To be honest I doubt it. The concern that this raises for me is if there are going to be any other incompatibilities. All the racks we've done have had the provision for the damper, so we just swapped it onto the new rack. Make sure the mounting holes, physical dimensions, pressure line attachments, etc all coincide and line up between the two.

 

So, I did finally get the rack in, and working good. However, I got more bad news when I took it in for an alignment. I have a bad ball joint on one of the upper control arms... Just picked up an S4 upgraded kit from FCP (I work in Groton, just down the road from the store) for 275$ plus tax. So, I'll be tackling that job this week. Sweet.

On a positive note, the car didn't have any starting or running problems after putting the battery back in, nor did the radio need a security code. Not sure what's up with that...

 

can you rebuild the pump? i dont think my rack is toast but the pump is making noise. fluid level is good. but still feels like its low on fluid. until it warms up. i filled it a few months ago(after tightening a hose clamp on the line by the radiator, which was leaking) with Bars stop leak fluid. shortly after the car was parked for a few months with a dropped control arm
...any ideas?

 

Not sure what a new pump costs but with all the parts cars out there, and the relative ease of changing the pump (doesn't even require service position), just replace it. If a rebuild kit is available, I doubt it's worth the hassle when you can score one for $30-50.

 

+1 on replacing the pump. Be sure to replace the aluminium or copper washers on any banjo fittings. It also helps to raise the front of the vehicle and turn the steering lock to lock several times prior to starting the engine to get as much air as possible out of the lines.

If there are 'groaning' sounds from the pump when the steering wheel is turned, you have air entering on the suction side either through a loose clamp or poorly fitting hose connection.

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...ideo_processed

thats a video i took. im pretty sure its the pump. fluid level is good. the sound gets less prominent and steering feels normal once the car warms up. but the it almost sounds like the noise is coming from the block.

 

however, a friend of mine just mentioned frothy fluid in the reservior, which means airated fluid.... and my fluid is pretty frothy

 

The noise is the pump sucking air in with the fluid. Did you check the reservoir connections for leaks, especially the suction hose from the reservoir to the pump? The end near the pump inlet tends to harden over time and allow air to be drawn in around the hose fitting.

The Oetiker clamp installed at the factory, if still in place, cannot be tightened further and must be replaced. If the hose is brittle, it should be replaced to eliminate the air leak.

 

ill check it tmw morning. but i did have a loose hose clamp on the piece of line to metal that sits just under the radiator, about 4 months ago. car was parked a short time after. didnt start making the noise until about 2 weeks ago when i started it for the first time since august. any way to easily find the leak? i mean i know its not leaking any fluid right now

 

The metal line near the radiator is the fluid cooler and the hose connections can become loose there as well with the constant heating and cooling that takes place.

I have found that the reservoir connections often seep as well with fluid dripping down onto the LH frame rail and even the oil filter. Check the suction pipe at the power steering pump by removing the upper plastic engine cover. On the AFC engine you will see the pump just below the coil packs. If there is a leak, you may notice fluid dripping down onto the upper part of the water pump. Also check the banjo union on the pressure side of the pump to see if there is any fluid escaping around the aluminium or copper washers.