Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
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HOMESERVICE MANUALSCHEVROLET1990CAVALIER BASE, 4D SEDAN, AUTOMATIC, 125C/MD9REPAIR AND DIAGNOSIS (SINGLE PAGE)STEERINGMANUAL STEERINGSTEERING SYSTEM - POWER CENTER-LINKED RACK & PINIONOVERHAULRACK ASSEMBLYDISASSEMBLY
1990 Chevrolet Cavalier Base, 4D Sedan, Automatic, 125C/MD9
Rack Assembly: Disassembly
1990 Chevrolet Cavalier Base, 4D Sedan, Automatic, 125C/MD9SECTION Disassembly
- Remove rack and pinion assembly from vehicle. Remove pinch bolt from flange and steering coupling. Remove steering coupling assembly. Remove dash seal from housing. Remove and discard lock plate from inner tie rod end bolts. Remove inner tie rod end bolts, support plate and inner tie rod end assemblies.
- Remove hydraulic cylinder lines with "O" ring seals, starting at valve end of line. Separate and remove mounting grommet and boot clamps. Slide boot retaining bushing from rack and pinion boot. Slide boot, boot retaining bushing and housing retaining washers as an assembly from housing. Remove insert and rack guide from housing.
- Loosen rack bearing adjusting plug lock nut. Remove adjusting plug from housing. Remove spring, rack guide and "O" ring from housing. Remove dust cover and retaining ring. While holding pinion shaft, remove lock nut from pinion. With gear centered, mark location of pinion shaft notch on housing for reassembly reference.
- Using a press, press on threaded end of pinion shaft until pinion and valve assembly can be removed. Remove pinion shaft dust seal, pinion shaft seal, pinion shaft upper bearing, and pinion and valve assembly with spool shaft retaining ring and valve body rings attached. Mark cylinder outer housing to ensure cylinder lines will align during reassembly.
- Remove cylinder tube assembly from housing using Cylinder Tube Nut Wrench (J-36343). Remove rod guide rack assembly from housing. Remove nut from rod guide rack assembly. Remove rack piston with "O" ring, piston ring and piston rod guide with "O" ring, piston rod seal and seal back-up washer. See Fig 2 .
- Remove "O" ring and piston rod seal from piston rod guide. Remove retaining ring from housing. Remove lower pinion bearing assembly from housing. Remove pinion shaft seal and upper pinion bushing from housing. Clean all parts using power steering fluid. Ensure threaded portion of housing is not damaged and is clean. If replacing pinion seal, see PINION SHAFT SEALS & UPPER BEARING in this article.
RENDER: 1.0x
NO RELATED
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.