No start after valve job...

Jazzer · Post by **Jazzer** » 19 Oct 2016, 15:38

...and after installing the rotor adaptor correctly (and also realizing the distributor was damaged), as well as getting the cams in time, it started! Woo hoo! Now the steering rack is leaking...

Post by **rspi** » 19 Oct 2016, 18:00

It started with the cam sensor plug damaged?

Jazzer · Post by **Jazzer** » 19 Oct 2016, 18:20

rspi wrote:It started with the cam sensor plug damaged?

After looking closely at the cam sensor, the old, yellowed, brittle plastic had broken away a bit, but there were no broken or exposed wires, which was nice.

AKJeeper · Post by **AKJeeper** » 19 Oct 2016, 20:20

Glad to hear your Platinum is running again. Where's the leak coming from on the rack? Hoses or the rack itself? Is it a really bad leak?

Jazzer · Post by **Jazzer** » 19 Oct 2016, 22:16

From the boots...kind of bad but I'm trying some suggestions on here for stop leak atf and we'll see how it goes. Might try rebuilding it myself if it gets any worse. I have a feeling it's from when the engine was misfiring and the engine mounts were shot; it was shaking so bad I think it shook the seals loose. Or not. Might be a coincidence.

101 · Post by **101** » 20 Oct 2016, 04:35

Jazzer:

Give this stuff a try first. It fixed a rather serious leak on my BMW E30 steering rack. I just topped off as needed and eventually the leak went away,

Valvoline MaxLife (ATF) Automatic Transmission Fluid with Stop Leak

Good luck!

Post by **Clemens** » 20 Oct 2016, 06:26

Some recommend atp 205. Whatever you do, you can safely experiment with stop leak additives because you still can pull the rack if it doesn't work and worst is you have to get a used pump as well.

Jazzer · Post by **Jazzer** » 20 Oct 2016, 07:54

Thanks, I'm using the valvoline stop leak now, we'll see how it goes. The thing that concerns me right now is I'm getting a sort of death wobble after I hit a bump at highway speed. I'm assuming it's attributed to the rack since most of the suspension has been replaced in the last year. I just put in new engine mounts, but it's still there.

Post by **scot850** » 20 Oct 2016, 17:25

Are you sure the death wobble is caused by the front end? Could be a failed/failing rear end.

What brands of parts did you use for the suspension re-build? I have used some aftermarket parts in the past (I now know better) that did not last more than 6 months in the suspension. Control arm bushes failed, ball joints went sloppy, end links failed and top spring mounts also failed. So because something has been replaced recently doesn't mean it was done correctly or the parts are good still.

Neil.

Jazzer · Post by **Jazzer** » 20 Oct 2016, 20:57

I'll be sure to include the rear end suspension on my list of things to check. Since we've ventured off the original topic I'm going to start a new post that deals with my wobble problems.