Magic Power Steering cures??

On or around Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:49:26 GMT, "Barleycorn" enlightened us thusly:

Martyn has just had a 'box from Adwest, who IIRC are the OE supplier to LR.

from what I hear of the magic gunk, it works sometimes.

If you drain all the fluid out, it won't leak any more

Alex

I not sure but I think these magic fluilds are like putting brake fluid in, it makes the seals ballon, sealing the gap between seal and shaft.

Good as a stop gap but depending on your leak, wont last for ever. The leak will be because youve pick up some crap which is just as likley grinding the shft down as well as the seal.

I used a great place in Coventery but a. hes just moved and b. I cant remember the name only the place so yell.co.uk doesnt help. The box came back spotless and freshly painted. Also the guy doubled the main shaft seals up so it ant going to leak again for a long time (I hope)

Ill try and dig out the info when I get home.

Tim

Well, I used some sort of "magic fluid" sold for p/steering boxes in a leaky

110 box a while ago and it certainly stopped the leak (although it took a while to do so) and kept it stopped for over 2 years! It wasn't leaking when I sold the vehicle!

IIRC the problem is the bottom bush (anyone know better??) - it wears and allows enough movement of the shaft to allow the seal to leak. The "magic stuff" must swell the seal enough to cope with that I guess.

I've also heard of success using brake fluid, but no personal experience of it. Either way, its got to be cheaper than a replacement box and even many "rebuilds" have been reported as leaking too.

Its also worth bleeding the box to remove any air - it heats up, expands and forces fluid past the seal / any dodgy joints. Keeping the system bled helps keep the leaks to a minimum.

HIH - Mike.

I have got the same problem on a RR and have just ordered a case from the States. Maybe I'm gullible but with the odd leaks on several vehicles I'm willing to give it a try. Any bottles left over I will sell in the local NZ auction.

Thanks for all the advice.

I think that I had just better bite the bullet and put the £20 towards a recon box, as I intend to keep the Landrover 'forever'!

Cheers, Barleycorn.

And what a box it is, too...

350 odd mile round trip to Wales over the weekend (urgh...) was a joy to drive. Coming back was a tad fraught. Nothing to do with the box, or the truck, just the hangover...

Adwest site:

Click 'direct sales'.

put half a cup of DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid in the pwr steering top up reservoir .

there are probably only 2 places the power steering leaks, one is the banjo fittings on the pump and the other is the lip seals on the steering box .

you can try a spoonfull of fluid up to about half a pint added depending on severity of leak ,it will take a short while to go through the system but this will usually stop the leak from the seal on the steering arm shaft at bottom of steering box, they all leak in same places you know !!. .

ive used this fix on range rovers and land rovers will no ill effects and ran the vehicles for years afterwards with only topping up of reservoir with dexron fluid reqd annually .

power steering will work as normal afterwards , it wont mess up the pump and the pipes will last longer than the vehicle will last you no doubt ..

dont waste youre money on additives because if you actually knew what they contained youd probably find out its chemicals the same as brake fluid contains .

all the additives youll buy are just "seal swellers" and brake fluid will do exactly same function but at cheaper cost ..