steering is groaning...

[16v of E30]

top up the fluid or is the rack on its way out...?

its minor but worries me

[jlevie]

A groaning noise from the steerings is almost certainly going to be low fluid or a problem with the pump.

[scottinAZ]

agreed, a groaning pump is low on fluid, or on the way out

[fiftytakedowns]

is there any way to like replace, or flush the fluid in a steering system?

[dashboardmonkey]

is there any way to like replace, or flush the fluid in a steering system?

yes but it is messy

[fiftytakedowns]

heh, alright, does anyone swap to manual temporarily, until a new rack is had? then go back to power steering?

[ck_taft325is]

If you do decide to go manual steering, do it right. Don't just remove the belt. I'd flush your power steering rack. Yes, it's a tad messy but worth it. My latest e30 had it's PS pump belt just removed to "delete" the power steering. Which was stupid. The car was like trying to arm wrestle Lou Ferrigno at low speeds. If you look around on how to delete the power steering while retaining the original rack, I'm sure you'll find it.

My suggestion is to bleed the rack with some "Seafoam" PS/Auto Trans clean out. Then find the hose that's leaking (more often than not, it's the expensive "high pressure" hose from Pump -> Rack) and replace it. I just did this on my rack, which as mentioned above was disconnected via no belt for probably a year or so. After I flushed and replaced all worn or tired hoses, it works like a champ and an entirely different car to drive. My wife thinks I'm some kind of mechanical Hero now that she can actually drive it.

[fiftytakedowns]

That is som good info. would you recommend running seafoam inthe system for a little, then bleeding it? and seeing what is going wrong?