Power Steering Oil Leak
My previous attempt to fix the leak was fruitless. On further examination, I found the power steering fluid was now pissing out from the power steering return line, the power steering pump and the actual rack. There was a puddle of oil in the front bumper tray.
I got all the bolt-on parts zinc-coated, so hopefully, they will last another 35 years when I'll be dead and long gone and planet will be a dusty hellscape, and the 944 will be a Mad Max-type vehicle with an LS1 conversion.
As I read through the various Porsche forums, I concluded that 944s leak, and they usually leak from the steering rack and the front seals.
To fix the steering rack leak, I sent the rack off for a refurb, split the steering rack pump and replaced the seals inside.
The steering rack pump strip-down is fairly easy. Several videos on YouTube explain the process.
The replacement parts are available from Design911 or FrazerParts; you need only two rubber seals, the hard plastic frame, and the pump shaft seal.
I got all the bolt-on parts zinc-coated, so hopefully, they will last another 35 years when I'll be dead and long gone and planet will be a dusty hellscape, and the 944 will be a Mad Max-type vehicle with an LS1 conversion.
I also replaced the dreaded return line by buying a banjo joint with a 10mm tail for the steering rack connection instead of an 8mm tail, which allowed me to replace the elusive £400 return pipe (which comes from the rack at 8mm and connects to the cooling radiator at 10mm) with a 10mm stainless steel braided hose.
To ensure fluid did not leak from the bottom of the reservoir outlets, I used some heavy-duty Mikalor clamps.
I got some new bolts for the steering knuckle. These are high-tensile strength at 10.9 so the standard 8.8 bolts will not cut it. I got some 12.9 tensile strength bolts, just to be safe.
