Steering Rack Noisy When Warm? Change Oil.

Hi.

Winter will eventually be over, and then my derailleur (the XTR USA version - there were two different versions in the G3) will start "clicking" again.

It did that all summer long, whenever it (the steering) was hot, like during a summer day or due to engine heat.

It was silent all winter long!

Since the transmission is not cheap, and the servo oil is already 8 years old, I thought maybe I should just change the oil first.

What do you think about it?
How do you change the hydraulic oil?
Where should I screw it in?
What should be considered (?? Don't let the pump run dry!)?

"Isn't it possible to bleed the system simply by letting the engine run while it's stationary?"

Thank you.
m;

P.S. The search only yielded one thread related to changing the servo gear itself.

PPS: There's enough oil in it (I haven't had to top it up in 2 years), and the seals need to be oil-free.
VW "did something to fix it," and the noise was gone for a while.

VW 'had a little mishap' at some point, and the noise was gone for a while.

Hmm, wouldn't it be more advisable to address the problem here? It seems like this is a solution, albeit a temporary one.

Changing the oil is not recommended. You would need to unscrew the inlet pipe, and then the oil will drain out.
However, I wouldn't mess with that if I were you, as the lines are quite sensitive and designed for an operating pressure of approximately 15 bar and flexibility, making them extremely expensive. A single line in a Golf 4 cost me around 150€ back then (without installation) because that piece of junk started leaking. And as long as the system is working, I would strongly advise you to leave it alone.

There is also an adjustment screw that allows you to adjust the play between the steering shaft and the steering gear teeth if there is too much play in the steering wheel. Something may be too tight or too loose. I don't know the location of this adjustment screw on the Golf 3, but on the Golf 4, it is located on the rear side, facing the direction of travel, next to the exhaust manifold in the steering gear. However, to my knowledge, the Golf 3 has a ball joint steering system and not a rack and pinion steering system, so I think the construction is simpler and may even have an adjustment screw for the steering assist pressure. On the Golf 2, there were two 10mm screws on the power steering unit.
So, be careful about what you set, but it's also mostly workshop work.

P.S.:
If it eases your conscience, you can use a thin hose to drain the reservoir and refill it with new servo oil, but I think it's a waste of time and resources.

Quote:

There is also an adjustment screw that allows you to adjust the play between the steering shaft and the steering gear teeth, if the steering wheel has too much play.

NOPE, not with the G3 servo gearbox!

I know about the ones from the G2, and I would have also messed around with them if they existed .

m;

Hm? The Golf 2 had them, the Golf 4 also, but not the Golf 3? What kind of nonsense is that?

Julian wrote:

Changing the oil is not recommended. However, I believe that it is a waste of time and resources.

Hi,
I've always done it this way. But I wonder why the expiry date is printed on the oil container. Does the oil last 5 years when stored in an airtight container at 20°C, but indefinitely with exposure to oxygen and the usual temperatures in the engine compartment?

That's exactly what I think too, Christians.

"Even the transmission oil is supposed to last forever?!?!? I didn't care and I changed it anyway."

I think I'll take a look at that "unscrewing at the front" thing (darn, I should have taken pictures of the undercarriage, now the "diaper" is back on).

Regarding the adjustment screw:
The G3 model without the servo has this feature, the one WITH the servo does not - that's what it says in my book, and I haven't seen any with the servo that have it.

m

Ask me why an expiration date is printed on the packaging of the oil.

Hmm, I've never seen that before. Let me take a look... No, actually, there's no expiration date printed on my two plastic containers. What kind of packaging do you have?

If the steering gear has a mechanical defect, an oil change will not fix it. Nevertheless: It's better to drain the oil than to open the system.

Julian wrote:

What kind of packaging do you have?

Original VAG G.....

Hello, you can safely unscrew both lines connected to the steering system. Nothing will happen.
Then, turn the steering wheel fully to the left and right a few times.
Thus, you have almost completely removed the oil.
Then you put everything back together, fill the container to the maximum level, and start the engine.
Repeatedly fill to the maximum level, and repeatedly turn the steering wheel fully to the left and right.
You've already changed approximately 90 percent of the oil.
You will need approximately one liter of oil.
Don't worry about the noises you hear when turning initially; it's normal for air to be pumped in.
After a long drive, you can then top it up if needed.
Normally, you don't need new seals; just make sure everything is verschandeln before assembly.
Give it a try; the oil isn't that expensive, and it's definitely worth a shot.