How to: Update the Power Steering tank on a 355

My car is a 95 and my oem reservoir looks nothing like this one. It had a big cap on it the size of a hockey puck.

 

And that is why it needs to be updated.

The old style reservoirs and caps were updated because they had a tendency to loosen themselves over time, and allow fluid to escape. You will need a new clamp too, because the old style clamps will not fit this diameter reservoir.

 

I have the same on mine -- that means we have the old style which are recommended to be updated to the newer style. The new cap has a smaller diameter, hence less of a chance to pop under pressure, or so is the common thought...

At $13 for the tank I don't think you can go wrong with the update.

 

Definetly, I did mine a couple of years back by following the instructions given in this thread by the OP. Didn't even need the clamp...

 

I'm a 348 owner, but did anyone post this on the 355 DIY thread? Very good info for all 355 owners.

 

Ketel posted a link to this thread from the DIY thread (thanks Ketel!). I'm glad you asked though. While I was looking at the DIY thread, I realized I never posted the seat potentiometer fix in the DIY thread. So that's been included now.

 

The one on my post is the NEW design, it matches the OEM even better than the one in the original post, because this one does not have the 'step' like the BMW one .......... all the later models have one, like the pic I posted ....

+355 ......... ^^ what he said ....

 

I've started to notice some fluid leakage from my power steering reservoir of late, so I'm going to install the new tank using the Amazon model. Thought I'd bump this, so some of the new owners can see if their cars have been updated.

Henry

 

I picked one up for installation.

Curious - is there a new plastic cover to accommodate the smaller size top of the tank? Or you just deal with the new open space around the top?

 

Haven't heard of a new cover Clyde, but there may be one out there on the inter-web.

Henry

 

There shouldn't be any real open space. If you look at post #18 of this thread, I've got an after-photo. The cap doesn't fill up the whole space, but the body of the reservoir fills up the space pretty well. Can you post an after-photo of yours?

 

I will when I get around to changing it out, hopefully this week sometime. Too damn hot in SoCal right now to be working in the garage...

 

Thread revival. Just realized my old style tank cap is on its last leg. New style tank on its way. Thanks guys!

 

Finished doing this myself just now. The referenced BMW part fits well, except that with even with rotating the tank to the left as RoadRacer suggests, the larger tube still seems fairly stressed, but not quite kinked, at its current length. The tank is also not quite sitting in the bracket dead-center and needs a little english to seat within it. I'm going to see how it runs, but I'm thinking that hose needs to be shortened to square everything away.

Anyone else had a similar experience, or applied a similar tweak?

 

For you 355 owners who have undertaken the conversion - you know you can get a solid over cap for the ZF cap? - they come up on ebay - i have one, which was listed as a fuel cap when I bought it - if anyone is interested.
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You have not lived until you have done this job! Boy was it messy but it was worth the peace of mind!
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Some more for kicks
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One more
View attachment 2844348

 

Or this.....
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