Practically Classics Forum

So far so good with the rack. Fluid level hasn't dropped at all. Early days mind, its only been done for about a week & a 100 or so miles.....

Did look under and saw quite a bit of oil in the same area.... again. It is not clean fresh ATF/Lucas stop leak though..... it is black dirty engine oil. So a quick 'dip stick check' (the car not me ) found the level to be 1/2 way between min and max . So that equals 0.75 of a litre has 'leaked' out in about 3.5k

Anyhow, Zeb' has the 'Frenchy MOT' in March. So will run as is, keeping that oil toppers until the test and see what else that pulls up........ before 'forking out'

......... Had the Frenchy MOT done today...... ..failed. Steering rack is fubared completely. Not just seals, the rack itself has ruptured, rotted, whatever

you have my sympathy... mine failed too

bad luck for you too then rich

Okay having thought about what to do with 'old Zeb' ........... Decision made He shall live on. There's too much good stuff already been done to contemplate scrapping.... yeh I could pull him to bits & sell things to assist funding something else maybe......

Anyhow, I was 'stuck' with trying to source a RHD rack here in France, or pay to have one shipped over - the postage nigh on doubles the cost.

So I have a similar thread to this running on http://univers-volvo.com/forum/index.php (Frenchy Volvo forum). By a stroke of good fortune (for me) Didier over there had his 850 rear ended & had started breaking good bits from it. It turns out to be a right hooker of Irish origin

Since yesterday evening the rack from Didier's has been in my shed. Didier delivered it en-route to a weekend with his brother a few miles north of here. So I sent him off with some 'spondoolies' for his weekend & a bottle of red to say 'thanks'.

So now on recommendation (thanks LB) I'm going to buy one of these kits : http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/pro ... ts_id=5150 before getting my 'tame mec' over to fit it for me. Following that I guess tracking will need doing again. Then I'll get it all checked at the test centre

I reckon that once all is done I shall have spent around £300 and I should be 'good', at least for the next 2 years till Controle Technique time again.......though there is the old exhaust pipe still hanging in there

Haha, the plot thickens......... wot a day! Chris the mec came over to fit the rack today.... his clutch pedal snapped in half just as he got to my gates. He had a look at my 'new' rack, then car and announced I'd bought the wrong one! So not long later he went off home to do something with his van....

I checked the rack further on Vadis & worked out that it was infact right. So called Chris back. He had 'jury rigged' his clutch & came back out........ after getting the car in the air, he announced that he wasn't too happy crawling about underneath a jacked up engine with the sub-frame lowered. He was worried about 1) getting squished by a Volvo 'white-block' or 2) knackering the car. Said he'd prefer to do it using a hoist.....which he hasn't got......

Nightmare!..... can't blame him mind...... Just could've done with knowing that when I had more time, as my Controle technique runs out on 21/04/13. Arrgh!

Anyhow on a whim I went up to nearby Saint Dolay where there is a garage that has recently 're-opened' under new owners. I wasn't hopeful as here, normally they are very reluctant to fit owner supplied parts. I played on the RHD issue and that they wouldn't be able to source one..... Seems, so far to be a good call, as the mec' there will do it. He can do it next Friday, 19/04/13. Reckoned 3+ hours & offered to do it for 230€ including the tracking. Maybe steep, but I'm getting desperate

Well, I've gone for it & have booked the re-test for Sat 20/04....... Phew, lets hope he is good to his word.......

Dropped Zeb off yesterday evening............... he should be in 'mid-operation' right now.....more later.....

............................and YAY WOOHOO!

Gash pic but I'm sure you get the idea! I feel a beer coming on!

Bet it feels good don't it.

arceye wrote: Bet it feels good don't it.

Thanks, it flippin' well does!

After the test and on advice of the tester I jet washed the rack off. Tester chap took me under and showed all the messy oily gunk left by the garage. So I did blast it off. Since have been keeping my beady eye on things.
No drips

200+ miles in now and the fluid level is......... SPOT ON! Woohoo!