Irresistance
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2009
- Messages
- 786
- Reaction score
- 6
- Location
- Gdansk, Poland
- Your Mercedes
- 2004 W220 320CDI
Hello again.
I have posted about a wheezing sound I experience when using the steering wheel at low speeds before. Today I had a more detailed look at the source of the sound, and as it stands, it appears the sound is coming from the steering rack.
I have WD40-ed the rubber boot under the dash (from both sides, also in engine bay) but this has done nothing, not even for a moment, and at any rate the sound appears to come from a different part of the car, namely from underneath the engine, where the rack is located.
Now - here in PL I can get a reconditioned rack complete with removal & fitting for a very humble 110 pounds, so cost is not really a major issue, but I would like to be sure that this is the problem.
The sound, as I tried to describe it already, is a bit of a wheeuw whaauw every time I turn the steering wheel, even if it's a very weenie bit. It does not seem to occur at higher speeds, but I guess I can't be sure, given that the sound is fairly slight and it may simply be inaudible due to motor and road noise.
One question I have is - is it possible to fully bleed all the fluid from the steering system? If so, how do I do it? I imagine there is some sort of plug underneath the rack?
Reason I am asking is because perhaps the problem is not the rack, but the quality of the fluid. A fair amount of it is new (got the pump replaced by a new unit about 6 months ago) and perhaps if I fully bleed the system and put in new, correct MB fluid, the sound will go away? The sound is pretty much the only problem - steering itself works fine, no pull to any side and I do sometimes get a gentle clunk when going lock to lock, but I think this is simply a tie rod that is slowly on its way out (although I suppose it would make sense to check that before I do anything)
Any ideas?
Thank you
I have posted about a wheezing sound I experience when using the steering wheel at low speeds before. Today I had a more detailed look at the source of the sound, and as it stands, it appears the sound is coming from the steering rack.
I have WD40-ed the rubber boot under the dash (from both sides, also in engine bay) but this has done nothing, not even for a moment, and at any rate the sound appears to come from a different part of the car, namely from underneath the engine, where the rack is located.
Now - here in PL I can get a reconditioned rack complete with removal & fitting for a very humble 110 pounds, so cost is not really a major issue, but I would like to be sure that this is the problem.
The sound, as I tried to describe it already, is a bit of a wheeuw whaauw every time I turn the steering wheel, even if it's a very weenie bit. It does not seem to occur at higher speeds, but I guess I can't be sure, given that the sound is fairly slight and it may simply be inaudible due to motor and road noise.
One question I have is - is it possible to fully bleed all the fluid from the steering system? If so, how do I do it? I imagine there is some sort of plug underneath the rack?
Reason I am asking is because perhaps the problem is not the rack, but the quality of the fluid. A fair amount of it is new (got the pump replaced by a new unit about 6 months ago) and perhaps if I fully bleed the system and put in new, correct MB fluid, the sound will go away? The sound is pretty much the only problem - steering itself works fine, no pull to any side and I do sometimes get a gentle clunk when going lock to lock, but I think this is simply a tie rod that is slowly on its way out (although I suppose it would make sense to check that before I do anything)
Any ideas?
Thank you 
