E30drift

Before I go off and buy a 250 dollar remaned steering rack, I wanted to check here first. I just missed a guy selling a good low mile rack for 60 bucks which made me not want to pay the 250 even more. I have a 1991 200 20v, not sure if the racks are different but I need a known good one, and the cheaper the better. Thanks guys.

p.s. if anyone has a good writeup on doing the rack swap, I could use that too. I found a couple ok ones but seem to be missing some important steps.

toml99

You really want to go thru the ordeal that awaits, and put in a used "low mileage".......Jorgen rebuilds racks for something like $250 and are the masters of the audi oddball rack. Good luck, hopefully there's more room on the 200 than the V8, as that job in place ranks up there on the evil meter.

HOWTO: Replace 200 Steering Rack :: motorgeek.com

E30drift

Thanks for the info! I just want to keep cost down as I have many other projects I would like to spend the money on right now, especially being the middle of race season.

audi_marv

Check Car Part Wholesale on thEBAY. And whether you get new, used, or rebuilt.....add a bottle of Bar's or Lucas Stop Leak to the fluid. You're also better off flushing the system and using Mobil 1 Synth ATF instead of Pentosin. The Mobil 1 handles under hood temps better, and is also cheaper.

yodasfro

At no point should any type of stop leak be considered. If you are going to go to the trouble of replacing the rack get a rebuilt one from jorgen period.

Pushbutton_auto

Agreed, its a job you want to do once and right (regarding the unit).

get a good one and use the right fluids and it will last 10-15 years, no worries.

BillBoost37

car-part.com

toml99

While I've never used any kind of stop-leak ever, this thread got me thinking. My Lago car has weeped out of the passenger end of rack since I got it with 52K and 13 yrs ago. It's been parked for 2 yrs or so and upon driving it recently, started flowing out of that end. I've got a Jorgen rack/rebuilt hoses ready to go, just don't have the time/place/motivation to do it proper(and they were for the 5-speed anyway).....Sooo, I zip tied an oil diaper to the rack to catch whatever I could and bought a $24 quart of Lucas which "guaranteed to stop seal leaks or money back"....Ha. I used about 3/4 of that which tinted my Mobil DTE13M a nice shade of red so can see it in the reservoir. Anyway, been driving it to a jobsite 30min each way for the last few weeks, and am absolutely astounded that the rack end leak has pretty much stopped! I replaced the oil diaper, and while there are a few drips/nothing like it was doing. Not sure if it's the thickness, or it actually swelled the seals. I know it's a bandaid, but was pretty confident it wouldn't do anything. The weep out of the bomb hose is still there(only one I didn't replace when I did the belt a few yrs ago), but the burning fluid smell is gone. Buying time.....Tom

audi_marv

Ditto toml99. Had the same type of leak before I replaced my rack with a rebuilt one. I used a bottle of Bars Leak prior to the replacement, and it stopped the leak. I believe it swelled the seals AND added viscosity to the lemonade thin Pentosin.

Later I purchased a rebuilt rack and pump. Swapped the pentosin with Mobil 1, and as someone mentioned years ago on this site, I added the Stop Leak to the rebuilt rack. The post suggested all rebuilt racks aren't rebuilt equally....so for more of an added precaution, and longevity, added the stop leak. The key is to not add the whole bottle all at once. Do it in 1/4th increments.

I pretty much decided to use the Mobil 1 because its 2010 or so technology....where as the green pentosin is 1985 technology. Same with the brake fluid. Dot 4 Castrol instead of what the book says. I haven't burned up a master cylinder since !!!

Unlike a lot of you guys I've only owned 1 Audi....but the same one for 25 yrs.

Wahaudi

Hey Tom. My 91' V8 has be limping along with a ps leak for quite awhile now. I think it has gone past the point of nursing it along. Time for a new rack. Or at least I assume so. Pretty messy down there and a constant smell from it dripping on the exhaust. I suppose it could just be hoses, but that would be different than all that I've read. Given my current situation with job, houses and other cars, this will likely be the end of the road for me with my V8. I'll keep you posted.