Croma (164?) powersteering leaking

[Mark Battley <m.battley@domain.elided>]

Had to happen I guess, finally something has gone wrong with the "sensible" 
car..

My wife's Croma has started losing powersteering fluid. I'm guessing that 
it may have the same or similar powersteering to a 164: it's a TRW(?) rack. 
The car has done less that 110 000km (about 70 000 miles).

The fluid is coming out from the inner end of the rubber boot at the LH end 
of the rack (It's a RHD car, so this is the end away from the steering 
shaft). I've just replaced the plastic clip that clamps the boot to the 
rack which had come loose, so I suppose it's possible that that's all the 
problem was, but I can't understand why it should have come loose of its 
own accord. Is it more likely that the rack is leaking internally, which 
pressurised the boot and "popped" the clip off??

I'm ignorant about the internals of a rack PS system: what are the typical 
failure modes, and what is involved in repair? Manuals are not generally 
available for the Croma, but if it is the same as a 164 I can hopefully 
borrow a friend's 164 Cardisk.

Any information welcomed!

Thanks,

Mark Battley
Auckland, NZ

1989 Fiat Croma (Power steering, power windows)
1973 Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce (manual steering, manual windows...)

 

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