Bimmerworld PS reservoir - now loss of PS

[Vedubin01]

Hey guys, I have hopefully a noob question that can be answered easily. I had the typical PS reservoir leak and saw Bimmerworld had their fix. I purchased this and honestly was kind of a simple install. All until I started the car and noticed I have no Power Steering. I have read several posts on how high to fill the can, and to turn the wheel etc to bleed out bubbles from opening the system. The issue is I have no power steering now and its next to impossible to turn the wheel back and forth to bleed out system.

I have it filled over the baffle and everything is sealed with no leaks. No issues with Power Steering before and happened the moment I turned on the car after install.

Also used correct BMW 11s fluid. Any help would be greatly helpful. Just to add no noises or wines coming from the pump ever. Just loss like air but no way to bleed it. Only the reservoir was changed out. Nothing else.


Thanks guys!

[b4hand]

Maybe jack up the front of the car so the wheels are easier to turn?

[Redd]

Did you put the hoses into the wrong holes? I think one hose is in and one is out.

[Theodore]

Post some photos of the hose connections to the power steering reservoir.

[Vedubin01]

Originally Posted by Redd

Did you put the hoses into the wrong holes? I think one hose is in and one is out.

that is kinda hard to do because one is a 10an and the other is a 8an fitting. The hoses are 2 different sizes as well.

Im going to try this am to lift it up and turn the wheel to see if that will free up the air in the line.

If not Ill post pics and see where to go from there.

[Adriano917]

Yeah you got air in the system, how are you bleeding the system ? Follow this DIY
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=592841

[Vedubin01]

Well got it to my friends shop and got it up in the air. Followed the links directions and bled the system for almost an hour. Even replaced the washers and the banjo check valve bolt. Got it back on the ground and still no power steering. Called Bimmerworld and they are recommending replacing the valved banjo bolt with a non valved bolt. Part number 32416852469 in case anyone runs into this issue. They said they have seen this a few times. So hopefully this will be the fix. Something so easy became a PIA!

Post pics when I can

[Vedubin01]

After bleeding and continuing to bleed the system. we were never able to get it to get the power steering to work. BW said that they have seen the valved banjo bolt has caused the power steering pump to fail.

So after several hours of failing and about 5l of power steering fluid... there is more to this than just air in the line. Wondering if its a Servotronics issue or something else or just a pump that happened to go out at the same time. Which I feel is highly doubtful.

Anyone have any better ideas?

[s0ldats]

that is super strange, but did you already try draining fluid from the rack in case any air was trapped down there?

[Vedubin01]

Yeah we have bled it from the rack

[MP0W3RD]

This is a long shot…but check the power steering wiring harness located in the front left wheel well. I actually managed to run through some wiring with my track tires.

[exVtekGuy]

try the old reservoir.

[Vedubin01]

Originally Posted by exVtekGuy

try the old reservoir.

Already did that....



spent all day at the shop and its come to our conclusion something might have contaminated the system when I installed the BW Reservoir. Not sure if something was inside the can when I installed it or not. Taking the rack out now to go have it pressure tested and checked. At this time that is where we are leaning towards. A failed rack. Sad because it never even left the garage before it failed. Car has just over 50k miles on it currently.

[s0ldats]

man that is really strange! plz keep us posted.

[exVtekGuy]

Originally Posted by Vedubin01

Already did that....



spent all day at the shop and its come to our conclusion something might have contaminated the system when I installed the BW Reservoir. Not sure if something was inside the can when I installed it or not. Taking the rack out now to go have it pressure tested and checked. At this time that is where we are leaning towards. A failed rack. Sad because it never even left the garage before it failed. Car has just over 50k miles on it currently.

that sucks!! hope you get it sorted soon...

[Johnr3524]

I suspect it's no consolation, but that's a very nice picture of your car up on the rack...

[Vedubin01]

Welp got time to tackle it today and purchased a new rack and power steering pump. Want to flush the lines and the reservoir and inside the reservoir we found some silver flakes. To small to show in camera but shiny little flakes. Wondering if that was from the build of the tank from Bimmerworld. This $165 tank is ending up costing several $k to replace the entire PS system. Not a fun day 😢

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by Vedubin01

Welp got time to tackle it today and purchased a new rack and power steering pump. Want to flush the lines and the reservoir and inside the reservoir we found some silver flakes. To small to show in camera but shiny little flakes. Wondering if that was from the build of the tank from Bimmerworld. This $165 tank is ending up costing several $k to replace the entire PS system. Not a fun day 😢

Add an inline filter as unlike the oem the BW tank has no filter.

[Vedubin01]

Originally Posted by DRLane

Add an inline filter as unlike the oem the BW tank has no filter.

Yeah that's the plan. Hopefully I can get everything flushed and cleaned out. The return line to the BW reservoir I had made a custom crimped fitting as the hose is metric and the push to lock is standard. Did not want to go on well so I crimped a 45 fitting to the hose. The one running to the pump went on well and no modifications were needed. I'm placing the return line filter just above the tray mid radiator. Easily accessible once dropping the tray for cleaning. Fingers crossed this all works.

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by Vedubin01

Yeah that's the plan. Hopefully I can get everything flushed and cleaned out. The return line to the BW reservoir I had made a custom crimped fitting as the hose is metric and the push to lock is standard. Did not want to go on well so I crimped a 45 fitting to the hose. The one running to the pump went on well and no modifications were needed. I'm placing the return line filter just above the tray mid radiator. Easily accessible once dropping the tray for cleaning. Fingers crossed this all works.

Reach out to dogbone if it doesn't work to run through all the possible scenarios. You can read his reports from earlier this year but he painstakingly went through this as well.

[Vedubin01]

I'm at the shop arms all greasy and working from my phone. I sent him a message and will try to dig his thread up when I get cleaned up. Thanks for the heads up!

[Vedubin01]

Ok a positive update as of now. After replacing the entire system less the BW reservoir we finally have power steering again. I am still perplexed to where the silver flakes came from and still suspect that they were left over from the manufacture of the reservoir. There really is no other explanation for it and the issue started the moment that the reservoir was installed and the pump circulated the fluid though it.

I did contact Bimmerworld and spoke with John. He is interested in this as there have been others with similar issues (unbeknown to BW) and found that same silver flake. I'm glad the car is back to running correctly, sad it was a costly way to replace the power steering reservoir from its known leaky issues from BMW.

I'll continue to update this as it was an issue with many involved and little clues to what and why. Just glad it appears to be over and resolved

I'll add some more pictures when I get home

Thank you DRLane for chiming in. It was quite helpful!


edit for pictures:

Old rack out and new one going in.



New Power Steering pump and inline filter




installed the inline filter on the return line from the cooler to the reservoir just under the radiator for easy access for cleaning once dropping the tray.



crimped return line to the reservoir