Power steering prob

[GTI-BOY]

 Just completed a rebuild of my 90' golf gti 8v digi. After numerous other fiddly probs etc, I installed a new power steering rack, but it's not working. I jacked the car up and locked the steering from side to side with the engine running, still no joy.

 The p/s fluid level dropped initially and I topped it up and it has remained at constant level. I am wondering if it is an airlock in the system??? Any idea's? The pump came from a donor car and I am sure it was working before the swap?

  Anyone else come accross the same prob??

Cheers

[richandhazel]

Moving the steering from full lock left to full lock right a few times should remove any airlocks. Is it not power assisting at all?

[richandhazel]

Oh and welcome to the forum

[GTI-BOY]

 No, nothing. Not even intermittently. No noise from the pump either. I'm living in hope that it's just an airlock, til I get to look at it at the weekend! The pump is a bit pricey!!  The hoses needed to be adapted as the donor car was lhd, and they hang low in places, could this be a problem?

[richandhazel]

Could be

Might be worth cracking the lines with it running and trying to bleed off any trapped air that way

[Gambit]

sounds a bit simple but have you got the pump belted up correctly?

the way to remove airlocks is to go from lock to lock a few times with the top of the resivoir bottle.

this needs to be done on the level, so you need both the front and rear of the car jacked up.

[GTI-BOY]

     
   Yeah ,I'll open those pipes at the w/end and give that a try, cheers.

   I double chked the pulley and the belt, tension everything seems hunky dory.

    I'll let you know the outcome. Thanks for the idea's guys.