LEAKING POWER RACK AND PINON STEERING GEAR REPAIR

CONDITION: SOME 1980-81 OMEGA POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLIES MAY DEVELOP OIL LEAKS THAT ARE NOT REPAIRABLE USING THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES. SOME ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH POROSITY, GROOVES WORN IN SEALING SURFACES AND SCORE MARKS PREVENTING REPLACEMENT SEALS FROM CORRECTING ALL OIL LEAKS. CORRECTION: OLDSMOBILE IS RELEASING A "SHORT GEAR" ASSEMBLY, PART NUMBER 7842746 FOR SERVICE, AS SHOWN IN FIG. 1. THIS "SHORT GEAR" ASSEMBLY INCORPORATES ALL OF THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS. PROCEDURE: REMOVE POWER RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY FROM CAR REFER TO FIG. 2. 1. REMOVE POWER STEERING LINE CLIP TO BRACKET BOLT. 2. REMOVE BOLT ATTACHING SPEEDOMETER CABLE RETAINER CLIP TO TRANSMISSION. MOVE SPEEDOMETER CABLE ASIDE FOR CLEARANCE. 3. DISCONNECT AND CAP PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES AT GEAR. 4. REMOVE UPPER LEFT HOUSING BRACKET NUT. 5. REMOVE L.H. INSTRUMENT PANEL SOUND ABSORBER. 6. REMOVE UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COUPLING BOLT (AT THE STEERING COLUMN). 7. RAISE CAR ON HOIST, REMOVE BOTH FRONT WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLIES. AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE EQUIPPED CARS ONLY: DEPENDING ON TYPE OF HOIST USED, POSITION AND ADJUST TWO (2) JACK STANDS AS FOLLOWS: A. TWIN POST HOIST-POSITION JACK STANDS UNDER BODY AREA DIRECTLY BEHIND LEFT AND RIGHT HAND FRONT WHEEL OPENING. B."H" HOIST-POSITION JACK STANDS AT LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE RAILS JUST FORWARD OF STABILIZER BAR ATTACHING BRACKET, TO SUPPORT CRADLE. 8. REMOVE BOTH TIE ROD END COTTER PINS AND NUTS. DISCONNECT TIE ROD ENDS FROM STEERING KNUCKLES. 9. REMOVE AIR HOSE SHIELD IF EQUIPPED. 10.REMOVE BOTH LOWER, AND R.H. UPPER, RACK AND PINION BRACKET NUT(S). AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE EQUIPPED CARS ONLY: IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REMOVE BOTH REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND LOWER CRADLE APPROXIMATELY 3-1/2" TO GAIN CLEARANCE. 11.REMOVE BRACKET(S) AND/OR REINFORCEMENT. NOTICE: BE CAREFUL NOT TO BEND BRAKE LINE. 12.DISCONNECT INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FROM STEERING GEAR STUB SHAFT. 13.REMOVE STEERING GEAR THROUGH LEFT WHEEL OPENING. 14.DISCONNECT AND REMOVE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ASSEMBLY FROM THE VEHICLE. TRANSFER OF PARTS TO "SHORT GEAR" ASSEMBLY: 15. ON 1980 MODELS, IF EQUIPPED, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO TRANSFER A CHECK VALVE AND ADAPTER ASSEMBLY (IN THE HIGH PRESSURE PORT). 16.USING SIDE CUTTERS, CUT BOTH OF THE INNER BOOT CLAMPS AND REMOVE. RELEASE TENSION ON THE OUTER BOOT CLAMPS AND SLIDE BOOTS OUTWARD ON THE INNER TIE RODS TO EXPOSE THE SHOCK DAMPENERS ON EACH SIDE. SLIDE SHOCK DAMPENERS INWARD OVER THE RACK TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE INNER TIE ROD HOUSINGS. 17.REMOVE INNER/OUTER TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES FROM OLD GEAR. A. START WITH THE L.H. SIDE. USE A 23MM WRENCH ON THE RACK-GEAR TEETH AND A 36MM WRENCH ON THE TIE ROD HOUSING FLATS. REMOVE THE LEFT HAND INNER/ OUTER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. B.CLAMP THE L.H. RACK-FLAT IN A SOFT JAWED VISE AND SUPPORT THE REST OF THE GEAR BODY. USE THE 36MM WRENCH ON THE R.H. TIE ROD HOUSING- FLATS TO REMOVE THE R.H. INNER/OUTER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. 18.TRANSFER THE SHOCK DAMPENERS TO THE "SHORT GEAR" RACK. NOTE ORIENTATION OF DAMPENERS IN RELATION TO THE HOUSING ON THE OLD GEAR ASSEMBLY. INSTALL IN THE SAME POSITION ON THE NEW GEAR ASSEMBLY. 19.INSTALL INNER/OUTER TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES TO THE NEW "SHORT GEAR". A.CLAMP L.H. RACK-FLAT IN A SOFT JAWED VISE AND SUPPORT THE GEAR BODY. INSTALL THE RIGHT HAND INNER/OUTER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY AND TORQUE TO 95 N.M (70 FT.LBS.). B.DISENGAGE THE RACK-FLAT FROM THE VISE. USING A 23MM WRENCH ON THE RACK-GEAR TEETH TO HOLD THE RACK, INSTALL THE L.H. INNER/OUTER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY AND TORQUE TO 95 N.M (70 FT.LBS.). 20.CHECK TO SEE THAT THE TIE RODS ROCK FREELY IN THE INNER TIE ROD HOUSINGS. SUPPORT THE RACK AND HOUSING AND STAKE THE TIE ROD HOUSING TO RACK-FLAT (BOTH SIDES) ON EACH END (FIG.3). 21.SLIDE SHOCK DAMPENERS OVER THE INNER TIE ROD HOUSINGS UNTIL THEY ENGAGE. 22.TRANSFER THE BREATHER TUBE AND THE LEFT AND RIGHT MOUNTING GROMMETS. 23.RELEASE TENSION ON OUTER BOOT SEAL CLAMPS, AND INSTALL INNER SIDE OF BOOT SEALS OVER THE HOUSING LIPS, LINNING UP THE HOLES IN THE BOOTS WITH THE BREATHER TUBE ON EACH SIDE. INSTALL THE INNER BOOT SEAL CLAMPS USING TOOL J-22610. 24.INSTALL THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ON THE NEW "SHORT GEAR" STUB SHAFT. MAKE SURE THAT THE COUPLING BOLT CAN BE INSTALLED BY HAND. IF IT CANNOT, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REMOVE 1.5MM (.060") FROM THE END OF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BY GRINDING. SEE ILLUSTRATION BELOW. INSTALL POWER RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY IN CAR: 25. INSTALL AND CONNECT THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COUPLING AT THE STEERING COLUMN. 26.INSTALL SUPPORTS, POSITION GEAR ASSEMBLY IN CAR AND CONNECT STEERING GEAR STUB SHAFT TO INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. TORQUE TO 63 N.M (45 FT.LBS.). 27.INSTALL BRACKET(S) AND/OR REINFORCEMENT AND START FOUR (4) NUTS. TIGHTEN BOTH LOWER, AND R.H. UPPER, RACK AND PINION BRACKET NUT(S). TORQUE TO 44 N.M (32FT.LBS.). AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE EQUIPPED CARS ONLY: RAISE CRADLE AND INSTALL BOTH REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND TORQUE TO 115 N.M (85 FT.LBS.). USE A 5/8" GAGE ROD AT RIGHT REAR MOUNT LOCATION TO ALIGN CRADLE WHEN RAISING INTO POSITION. REMOVE JACK STANDS. 28. INSTALL AIR HOSE SHIELD IF EQUIPPED. 29.INSTALL TIE ROD ENDS TO STEERING KNUCKLES. (SEE FIG.2) 30.INSTALL TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLIES, LOWER CAR. 31.TIGHTEN UPPER LEFT HAND HOUSING BRACKET NUT. 32.CONNECT BOTH POWER STEERING LINES. 33.INSTALL SPEEDOMETER CABLE RETAINING CLIP AND POWER STEERING LINE CLIP. 34.CHECK AND REFILL POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL AS NECESSARY AND BLEED SYSTEM. 35.TORQUE THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COUPLING BOLT (AT THE STEERING COLUMN) TO 63 N.M (45 FT.LBS.). INSTALL THE L.H. INSTRUMENT PANEL SOUND ABSORBER. 36.CHECK TOE IN AND ADJUST AS NECESSARY.

THIS BULLETIN IS BEING REISSUED TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE 1981 X11 CITATIONS (RPO-Z19). SOME 1980-81 CITATIONS POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLIES MAY DEVELOP OIL LEAKS THAT ARE NOT REPAIRABLE USING THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES. SOME ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH POROSITY, GROOVES WORN IN SEALING SURFACES AND SCORE MARKS PREVENTING REPLACEMENT SEALS FROM CORRECTING ALL OIL LEAKS. A "SHORT GEAR" ASSEMBLY IS NOW AVAILABLE, P/N 7842746 FOR SERVICE, AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 1. THE "SHORT GEAR" ASSEMBLY INCORPORATES ALL OF THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS. 1981 X11 CITATION (Z19) WHEN SERVICING 1981 X11 CITATIONS (RPO-Z19), REPLACE THE STANDARD EFFORT PINION VALVE THAT COMES WITH THE SHORT GEAR ASSEMBLY WITH THE HIGH EFFORT X11 PACKAGE PINION VALVE. THIS PINION VALVE IS AVAILABLE IN KIT, P/N 7838404. REFER TO SECTION 3B IN THE 1981 CITATION SHOP MANUAL FOR PINION VALVE REPLACEMENT PROCEDURES. MAKE SURE THE VALVE BODY RING PROTECTOR TOOL (J-33057) IS USED WHEN INSERTING THE PINION VALVE IN THE HOUSING. REFER TO BULLETIN 82-I-108 FOR TOOL INSTRUCTIONS. PROCEDURE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY REMOVAL - REFER TO FIGURE 2 1. USE PROCEDURES SHOWN ABOVE. OPERATION LABOR USAGE YEAR NUMBER TIME MANUAL TRANSMISSION (EXCEPT X11) 1980-81 T0098 1.9 AUTO. TRANSMISSION (EXCEPT X11) 1980-81 T0099 3.0 MANUAL TRANSMISSION X11 1981 T0098 2.3 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION X11 1981 T0099 3.4 ADD .1 HOUR TO ABOVE TIMES FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH LOCKING WHEEL COVERS.

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.