Ken, do you have any idea how much, if any, fluid is at the rack and in
the steering gear and rotary control valve housings?   Might be a good
idea to disassemble the entire assembly to have a looksee and apply the
right grease, (seems to me a synthetic CV grease like the Valvoline with
MoS2 would do), to the moving parts and seals.

-Dana-

Ken Ehlert wrote:
>
> When I tried using the power steering, it needed to be topped off every two
> or three days. It didn't have a belt or even a pulley when I bought it.
> Spent good money on those only to remove the belt after a week or so.
>
> > From: Dana Morphew <kadm@PUGETSOUND.NET>
> > Organization: Dana's Mobile Carpet Steam
> > Reply-To: Dana Morphew <kadm@PUGETSOUND.NET>
> > Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 07:54:26 -0700
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Re: Power Steering Used as Manual Steering
> >
> > Since your system is sealed, maybe just having the system bled and full
> > of fluid has kept the steering gear lubed.
> >
> > -Dana-
> >
> >>
> >> I have been driving my '85 Westy for 4 years with the belt off the power
> >> steering pump. In those 4 years I have put about 30,000 miles in the van
> >> without a problem concerning the steering.
> > ...
> >
> >>> Does anyone have any additional information on this?  Contrary to what Don
> >>> was told by his mechanic, I was told be a VW dealership mechanic that there
> >>> is no harm in disconnecting the power steering pump.  My 86 GL that has a
> >>> leaky rebuilt rack seems to steer and handle fine without power assistance.
> >>> This is an important safety issue as i'm sure many of us have had to or are
> >>> considering replacing or re-building our leaky power steering racks.
> > ...
> >
> >>> "The shaft gears are completely toast", he said.
> >>> "Oh my God, I just got back from SLC yesterday! That's 2000 miles round
> >>> trip!"
> >>> "You lucky bastard", he said.....
> >>> He put the van on a lift and proceeded to show me what happens to the power
> >>> steering rack when it doesn't get the required fluids.
> >>> See, my van's steering pump was bad when I her. But I drove on it for about
> >>> 2 years before having it looked at.
> >>>
> >>> So, lesson to be learned? Power steering racks sure for power steering.
> >>> They
> >>> will wear out Very fast if not lubricated properly, and that could cause a
> >>> major accident (imagine your bus taking off in it's own direction at
> >>> 60+mph!!)
> >