Rack and pinion question

[Gilmour]

Hello all,

After finding some leakd in the rack and pinion, in my 2001 Lesabre (Custom), i decided to rebuild and install new seals. (by the way, the shop asked ~300$ for used one!).

browsing the web, i found 2 seal kits from AcDelco:

1) 36-348362 - complete seal kit w/o Magnetic Variable Assist
2) 36-348363 - complete seal kit with magnetic Vriable Assist.

any idea what is this magnetic variable? are there 2 kinds of rack and pinion on these cars?

While the rack and pinion out, is it recommended to take out the PS pump and install new seals as well? (the PS steering gets hard when the oil is hot @ idle)

from 1 to 10, how hard this job? (for someone with some mechanical skills)

Thanks,
Gilmour.

[MagicRat]

The magnetic variable assist is called "MagnaSteer". It is a device that GM developed to synthesize increased steering resistance or feedback at speed while still maintaining a highly-boosted power steering at low speeds.

Chances are, since your car is a base model (not Limited) it does not have the Magnasteer.

Rockauto has your rack, rebuilt, for less than $300 (plus the core). Shipping is extra... shipping to Israel may be expensive... but their shipping rates to my house in Canada were pretty reasonable. It's worth going to their site and pricing it out.

Steering racks do wear out and get loose. Resealing an older rack like yours without rebuilding it (installing all-new internal parts) is imo a waste of time, since it is probably getting pretty worn and loose by now.

Get a new/rebuilt one.... and be sure to flush out all the old fluid from the lines and pump when you put a new one in.