Attention all with Power steering - Potential disaster!

[CMF_Yom]

Hello there you lucky few with power steering!

During a routine service and oil change I noticed an unwanted oil buildup on the lower side of the power steering pump.

Closer inspection showed not a leak in the pump (heart rate dropped around 20 to 30 beats per second when I determined this.. lol) but infact a leak higher up in the system.

The fluid feed to the pump has sagged over the years and now rubs on the pump body itself. I spotted this issue on a few others but ignored mine as my car had a a larger pipe slipped over where the pipe would touch the pump. Unfortunately this has worn through.

So now I'm up for a new pipe. And they're not cheap!!!

So there you have it. Go check it out and insulate it with some bike tube or something. Check it every 5000km.

Another thing, if you find your pipe is damaged you have to replace it..! Don't risk getting a bung pump!
I am going to talk to a few local places tomorrow and see if I can get a new rubber pipe made up in a different shape so it has greater clearance from the pump. Would anyone be interested in purchasing a new pipe in modified form? I'm not going to go through Pirtek/Enzed as they're rip-off merchants. I'm going to have a go at it with one of the smaller local guys near me.

Cheers

 

[CMF_White Knight]

Good one Yom. Going to check mine out very carefull also.

 

[CMF_Toma]

Same thing happened with my stock horn wire and the alternator belt. Not that i use that wire, but it was distressing to see the bare wire

 

[CMF_Yom]

Righteo. Replaced the hose with a big old tough goodyear 300psi thingo.

*sniggers*

It even jazzed up the engine bay a bit.

 

[CMF_Yom]

Yes I didn't end up getting a new pipe made. i figured I could re-run the pipe.

Some models with a different model of power steering setup seem to have a different pipe with a different set of bends at the bottom pump connection. You might not have the same luck I have had with this particular piece of hose and you may end up having to get a custom made hose... Which still isnt cheap.

Here are the 2 tight clearances I had to fiddle around with:

Brake master clinder (may not be a problem on lx/slx?).

 

[CMF_Yom]

And the other high pressure power steering line. I decided to wrap up some tough gaffa tape and and cabled tied them together to minimise movement. I'll be monitoring this very closely every few thousand k's.

 

[CMF_Yom]

Oh and bleeding the power steering is probably just as scarey as starting up a freshly built motor for the first time - only with more horrible grating noises as your pump negotiates with air bubbles...!

 

[CMF_White Knight]

Yummy red. The dark side is proud of you Yom.
Hack (SLX) had a service and a real going over today as it is about to embark on its trip to Perth. No issues with power steer. Plenty of clearance and nothing rubbing etc.Hack just ticked over 95k so just run in!
Ha, can just hear the dreaded timing chain rattle when you first start her up on a very cold morning.Nothing when warm. So hopefully another 50k before it starts to rattle all the time.Changed the coolant as well as it had lost its clarity and you can tell when its time it gets an "off" smell to it. 3 years since it was changed. I have been a bit slack!****e just on 3 years since she went turbo and 40,000 kl. Time flies.Realibilty on low boost has been proven on stock internals.

 

[CMF_Yom]

Hate the timing chain rattle.

Evil, evil thing.

I should make note that I also took the oppertunity to give the engine bay a bit of a clean. Dust it off, spray some instant detailer wax over the underside of the bonnet, etc. Should keep it looking good for another 5 months! I used some Selley's Degreaser and it left all the black rubber and plastics looking nice. Not the horrible frosty white look that some degreasers give black plastic/rubber.

Charlotte seems to be happy after the clean and the new hose. Need to fiddle around with the belt as a bit of fluid got on it and its giving an odd squeak everynow and again. Bugger. Not fussed by it though... Makes it sound like its supercharged muahaha.