E30 Power Steering Help!

[Al Waschka <awaschka@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for looking.

I have an '85 325e which has developed power steering leaks.  The first
leaks were the low pressure hoses from the reservoir, one on the pump
and the other on the rack.  I fixed them up and refilled the reservoir
with (DUH!) power steering fluid.  Then the rack started leaking (or
maybe it was leaking all along and I just didn't see it).  There are two
plastic elbow fittings, one on the gear housing and one on the right end
of the rack, which are connected by a plastic tube.  I think this is
called the oil leak line.  My Bentley manual says the rack is not
serviceable except by the dealer.  My factory manual covers removal and
rebuilding and seems to indicate that this line is the oil leak line.
I'm guessing it collects oil that leaks past the piston and returns it
to the gear housing ot go back to the reservoir.  The elbow fitting on
the rack was loose.  I thought it was like a banjo fitting and was
screwed in, but closer inspection revealed it was not.  I pressed it
back into the rack.  Somewhere in this process I read a post on
rec.auto.bmw asking about power steering fluid vs: AT hydraulic fluid
and checked my manual to find I was supposed to be using AT fluid.
After pressing it in I disconnected the return hose from the rack to the
reservoir and ran a gallon of Dexron through the system while turning
the wheels lock to lock to bleed all the power steering fluid out of the
system.  Since bleeding the system and pressing it back in, I've got a
few miles on the car and so far, so good.

Can anyone tell me why this fitting might have popped out, and whether
it is likely to do so again?  One guess is that while leaking from the
hoses the fluid got too hot due to low volume and the fitting deformed
from the heat.  Or maybe the power steering fluid attacked it?  Or maybe
leaking seals allowed the pressure to get too high?

Also, a call to my dealer indicates that these parts are not available,
even in a rebuild kit.  I guess they want to sell me a rack.  Doe anyone
know how I can get this elbow, should I need it if I have to rebuild the
rack?

Thanks,

Al

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