Steering Idler Fluid Change

[Nitrate]

I read with interest the step by step procedure posted in the Suspension section for changing this fluid. My main concern is the comment that the Idler, while mounted in the car, can not be completely filled with fluid because of its mounting angle and entraps air in the Idler. Is it worth doing with the unit mounted in the car? I don't think I would want to remove it from the car.

[DieselSpider]

95% full of fresh lube is better than 50% full of old dirty lube

[RRoller123]

Can you post the link that you were reading? If it is the one I am thinking of, you don't need to remove the unit from the firewall, and you can get the proper amount of clean replacement lube in, while getting nearly all the old lubricant out.

[4uall]

just did mine with zero issues in car. used a turkey baster, wet/dry shop vac and paper towels

http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=32559

[klweimer]

A little air is no problem, as all the oil will leak out the crapped-out bottom seal in a few weeks/months anyway...

[DRUMMOND]

as all the oil will leak out the crapped-out bottom seal in a few weeks/months anyway...

Soooo true!! Rig up a remote drip tank!!

[bulldog4444]

My idler like so many others was dry with a little gray paste on the bottom. Cleaned it up with paper towels, poured in fresh fluid and a little something else. Mind you, my spider has well over 400,000 miles and one would expect the bottom seal to be totally shot. I added 1/2 cap of brake fluid (small cap like a 2 liter soda cap) and buttoned her up. That was at least 3 to 4 years ago and the fluid level has never moved. I put on 6 to 10 thousand miles a year on that car in the spring/summer alone and the remaining 6 months she is stored. I figured that you can't ruin something that is already toast, right? Maybe I got lucky but that worked for me.

[Nanonevol]

400,000 miles?! That must be some kind of record!

[DieselSpider]

400,000+ miles for a near to 40 year old car in the Deep South is about right where its top down weather almost 365 days a year. Mine probably has quite a bit over that judging by the condition of the diesel engine in it which is known for going close to 750,000 to 1,000,000 miles before needing an overhaul.

[Frog2Spider]

I found this thread and decided to open up my idler and see what it looked like. It was basically empty, but for a very small amount of a black light tar like stuff, that I cleaned out.
After cleaning and inspecting the top (not the cap) I found that 2 of the ball valves have no spring action.

Oh, oh, what do I do now?
Help!

Dave.

[brackie1]

Me too. I didn't know to open it up, but thanks to this thread I did and found that it was empty as well however pretty clean. Filled up bottom and top. Guess the question is, should it be examined yearly?

[RRoller123]

They are probably just frozen up with gunk, some solvent cleaner should free them up!

[micbrody]

Definitely will put this in my "things to do list". Any thoughts about the steering box? Same oil? I read a thread about adjusting tightness for one inch of steering wheel play. Besides that adjustment and oil , anything else to do with steering box?

[Frog2Spider]

As I posted earlier, my idler was dry.

When I took the top off the idler, I noticed that 2 of the 4 little balls (valves) were loose in their cavities, and 2 could be pushed down and would return on their own. I concluded that these little ball valves have tiny springs behind them, and that the springs behind 2 had 'desolved', causing them to be useless.

It was explained to me by a vender that the 'aged' bottom seal of the idler leaks and allows the lub to run out over time. This seal, and springs, are unavailable.

So I opted to replace it with the 'new and improved' replacement. It's relatively easy to install, and after greasing the two bearings before installation, is maintenance free.

I only drove the car a short distance after the install, but I honestly felt very little, if any, difference in the steering. This, after spending $160 for the new idler, was disappointing, and makes me ponder the importance of replacing it, except for the thought that the original might one day seize. Anyway, bottom line, 'one less thing to worry about'!

Dave

[DieselSpider]

I simply filled mine up with gear lube after verifying there was no play in it. I am in the deep south so there should be no problems with the fluid getting too cold. If it is seeping at all it is doing so very slowly so an annual check should suffice. If you keep it at least 3/4 full you should not have to worry about it seizing.

If the check balls and dampening function were not working then you should not see any difference when putting in the ball bearing idler since it does not provide any dampening either.