The rubber sleeve that goes around the steering column, it`s that little rubber accordion looking thing below the brake booster. well mine was cracked when we bought the car 11 yrs ago, so I did the Okie repair job with some RTV. worked ok, but as the years have moved on the rubber has slowly deteriorating. I was checking out to see where all the cold air was coming from, my right foot has been freezing. well the sleeve has finally ripped to the point a whole tube of RTV would be needed.

So last monday I drove to Monterey and ordered the new sleeve, Part#
123 462 13 96. it was 18.00 + tax, and $5.00 shipping. I wasn`t driving 30 miles to save $5.00.
the main reason I went was to put in for our milage badges. 250000 km, and 500000km.

So yesterday I dove into the FSM, looks like an easy job, no problem.

1. remove the cover at left under instrument panel.

2. follow the steering column towards the firewall, half way there is a coupling that joins the two halves. remove the 4mm hex bolt.
you will see a corrigated tube that goes through the firewall.

3. At the steering box is another coupling with two hex bolts, 4mm. remove these. then from under the dash push the tube towards the steering box. you want the coupler to slide on the splines about an inch, this separates the steering shaft under the dash.

4. Then remove the shaft in a lateral direction, but do not use any force on the corrigated tube. this tube evidently folds up in a head on collision, so don`t tweek it.

well this thing just doesn`t come apart as the directions describe. I had the use a hammer to tap the coupler to get it to move on the splines. still doesn`t let the shaft to move freely side ways with out tweeking it.
I finally decided to loosen the sterering box, I removed the 2 bolts on the right. left the left bolt in so the box would pivot when I lifted it. this gave the shaft some wiggle room so I could pull it off the steering box coupler. the 3 bolts for the box are 15mm.

I removed the old rubber sleeve, cleaned the area around the hole, and installed the new sleeve. I sprayed some silicone on the rubber to get it to fit over the opening.
the FMS says to use "Shell Retinax A", I don`t know what that is, so I used "SIL-GLYDE". also used it on the sun roof slides. there is a seal on the end of the shaft that butts up against the sleeve. this is to lube it.

well if I had trouble getting it apart, I had more getting it back together.
There is no way the shaft is going to hook back up to the coupler on the steering box, just can`t get the angle right. Iam holding the steering box with my left hand trying to pivot it and stick the shaft on it, the shaft is flopping around under the dash, and I can`t get any leverage on it to push it onto the coupler.
so finally I said %&@#%&*?, closed shop for the night, went in the house and made a pot of coffee.

So after sleeping on it, this morning after another pot of coffee, I took another approach. I fastened the shaft to the steering column.
Raised the car up on jack stands, threw down some old pieces of carpet under the car.
went in the house and sweet talked my wonderful wife to give me a hand. gave her some blue gloves and a wrench to remove the third bolt on the steering box while I was holding the box under the car. so with a lot of grunting, coaching and being nice. and after about 15 tries the damn coupler slid on the splines of the box. then got her to start the 3 bolts to hold the box on. replaced the last hex bolt on the coupler.
then I tightened up the three hex bolts on the couplers and the three bolts on the steering box. replaced the L/F wheel torqued it down.
Now we are good to go for another 23 years.

Before I pulled the coupler off the steering box splines, I marked it so it would go back together and have the steering wheel straight.
the spokes were at 9 & 3 o`clock. I haven`t driven it yet, hope they aren`t at 11 & 5. we`ll see.

Yesterday first thing I did was the valves. now I have 2 things checked off my list and haven`t broken anything

The hardest part of the project was forcing myself to brave all the elements of the weather. there was this blinding thing up in the sky, and I had to wear my shades, must have been 75deg today.


Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works