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Thread: Power Steering Resevoir

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2017
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    1986 BMW 325e

    Power Steering Resevoir

    Okay so my power steering resevoir is cracked and leaking like crazy. From research i did this is a common problem for e30s because it comes with a plastic resevoir which can crack over time. I was wondering if i can take a resevoir from a later model that has a steel/metal resevoir to prevent this happening again

  2. #2
    richardodn's Avatar
    richardodn is offline Old Guy BMW CCA Member
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    Yours is the first I've ever heard about this, so it's probably not as common as you think. I'm also not aware of any later cars having steel reservoirs. (Maybe earlier ones?) As long as the hose connections are the same size, it really doesn't matter where it comes from. Personally, I'd just buy a new ZF unit. New ones have a different oil type marking on the cap. Reuse the old cap, but replace the o-ring with the one from the new cap.
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  3. #3
    Join Date
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    1986 BMW 325e
    I heard that it was a common problem. but okay i’ll look into it. i was watching some e30 vlogger and he was talking about putting a e46 resevoir in his e30 and he claimed it was metal. i was just wondering if anyone else had heard of that. thank you though i’ll probably look into the zf units. id rather avoid a headache of ordering the wrong part

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    I rarely have any crack res in any cars we work on and I have been involved with bmw's for a very long time. If the res is original than it it only took 30 years to fail, just replace it with the correct part

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    87 Cabrio & 87 ETA
    The last reservoir I bought was a ZF for about $20. They are actually a 100k change interval item since they have a screen in them although Ive also flushed & reused them. I think the hoses are more important since they ALWAYS seem to leak
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