Oil leaks, steering box and idler damper

[Cooper99]

Some questions about my steering box and idler damper which both shows signs of oil leaks. I need to remove them both because I'm about to repaint the engine bay. So I should take the opportunity to fix the leaks.

Idler damper:
I haven't yet checked if it is worn. The Rover manual says that it shall be replaced instead of repaired. Is that still the case?

Suppose it isn't worn and only the oil seal is damaged. Will it be obvious when driving that there is no oil in the idler damper (the wear will go faster I suppose)? I have driven the car for some years but have no other P6 to compare the steering with.



Steering box:
I don't know if the box is worn. Is there any special method to see if it is?

Is it a complicated job to replace the oil seals? Is there anything particular to pay attention to during removal/refit?

 

[SydneyRoverP6B]

Hi Cooper,

You can check for wear within the idler by grasping the raised L/H wheel at the 2:45 position, then with an alternating movement push and pull both side simultaneously. Wear will reveal itself with the drop arm kicking sideways.

The loss of oil will make the steering lighter, but usually as it happens quite slowly, is not immediately apparent. Inside the body of the idler is a well divided by a moving vane. There are galleries that allow oil to flow from one side of the vane to the other as it sweeps through its range of travel. The oil is typically gear oil, such as EP 80W90 or similar.

When worn, the idler needs to be reconditioned. T.R Spares in Sydney, Australia is but one business that carries out reconditioning. Their idlers come with a 5 year warranty.

I have not had the extreme pleasure of working on a steering box at this stage , but I am sure that someone who has will be along shortly to offer their advice, so stay tuyned. :wink:

Ron.

 

[Cooper99]

Thanks Ron, I will check the idler for wear. Even if its not worn I suppose I should replace it because of the oil leakage. It's easy access now when the engine is removed.

According to this thread (viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14103&start=15) it seems like it's possible to replace the two oil seals in the steering box without dismantling it. It would be nice.