Car: 2004 3-series with 192,000 on the clock.
Just got in from replacing the tie-rods as the last time it went in for tracking they broke out the oxyacetalene[1] and that puts an end to ever undoing them again. Like everything else on the car they were original and in good nick as are the gaiters, rack, etc. When I pulled each gaiter off I was greeted by a good dose of dirty oil, probably a couple of eggcup-fulls.
I can't remember the last time I put any PS fluid in and the gaiters were hermetically sealed so I can't see it being water[2] having got in (and it didn't look/feel emulsified) so is it:
a) I've recently developed leaky rack and I'll be out with the Dexron III weekly until I summon up the enthusiasm to change the rack?
or
b) The 50ml was simply the accumulation of oil that has naturally worked its way past the seals in 190k miles?
[1] Bloody oxy - worst thing to use just to heat something up. [2] My car has done a lot of wading with the last couple of winters.