1991 Yugo GVPlus Automatic

[TimS]

I know they never were popular, but I’ve got one and I’m trying to keep it on the road. I’ve got a 1991 Yugo GV Plus Automatic. It needs a rack and pinion. I’ve found one they say is designated for a 5-speed. Does anyone know if there’s a difference? I can’t imagine, as cost conscious as they were, that there’d be a lot of deviation between models. If you know, I’d appreciate any help.

 

Thanks,

[padgett]

Made Malcolm about 20 mil.

[TAKerry]

No idea, but wasnt the Yugo basically a recycled Fiat, may open up the availability of parts?

[TimS]

They were, I’m just not sure if mines as much of a unicorn that I think it is. It’s fuel injected and automatic. 

[Rusty_OToole]

I don't know about the Yugo but there was an English Triumph with R&P steering where the rack  worked on 2 sliders made of nylon about the size and shape of coat buttons. Replace the sliders and your worn out steering was good as new. Wonder if you might find something similar in your car.

[padgett]

Some say the Yugo was the "worst car of the millennium".  I disagree since unlike the Fiero and Trabant it does not produce toxic gas when burnt.

[Bloo]

The Yugo was not the worst car of the millennium by a long shot. Taken in context of the 80s, it is middle of the road.

 

I have worked on a few, but I doubt any automatics. As I recall, a Yugo is just a license built Fiat 127 body skin over Fiat 128 mechanicals. I believe back in the late 90s, the owner of one of the major USA Fiat replacement parts outlets was rallying a Yugo with some of the best 128 parts in it. That was probably FiatPlus. I would call them and ask if they know anything. They probably do.

 

And now wild speculation follows....  It is probably just a licensed copy of some Italian rack for the 128, and is probably no different than.the rack in a stickshift car. I would guess that there were several 128 rack designs, because the car was produced for decades and licensed all over the world.

 

I'll bet a 128 rack would fit, but that is another question for FiatPlus or another Fiat parts supplier.

 

What you need to do, assuming it is completely hosed and can't be fixed in the car by easily replaceble parts like Rusty_OToole mentioned, is get it out of the car and take a good look at it. Figure out if it is rebuildable or not. In italian cars, sometimes both rebuildable and non-rebuildable racks wound up in the same year and model, sometimes as many as 3 different brands. The internal parts typically do not interchange.

 

I would tear it down, clean it up, and see if it might visually match to a known 128 rack. Check 127 also. See how bad the gears themselves are worn. Bad gears are pretty much a death knell, and a sign to start looking for a better core to rebuild. If the gears are OK or even acceptable, maybe some small parts sold for Fiat would fit.

 

All this assumes a manual rack. I don't recall ever seeing power racks on those cars, but if it is, a whole replacement rack and probably the pump too will be needed, not just small parts.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Bloo (see edit history)

[TimS]

Thanks folks, I think I’ll spring for the rack for the manual and if it doesn’t work, I’ll try to rebuild the old one from the new internals.

[cork]

yugo parts are really available at www.yugoparts.com as they are a fiat parts distributor so Yugos are easy for them to supply

www.spiderroadster.com