Power Steering Problems

["Bill Larue" <wlarue@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Don't give up!  I was also told that there was no filter, then when I
insisted that the reservoir diagrams showed one to be present, that "we
never replace 'em....".  Too bad, although its a good way to sell a lot of
pumps.

I finally got one from the dealership and fixed the most hellish whining,
surging, squealing pump I've ever heard.  Here's the scoop:

The filter is a largish tube of some sort of ceramic sintered material.  The
one I got was a tan color.  While replacing it wasn't bad, there was one
step that took some doing.  After opening up the fluid reservoir you can
suck out the fluid with a Mark 4 turkey baster until you see the screen
which is about 3/4" from the top of the reservoir.  It is held in place with
a circlip, take the clip off and out comes the screen.  More baster action
will empty out the rest of the fluid.  There is a metal shaft that is in the
middle of the reservoir (the one that the first clip was attached to), about
halfway down there is another clip.  This one secures a spring that presses
on a disk/cover for the aforementioned filter.  Remove this clip and take
out the filter cover.  Then remove the filter and clean out any remaining
fluid/crud before reassembling.  The hard part was getting the spring
circlip in place in the tight area of the reservoir.  I finally grabbed the
top of the spring with a pair of needle nosed vise grips so that I could
compress it while applying the clip with a pair of needle nosed pliers.
Worked ok; a new batch of fluid after replacing the screen (replace the
gasket on the lid, also) and the noises were gone, surging was gone, magic
had taken place.

The symptoms of this clogged filter can be really bad -- at one point the
fluid in the reservoir was actually blowing out of the top of the canister.
The fix is equally impressive -- cheap, rather easy, and less traumatic than
a new PS pump

Bill
88 535i

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