Mark Greenall
Registered User
Hi
I have been for 18 months restoring a 1998 a3 8l 1.8t it's a Labour of love rather than a full out restoration.
The steering rack started leaking and I had a huge deadzone, I removed the rack from a seat Leon 1.8t (same part number) the seat drove fine no issues with steering but it failed mot on emissions so was going to be broken.
Anyway I had my brother who is a jaguar technician change the rack because I am steel fabricator not a mechanic I can hold my own but don't play with what I don't know especially steering.
After the change the rack feels a bit tight at about quarter past 12 when I turn right and doesn't return by itself, I took it for a alignment and the problem still exists unfortunately!
Next I swapped the pas pump from the seat Leon and it's still the same feeling of tightness.
The only thing I can spot is the driver right hand top mount is approx 15mm gap compared the the left being approx 5mm (visually looking from above)
I wonder can a bad strut mount or bearing cause this symptom? Before I swapped the rack I did feel once or twice the steering not return but thought it was the rack? I changed all fluid for new vw spec ect.
I do know my brother is a good mechanic but works on jags 24/7 is there something we maybe missed? We dropped the subframe but doesn't seem to be anywhere it could move as it's 4 bolts that line up in the holes.
Any suggestion would be greatly received I have spent alot in this car here and there to bring it back to it's former and right now I will spend in it but i don't want to spend just looking and chasing.
Thanks guys
I have been for 18 months restoring a 1998 a3 8l 1.8t it's a Labour of love rather than a full out restoration.
The steering rack started leaking and I had a huge deadzone, I removed the rack from a seat Leon 1.8t (same part number) the seat drove fine no issues with steering but it failed mot on emissions so was going to be broken.
Anyway I had my brother who is a jaguar technician change the rack because I am steel fabricator not a mechanic I can hold my own but don't play with what I don't know especially steering.
After the change the rack feels a bit tight at about quarter past 12 when I turn right and doesn't return by itself, I took it for a alignment and the problem still exists unfortunately!
Next I swapped the pas pump from the seat Leon and it's still the same feeling of tightness.
The only thing I can spot is the driver right hand top mount is approx 15mm gap compared the the left being approx 5mm (visually looking from above)
I wonder can a bad strut mount or bearing cause this symptom? Before I swapped the rack I did feel once or twice the steering not return but thought it was the rack? I changed all fluid for new vw spec ect.
I do know my brother is a good mechanic but works on jags 24/7 is there something we maybe missed? We dropped the subframe but doesn't seem to be anywhere it could move as it's 4 bolts that line up in the holes.
Any suggestion would be greatly received I have spent alot in this car here and there to bring it back to it's former and right now I will spend in it but i don't want to spend just looking and chasing.
Thanks guys
