to do the same job....
be very specific when you adjust the torque. Almost when you try to secure it while you tight the nuts after adjustment. TEST after tightening and before putting the box in the car ...

Now my next job is to repair the heater levers .....! nice tricky job even with small fingers... $:-\$

mBdrvr · « **Reply #25 on:** November 04, 2019, 18:48:08 »

Who is the best power steering box re-builder?

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #26 on:** November 05, 2019, 01:14:30 »

good advice. you can also mark the thread location of the adjustment before disassembly and then return this adjustment to the same tension.

these projects turn into mission creep sometimes. if you're going to be working on the heater control levers your in the general area of the heater core and defrost fan. you may want to remove gauges for cleaning and replace dash lamps. i remember these projects well. after 10 years my right blinker light has failed. thats unfortunate. a project for another day. i wish we had led lamps when i replaced my lamps

yves · « **Reply #27 on:** November 05, 2019, 13:27:21 »

Hi Paul , here we can have the rebuilt box for 900 euros with SLSERVICE in Germany

yves · « **Reply #28 on:** November 05, 2019, 16:16:40 »

Hi Jeff i put Led lamps in my Etype , i wonder if it is a good idea, i have not enough experience to judge if it is ? BTW it 'll be the good moment to do that on the pagode when i'll dismantle the dash board for the heater levers...!

jeffc280sl · « **Reply #29 on:** November 07, 2019, 15:48:26 »

From a reliability, current and heat perspective LEDs are a better option. Do you have a issue with color in your Jag.

Its a very time consuming job if you take the entire dash apart. If you do it I hope you have small hands. Its a challenge to get to the nuts that hold the gauges in place. Talk about project creep its a good idea to remove the steering wheel and seat when exploring the dash. Like I said its time consuming.

Good luck

yves · « **Reply #30 on:** November 07, 2019, 18:33:31 »

I used white leds for lighting the central switches and green with dimmer for the revs and speedo ( positive earth for my 63 E type…!)

yves · « **Reply #31 on:** September 12, 2020, 11:13:47 »

Well after about 500 km without any issue... I have a leak at the bottom of the steering box :
A few drops of oil ...
I have taken out the steering box and opened it on the bench and didn't see something wrong! the O-rings are new as all the kit joints , So i put some loctite "gasket joint" past around the O-rings and refitted teh box on the car ..... The leak is always here, even after retightening the allen bolts around the bottom cover of the box.
But i don't understand one specific point: there is a spring which actuate a kind of "piston" which moves up and down when you turn the SW . This spring push a "cover cap" on the piston . This cover cap has a very little hole on its side so it can't be leak tight i think this hole is there to evacuate some air when the piston goes up and down .
The piston has two very thin O-rings in its middle. May be those O-rings have been damaged when i have refitted all the parts of the box together?

Someone has an idea about the solution?

yves · « **Reply #32 on:** September 12, 2020, 11:16:46 »

Some more pics:

News:

Author Topic: Power steering box leak (Read 7407 times)

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