B4 steering rack noise

rangerovering · 01-09-17, 11:43 AM

Hi guys,

My b4 started doing this the other day, when the steering wheel is at rest there is a hydraulic wooshing kind of noise from the steering rack, if I put any slight weight on the wheel to turn it the noise stops. It's only there when in the "relaxed" position if that makes sense.

The steering fluid is pretty dark (assuming it should be red) so probably due a change. What do I use?

Is it likely to be a rack problem if new fluid doesn't fix it? The steering works perfectly otherwise 👍

Cheers!

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cjp0349 · 03-09-17, 09:24 AM

A change of fluid certainly wont do any harm. Does your reservoir not have 'use only mineral hydraulic fluid 002000' on it? And it should be green.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-G....c100005.m1851

Or cheaper equivalent

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Febi-Hy...AAAOSw6WdXiSdC

Mellis46 · 03-09-17, 01:32 PM

Yep, as per the previous and recent thread on just this topic, drain out all of the old stuff completely and replace it with new, whichever you go for. My pump is certainly a lot happier as a result. Good place to start as Carl says (and cheapest...)

SwallownAmazon · 03-09-17, 02:50 PM

This happened from new with a Vauxhall I once had as a company car.

It turned out that the thing had been assembled by a chimp in the German factory front wheels and the steering wheel were not centralised when the rack was. The idiot Vauxhall Stealer in Hornchurch couldn't figure it out so I did it myself by taking the steering wheel off, centralisng the rack and the steering by dismantling the track rod ends and putting them back on with the wheels in the straight ahead position. Finally the steering wheel went back on and alles wast gut after a final tracking check.
The service manager (NOT) at the Hornchurch stealer just looked at me blankly as though I had just emerged from a hole in the ground when I explained the problem and my cure.

rangerovering · 05-09-17, 12:23 AM

Perfect thanks guys will do the fluid change first

I will check again at what is in the reservoir but it definitely ain't green!

03-09-17, 01:32 PM	#3
Mellis46 Aero Advocate Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1,448	Yep, as per the previous and recent thread on just this topic, drain out all of the old stuff completely and replace it with new, whichever you go for. My pump is certainly a lot happier as a result. Good place to start as Carl says (and cheapest...) __________________ -1987 90 2.2E / Sapphire Blue (Rest in Pieces) -1989 90 quattro with Sport Equipment / Satin Black -1997 A4 Avant quattro TDI 110 / Tropical Green (Sold)

03-09-17, 02:50 PM	#4
SwallownAmazon Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Tonbridge, Kent Posts: 511	This happened from new with a Vauxhall I once had as a company car. It turned out that the thing had been assembled by a chimp in the German factory front wheels and the steering wheel were not centralised when the rack was. The idiot Vauxhall Stealer in Hornchurch couldn't figure it out so I did it myself by taking the steering wheel off, centralisng the rack and the steering by dismantling the track rod ends and putting them back on with the wheels in the straight ahead position. Finally the steering wheel went back on and alles wast gut after a final tracking check. The service manager (NOT) at the Hornchurch stealer just looked at me blankly as though I had just emerged from a hole in the ground when I explained the problem and my cure. Last edited by SwallownAmazon; 05-09-17 at 09:24 AM. Reason: Spullin

03-09-17, 09:24 AM	#2
cjp0349 Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Lune Valley, North Lancashire Posts: 1,744	A change of fluid certainly wont do any harm. Does your reservoir not have 'use only mineral hydraulic fluid 002000' on it? And it should be green. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-G....c100005.m1851 Or cheaper equivalent http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Febi-Hy...AAAOSw6WdXiSdC

05-09-17, 12:23 AM	#5
rangerovering Grown up member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Kinross Posts: 174	Perfect thanks guys will do the fluid change first I will check again at what is in the reservoir but it definitely ain't green!