Fixing Power Steering leaks in Rolls Royce and Bentley

One of the most common problems on cars is leakage.  If we can say one thing for sure, when it comes to leaks, it is this:  The higher quality the car, the greater the variety and quantity of fluids it will have to leak.  And all of them will be top grade.  If the car was built in England, its pedigree ensures that every one of those premium liquids will eventually find a path to the ground beneath the car.

While the variety of fluids that can leak may seem infinite, this post will address just one, from one kind of car:  Power steering leakage in 1990-newer Crewe built Rolls Royce and Bentley motorcars.

We see two main sources of steering leakage in these fine cars.  The first is the rack itself, which tends to leak from the input shaft seal and the bellows at either end.  The input shafts leak when dirt works its way down the shaft and ruins the seal.  The bellows leak when the bushings that guide the rack wear, and the rack begins moving more than what the seals can contain.

Here you see dry lines and wetness from the rack seals

Wet rack bellows are a sure sign of bushing and seal failure

The drip below my finger comes from the input shaft seal (above, out of photo)

Looking at the photos you see a typical scenario.  The lines into the rack in the top photo (the most common leak source on many lesser cars) are dry.  The yellow paint on the lines in this photo mark the lines and rack as original to the car. 

The rack is the only leak on this 1996 Bentley undercarriage

This rack is dripping from the input, and the output bellows.  As the photo below shows, it’s the only wet thing on an otherwise remarkably dry undercarriage.  It veritably cries out for repair!

So what do you do?

Your first thought might be to simply buy a new rack. If only you could!  At this moment Bentley’s ability to supply factory-rebuilt or new racks is limited.  When new racks are available costs are generally around $3,000 – more than many owners wish to pay for a part that history shows may be worn out and leaking in 15,000 miles.   Simple resealing of the racks is not usually a long-term fix because of the bushing wear, which happens amazingly fast on some cars.  We suspect the most vulnerable cars are those that run fast on rough roads, for that sort of driving puts the maximum stress on the big bushings in the rack.  We think they get pounded from round to oval, and once that happens, leakage is inevitable.

We’ve been sending our racks to specialist rebuilders with good success.  They change the bushings and seals, and set the clearances.  The body of the rack and the big gear pieces seem pretty indestructible. 

The next problem area is the steering fluid reservoir.  It’s a simple plastic affair located right next to the engine oil filler.  On most cars a plastic reservoir like this would be a $100 part (or less) but Bentley seems to see the situation differently.  When they ran out of cheap (figuratively and literally) molded plastic parts they commissioned the production of Professional Grade stainless steel reservoirs.  At a cost of $1,200.  Yes, you read that right.  Over one thousand dollars for a container that holds a cup of steering oil.

Leaky reservoir removed from the car.  This one was glued, unsuccessfully.  Don't waste your time.

Even in the rarefied world of Rolls Royce owners balk at things like that.  But what can you do?  We have a solution.

Old reservoir and our replacement side by side

The new reservoir in hand.  It's made from the finest molded foam plastic

Setting the reservoir in place

The finished installation looks totally stock, and works better

We have adapted the common plastic reservoir used by Land Rover, Porsche, and BMW to fit our beloved RR/B motorcars.  We modify the original mounting bracket and with a few hours fitting it looks like the car was made that way. 

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (which is about to happen, as I write this post) I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the discerning motorists who have chosen our company to care for their cars over the years. It's people like you (you know who you are) that make it possible for us to make these discoveries, and devise fixes like you see here.  It's what separates simple repair from craftsmanship, and it's what our crew does best.

John Elder Robison is the general manager of J E Robison Service Company, independent Rolls Royce and Bentley specialists in Springfield, Massachusetts.  John is a longtime technical consultant to the RROC and he’s owned and restored many of these fine vehicles.  Find him online at www.robisonservice.com or in the real world at 413-785-1665.

The TCS Auto Program gets its first car donation!

Arrived today . . . !

I am pleased to report that our TCS Automotive Program has received its first auto donation - a 1998 Land Rover Discovery.  This Land Rover's lucky owners have the great fortune of heading to Spain for a sabbatical year of study, and they decided to donate the old Rover and replace it when they get home.

I certainly appreciate their thinking of us, and the work we are doing for young people with challenges. The opening of our TCS Auto school is truly a long-standing dream come true for me.  Even though school districts and state agencies are covering the tuition we still have other un-covered costs.  Like most schools, we'll look to grants and donors to fill the gaps.

Cars like this may be sold to raise money for scholarships and other support, or they may be dismantled and turned into teaching materials.  This particular Rover still has a lot of life left, so it will be put up for sale.  We've actually already had a family ask about buying it, for one of their kids!


The TCS Auto Program is a satellite campus of Tri County Schools, part of Northeast Center for Youth and Families of Easthampton, MA. NCYF is a private nonprofit corporation serving young people and families with emotional and developmental challenges.  The TCS Auto Program is located in John Elder Robison's Springfield Automotive Complex right next to Robison Service.  John is an adult with autism, a bestselling author, an advocate for young people with differences, and one of the visionaries behind this school program.  He's also the founder of J E Robison Service, a company that repairs and restores high-end automobiles for collectors and enthusiasts. 

Trade School to open at Robison Service complex in Springfield MA

The automobile trade has been good to me.   From a humble beginning in the garage beside my house, Robison Service has evolved into one of the leading import car specialists in New England.  We’ve grown from a twelve by twenty foot stall to a complex of buildings; all by providing a service few people choose to offer.

Our business has succeeded through the hard work of many people, and the support of a loyal clientele.  But before we had those things, there was me – an autistic adult who needed a job.

I started this company because I couldn’t fit in at the Big Corporation.   It’s given me stability, and a sense of value in the community.  As manufacturing and management jobs have evaporated from the businesses around me, it’s also given me security.  No one will be outsourcing repair of Mom’s BMW, or restoration of Dad’s Jaguar anytime soon.

The same can be said for most of the trades.  Electricians, plumbers, mechanics, HVAC people . . . we do very different work but we have a few things in common:

• We work with our hands
• We rely on focus, concentration, and specialized knowledge to succeed
• Technical skill means more than people skills in most of our jobs
• Our jobs are local, and they won’t be outsourced to India or China any day soon!

Becoming a skilled tradesman is one way a person like me – from an at-risk background, with some “differences” to set me apart – can find success in this society.  An established tradesman will always have work, often with a better-than-average income for his area.

Knowing that, I’ve always wished there was a way I could teach the practical trades to young people like me.  I get a steady trickle of emails asking that very thing.  This summer, I am pleased to say we are taking some action.

We are seekign MA dept of education approval to open a trade school in the Robison Service complex.

We want to to teach basic mechanics, vehicle inspection, detailing, small engine repair and landscaping.  All that will be done right here where I work every day – alongside real professionals practicing the same trades day in and day out.

We are partnering with NortheastCenter for Youth and Families, and Tri County Schools of Easthampton.  Students will divide their time between shop classes in our complex and the regular academic program at Tri County’s Easthampton campus.  I will be an advisor but the teaching will be done by legitimate special ed professionals, not just outlaws like me!

Tri County is a long-established non-profit Massachusetts Chapter 766 approved special education school.  Students in our programs will be referred by state agencies, school districts, and private professionals.  Some of our kids will be on the autism spectrum, but we will also take kids from at-risk home environments and kids with other developmental challenges.

We are presently recruiting a shop teacher and several other staff.  Follow this link if you’re interested in working with us.

Write me if you’re a parent or prospective student interested in our programs.  We hope to be open for fall semester 2013, subject to state approval, and we plan to begin taking applications for summer school 2014 very soon.  I expect mostly day students but NCYF does have residential options.

I’m very excited about this new program.  Frankly, it’s something of a dream come true.  I can’t wait to see us open the doors, in a few short months.  Do you know someone who wants to be in our first class?

Stay tuned for updates, and think hard about those trades.  Not everyone is cut out for college.   I wasn’t. 

John Elder Robison is an adult with autism, and the parent of an adult son with autism.  He serves on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee of the US Department if Health and Human Services.  He serves on numerous public and private boards, and he’s the founder of JE Robison Service of Springfield, MA.  John is also the NY Times bestselling author of Look Me in the Eye, Be Different, andRaising Cubby.  He lives in Western Massachusetts.

Soft tops for Land Rovers

The iconic Land Rover Defender 90 was sold in the United States from 1994-1997.  If you own one of those trucks, or a grey market rig, or an older Series vehicle, you may be in the market for a new top.  Perhaps your top is just old and ratty, or maybe a jealous husband shot it full of holes as you fled down the street one night.  Whatever the reason, most original soft tops are due for replacement by now.  

In addition to folks with ratty soft tops, there are people with hard top trucks, who dream of fresh air and canvas. Finally there are a few of you who long for that musty smell of canvas, first experienced in Macedonia with the Foreign Legion.

Many good suppliers offer Defender and Series soft tops.  The best known are those from Rovers North and Atlantic British.  The best quality top, by a substantial margin, is made by a geek on the cape they call The Badger.  The Badger, or Chris Laws as it says on his mug shot, has been making Land Rover tops in a small shop out there since the beginning.  I have installed many of them over the years and cannot praise them highly enough.  Here's a link to his website.

His tops have resisted sun fading, tears from trees, intrusive children, marauding rodents, and much more while still looking great.  The top in the photo at the top is six years old!

Hard top trucks can be converted to soft top with the removal of the original top and fitment of a soft top frame and canvas.

Here are some details of the top showing how it's finished

The workmanship on these tops is really good, and the material is of significantly better quality that what's found on lesser products.  The Badger tops seem costly, but they are well worth the money if you're after the best, or in it for the long term.  I have found the original Land Rover canvas tatters in 6-7 years while the Badger material is still looking new.

See you on the trail!

A simple brake job isn't always as simple as it looks

Many people have suggested that they can have a quick lube or corner garage do the "easy work" on their high end car, while leaving the "tough jobs" for specialists like Robison Service. That sounds like a good idea, but how do you know what the easy jobs are?

Oil changes used to be simple, but that's out the window on many cars. BMW and Mercedes dropped the dipstick, so you check level through the dash. Most cars have some complex procedure to reset the oil reminder. Many require special oils and the other fluids (like coolant) are often brand or even model-specific too. Can your corner garage get that right? And who buys the engine if they don't?

I'm not suggesting you abandon local service. What I suggest is that you have talks with your various service providers and make sure they can actually handle what you want of them. Blissful ignorance and incompetence are the bane of the auto service trade.

I'd like to show you an example of how simple service has gotten complex on a modern Land Rover. Join me while we slap some brakes on a late model LR3 . . .



In this photo you can see the brake and strut assembly. The new pads and rotors are in place and the wheels are hanging, ready to fit the tires. Do you see the strut assembly inboard of the brake? It's full of air, and the air charge is sometimes lost when the vehicle if put on a lift for a few hours. Most of the time it recovers, but occasionally, it doesn't, and it goes into fault mode.

When that happens, the fix is simple. Just hook your $10,000 IDS or Autologic system to the car and reset air suspension. Presto, you're set. But what if you don't have an IDS or Autologic . . . .??



If that's the case, you have an even bigger problem, because you can't set up the parking brake without one. Here our technician uses one of our test systems to release the parking brake cables on this LR3. If the tester isn't used properly the result is usually a smoked parting brake a few hundred miles down the road, and a fresh $800 repair bill.

It's still possible to do some work on these new vehicles at home, and local garages can still handle quite a bit of general service. For example, anyone can swap pads only - no special tools are needed for that. However, these particular Rovers are notorious for eating up rotors. Here's a worn out one to prove my point at 25,000 miles . . . .



The trick is knowing the limits of what you can do without special tools. In one of my last posts I wrote about all the trouble I had over a wrong spark plugs brand in another Land Rover. Sometimes there is just no substitute for experience.

Trust in the auto service environment

Yesterday one of the blog commenters said,

I took the wife's Taurus to a local shop, because it was the middle of winter, and I didn't feel like messing with it. They told me it needed complete rear brake system, all of the way across. They, of course, would be more than happy to do it, to the tune of $800. I declined their service, dusted off my toolbox, and found that the pins in the calipers were corroded in place. $7.50 later, the rear brakes are working fine. Needless to say, I'll never take the wife's car back to that mechanic.

So, that's the issue for me. Trust. If I get the vibe that the shop is trying to make a quick buck, I'll walk out the door.

At first glance, it might seem that the local shop lost the customer’s trust because they exaggerated what was wrong with the car. I think the problem developed earlier, though. For some reason, the customer doubted the shop enough to do their own inspection, which revealed something different from what the shop said.

What prompted the inspection, if not a lack of confidence or trust?

And what could a shop do about it? Here’s my take on this particular situation, which starts with a simple explanation of how brakes work.

At each corner of the car, you have a brake assembly. In a car with disc brakes, that consists of a caliper, pads, and a rotor. The brake calipers are like clamps, whose faces hold brake pads. When you step on the brake pedal, the clamps press the pads into the sides of the brake rotor, which is like a spinning plate. That friction is how brakes stop your car.

It’s the same idea as the brake on a 10-speed bicycle, just bigger and heavier.

The pins the fellow refers to are part of the caliper assembly. When they rust in place, the caliper is no longer free to move, and it doesn’t clamp correctly. That can cause a number of problems. First, the brakes simply won’t work as well as they’re supposed to. Second, some parts will wear out early while others don’t wear at all. Third, when one wheel has a problem and the others are fine, the car will develop a tendency to dive to one side when the brakes are applied – a dangerous situation.

There is more than one way to solve this problem. The most basic solution is to hammer the rusty pins apart, clean them with sandpaper, grease them and put everything back together. That’s the solution my blog commenter chose. But that’s not the only solution.

I’d like to share some of the choices a service manager must make when advising a motorist about a simple problem like this:

First, a few technicians would do what the commenter did – free up the stuck pins and send the car on its way. In my experience, though, most good technicians would feel that wasn’t an adequate response, for a number of reasons . . .

Many of them would recommend replacement of the whole caliper assembly, reasoning that the rust will simply return and new parts will ensure a more permanent repair. There’s also the concern that visible rust on the pins may be just the tip of the iceberg. The inside of the caliper may be rusty and ready to fail, too. That’s a perfectly valid reason to recommend a caliper in this situation.

On an older car, when you replace one caliper, it often works better than the original calipers on the opposite wheel. The result: the car now pulls to one side when you apply the brakes. The answer to that is simple – replace calipers in pairs on older cars. It’s not always necessary, but it’s quite common.

When you remove a caliper for any reason, there is always the risk that one of the metal lines that connects it to the master cylinder will fail from rust and age. When that happens it may take several hours to fabricate and install a new line. That’s an example of a complication that can cause the price of a job to increase.

After deciding what to do with the caliper, the service manager has to decide what to say about the pads and the rotors. If they are in near-new condition, there is little to decide – you leave them alone. But that’s rarely the case when a car arrives with a problem the driver can feel. By then, both pads and rotors are probably worn, and the question becomes . . . how worn is too worn?

There’s a lot of leeway for interpretation at this point. A shop that works on high performance cars might recommend replacement when the pads fall below 50%. A shop that caters to older cars whose owners are on a budget might stretch that margin to 10% or even 5%. There is no absolute right or wrong – they just serve markets with differing needs and expectations.

Rotors are the same way – the carmaker provides a minimum thickness, and you measure the rotors, compare to the spec, and make a judgment call. But thickness isn’t the only criteria. There is also flatness, which is more subjective. A rotor that is just a few thousandths of an inch out of flat will make the whole car shudder when braking from high speed. That’s a big deal to on a fast highway, but it might not matter much to a city cab driver. Once again, the service manager has to know how to match his customer’s needs with his own recommendations and the car’s condition.

Can the service manager understand those issues, explain them, and help guide the motorist to a good choice? Some can. Other “service managers” have little or no training or automotive knowledge, and they simply sell the “special of the week,” something that virtually ensures mistrustful, dissatisfied customers.

In my opinion, the best way to earn a consumer’s trust is to explain the situation to them so they can make an informed decision. Someone who understands the choices may disagree with my recommendation, but they won’t think I am crooked or tricky. However, the service manager has to have a deep understanding of how automotive systems work to be able to explain anything on demand, and that’s where our system breaks down. We don’t have enough trained and articulate people out there, and that’s a bit part of the industry’s trust problem.

I think that ability is one of the things that sets Robison Service apart from many other shops.