Pump action

摘要

Fast approaching 180,000 miles, our 2000 (T) Mk 4 GTI1.8T is still going strong, but inevitably suffering the occasional ancillary breakdown, this time the PAS pump... IT STARTED fairly gently, with just the occasional whine on full lock, but within a few days the noisy power steering pump was screeching almost all the time, even when driving in a straight line. Having once had a PAS pump fail, with nearly serious consequences when the steering suddenly locked up solid compared to its easy response when power assisted, I knew it was a job which needed doing sooner rather than later. So, on a wet and windy Wednesday during the Christmas break, it was down to the nearest branch of GSF for a replacement Schalburg pump and a new drive belt, while the local Halfords supplied two 500 ml bottles of Slick 50 power steering pump fluid.