Replacing power steering pressure hose

[joshwilson3]

Any tips on replacing a power steering pressure hose on an 89? I see mine is leaking where the hose gets crimped on both ends.

I got a new hose from Autozone. I'm thinking it is the same one as the AC Delco.

I know to soak the Orings in power steering fluid and install on the line.

It comes with a plug, but I don't know what that is for. Can you get the old line off and new line on with a flare wrench? Or do you need a flare crows foot?

The only thing I'm worried about is getting it too tight. Or tearing something up trying to get the old line off if the fittings are stuck.

 

[joshwilson3]

I plan on starting in a couple of weeks. I got a 16mm/18mm flare wrench at Autozone. It so happens that wrench has both sizes I need.

One thing if you ever replace a line or something on the power steering. It would probably be a good idea to blow it out with some compressed air. As I can see cardboard particles inside the ends of the new hose. So, I'll blow the line out with compressed air to clean it out. Don't want trash in the system.

It looks like I can get to the line at the steering rack. I'm hoping I can get to the line on the steering pump once I pull the pulley off.

Do these fittings just get tightened just a little past finger tight? I'm just afraid of cracking something.

 

[Schrade]

GM 4.3 V6 in the S-Series has problem leaks in the oil line to the remote filter. When I did mine, I snipped away the aluminum hose end, careful not the cut the hose, and then I put fat clamps on the 2 line ends.

I was dreading that repair for nothing. Turned into cake...

 

[joshwilson3]

GM 4.3 V6 in the S-Series has problem leaks in the oil line to the remote filter. When I did mine, I snipped away the aluminum hose end, careful not the cut the hose, and then I put fat clamps on the 2 line ends.

I was dreading that repair for nothing. Turned into cake...

I think it will be easier and best thing to just replace the $10 hose. I've heard people talk about how much of a pain it is. But it doesn't look like a big deal to me. I'm sure there is limited wrench room. But I've done been there where say on a bolt your taking off. It should have taken a minute, but with limited room. It takes 30 minutes. So, I'm not too worried about that.

 

[joshwilson3]

I guess I'll have to find a crows foot. As I don't have enough room with my wrench on the lower pressure line fitting.

 

[So Bay Vetter]

I guess I'll have to find a crows foot. As I don't have enough room with my wrench on the lower pressure line fitting.

You mean where it attaches to the rack?

 

[joshwilson3]

You mean where it attaches to the rack?

Yes. At the rack my 18mm line wrench doesn't have enough room to turn. So, I figured I'd have to get an 18mm flared crowsfoot.

I was able to get the upper 16mm removed easily with my line wrench. But then I put it back when I couldn't get the lower part of the line removed.

 

[GRAND SPORT #12]

hi line wrench or crows foot helps make a better chance of not rounding off the bolt . you can try with a regular wrench give it a shot if you start to feal it slip go for the line wrench. if you have an oring on the hose i would replace it most new hose's have new orings as to tighten it i go moderatley tight a little more than say finger tight. if not sure tighten it up run steering lock to lock hold for a second when at full lock that creates the most line pressure then take a look for a leak if its leaks you will see it fast. then most critical thing or agrivating thing i ever run into is making sure when you attach new line becarefull not to cross thread. you should not have any difficulties.. as many ownners of c3's will attest high pressure hoses notorious for leaking

 

[joshwilson3]

hi line wrench or crows foot helps make a better chance of not rounding off the bolt . you can try with a regular wrench give it a shot if you start to feal it slip go for the line wrench. if you have an oring on the hose i would replace it most new hose's have new orings as to tighten it i go moderatley tight a little more than say finger tight. if not sure tighten it up run steering lock to lock hold for a second when at full lock that creates the most line pressure then take a look for a leak if its leaks you will see it fast. then most critical thing or agrivating thing i ever run into is making sure when you attach new line becarefull not to cross thread. you should not have any difficulties.. as many ownners of c3's will attest high pressure hoses notorious for leaking

I appreciate it. When you turn lock to lock to check for leaks. Does the engine have to be running?

I already have a line wrench. One end is 16mm the other is 18mm. Those are the sizes for each end of the power steering line.

The problem is I have no room to turn the wrench for the lower fitting. Which is why I figured I'd have to get a flared 18mm crows foot.

I'm hoping that pressure line is the only thing leaking. As it noticed it wet where the rubber meets the crimp. But the main reason I got to looking was I noticed the steering fluid level was dropping some. And noticed it looked wet under the steering pump on top of the K member. And it also looked like the crank pulley has power steering fluid on it as well. I don't know how the steering fluid could get over there. And also the bottom of the steering pump was wet and where the low pressure line bolts to the bottom of the pump. The front of the pump is dry. So, I don't know if that could mean something else on the pump is leaking or the top of the hose. But I'm hoping it was just the pressure line.

 

[So Bay Vetter]

Are you sure the leak isn't coming from the pump connect and running down the hose
(so it looks like it's leaking at the bottom)? I've been down this road myself. I sympathize with the clearance issues at the rack. It would be great to see a pic of the wrench you end up with to take that bottom nut loose.

 

[joshwilson3]

Are you sure the leak isn't coming from the pump connect and running down the hose
(so it looks like it's leaking at the bottom)? I've been down this road myself. I sympathize with the clearance issues at the rack. It would be great to see a pic of the wrench you end up with to take that bottom nut loose.

The wrench will be a flared 18mm crows foot. I got a Snap On crows foot off ebay.

I know the pressure hose is bad as both ends look wet in the crack where the rubber goes into the metal crimp. I believe that is the place the pressure hoses start leaking at.

I do know the bottom of the pump had alot of crud. It didn't look like anything was dripping from the bottom of the return hose as it was mostly dry.

But I'm guessing by "pump connect" you are talking about the metal tube at the bottom of the pump where the return hose is connected to? It is possible it could be leaking there. I'm gonna clean it up, tighten it down some if I can, then watch it.

I know sometimes the pump itself can leak. Where do the pumps leak at? I know the front is dry.

 

[So Bay Vetter]

I just wondered if the pressure hose leaked at the top and dripped to the bottom but, I guess either way you gotta replace it. I'm on my third pump (cardone rebuilds). The first blew shaft bearing in the heat at track day. The second had a bad return pipe fitting out of the box. They're all a piece of crap. Summit had no suggestions. I think next time I'll have a race shop do the rebuild.

 

[joshwilson3]

I just wondered if the pressure hose leaked at the top and dripped to the bottom but, I guess either way you gotta replace it. I'm on my third pump (cardone rebuilds). The first blew shaft bearing in the heat at track day. The second had a bad return pipe fitting out of the box. They're all a piece of crap. Summit had no suggestions. I think next time I'll have a race shop do the rebuild.

Yeah, it's hard to see where it is leaking. As I do believe fluid is somehow getting on the crank pully and slinging it to the bottom of the water pump.

I'll just clean it up and replace the pressure hose and keep an eye on it.

 

[joshwilson3]

Finally got the flared 18mm crowsfoot. It is a Snap On.

I'll probably retighten the hose clamp on the low pressure hose at the pump since something is leaking as the bottom of the pump is wet. So, it may be something other than the pressure hose.

Though most of the low pressure hose is dry. There is alot of grime though at the bottom of the pump and top of the hose. I figured if the hose was leaking at the end at the pump, it would just run down. So, it may be something else.

Where can the pump leak at? I know the front of the pump is dry.

 

[So Bay Vetter]

The metal tube that the low pressure return line connects to is press fit into the pump. On my first replacement pump (cardone) that press fit tube was loose; I could spin it with my fingers - BUT . . . I didn't discover it until I had the pump off the car (The Vette shop missed it entirely!) If you remove the hose from the fitting, you might be able to tell if that is the case w/o removal. Before you remove the hose, stuff some old towels below it; it gets messy.

 

[joshwilson3]

The metal tube that the low pressure return line connects to is press fit into the pump. On my first replacement pump (cardone) that press fit tube was loose; I could spin it with my fingers - BUT . . . I didn't discover it until I had the pump off the car (The Vette shop missed it entirely!) If you remove the hose from the fitting, you might be able to tell if that is the case w/o removal. Before you remove the hose, stuff some old towels below it; it gets messy.

I checked the metal tube out and it seems fine. And the hose end looks fine too as I didn't see any cracks. I'll just tighten it down real good. I'm also gonna turn it so the screw part is facing the radiator instead of the high pressure hose. That way if I replace that hose in the future, I don't have to disconnect the high pressure hose to get a screw driver to it.

I also noticed a plastic clip at the top of the low pressure hose, or it could have been at the base of where that tube goes in. Don't really know what that is for as it doesn't look like it does anything. Must have been left over from the factory.

I had a time getting that lower part of the high pressure hose loose. As with the crows foot, you don't have a straight shot at it. You have to get a knuckle. Which makes it tricky trying to turn the screw in limited space. Sure would have been nice if they had that so you could get a straight shot from the top.

It started pouring so I didn't get the hose all the way tightened down. But I'm hoping I'll be able to get that lower fitting tight all the way since it is a pain trying to turn the wrench at such an angle.

Oh, I also noticed the top part of the metal line on the hose would touch the bottom of the pump bracket. So when I tighten down that top fitting, I'll have to press down on that line so it will tighten down with the metal line NOT touching the metal base.

 

[joshwilson3]

Dang, I was bleeding the power steering system after I got the pressure hose bolted down, and noticed the rack is leaking on the driver side. You can see the fluid collecting and drip off the bottom of the dust cover at the rack.

Strange how it didn't leak before till the next time I started it up to bleed it after replacing the pressure hose. The only thing I can think of is when I was turning the crows foot. Sometimes it dug into the dust cover some. But I would think the seals for the rack would be internal, and that shouldn't have done anything.

I did wrap a folded up towel around the pressure hose fitting at the rack to make sure that wasn't leaking and getting on the dust cover. And it doesn't look like the leak is coming from there. But I plan to check it again.

I'll probably put a bottle of Lucas stop leak in and see what that does. I believe Gordon Killbrew recommended to put one in anyways. I did have a bottle in there after I changed the fluid last year. But I think most of that dumped out when I replaced the steering hose.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Any tips on replacing a power steering pressure hose on an 89? I see mine is leaking where the hose gets crimped on both ends.

I got a new hose from Autozone. I'm thinking it is the same one as the AC Delco.

It is possible, but do not assume that. Mass-marketed store-brands are sometimes not made to OE standards as are ACD replacement parts and that's how they can sell for less.

I know to soak the Orings in power steering fluid and install on the line.

It comes with a plug, but I don't know what that is for. Can you get the old line off and new line on with a flare wrench? Or do you need a flare crows foot?

A flare nut wrench or a flare nut crow's foot are the right tools to use.

The only thing I'm worried about is getting it too tight.

Solution: Do not overtighten.

Or tearing something up trying to get the old line off if the fittings are stuck.

Solution: use flare nut wrenches or flare nut crow's feet and you'll avoid that.

 

[joshwilson3]

It is possible, but do not assume that. Mass-marketed store-brands are sometimes not made to OE standards as are ACD replacement parts and that's how they can sell for less.



A flare nut wrench or a flare nut crow's foot are the right tools to use.



Solution: Do not overtighten.



Solution: use flare nut wrenches or flare nut crow's feet and you'll avoid that.

All AC Delco is aftermarket made. You can buy AC Delco wiper blades, or get the same thing from Trico for cheaper at Advance. For an 89, you can get an OEM Airtex water pump for around $40. Same thing that came on the car. Or you can get an aftermarket made AC Delco water pump and probably pay more than for the actual OEM part.

But anyways, I got the hose on there. But when bleeding the steering fluid, looks like the driver side rack had decided to leak. Strange how it never leaked before, so something must have happened like the flared crows foot diggin into the dust cover when tightening the lower fitting for the pressure line. But I figure that seal should be internal.

It drips from the bottom of the dust cover at one of the fins by the rack. I guess I'll put in a bottle of Lucas and see what that does. I probably should have just left it alone. It kinda reminds me of when I pulled the frisbee and put on a new belt. Then the next thing I notice is the front seal on the compressor decided to start spraying fluid under the hood. Should have just left that alone too.

 

[SnakeDr]

It is possible, but do not assume that. Mass-marketed store-brands are sometimes not made to OE standards as are ACD replacement parts and that's how they can sell for less.



A flare nut wrench or a flare nut crow's foot are the right tools to use.



Solution: Do not overtighten.



Solution: use flare nut wrenches or flare nut crow's feet and you'll avoid that.

Is the flare wrench metric or english? I have leak but will need to take a hard look.