PS High Pressure hose replacement

[Donf]

I had a the usual hose leak and figured that it just wasn't worth buying fluid in bulk any more. After navigating my way through the myriad replacement hose offers (from $12.00 to $127.00!) I opted to go with an AC Delco $30.00 hose that looked identical. Despite what all the videos claim, just using a crow foot wrench doesn't make it easier, I finally just took the fan shroud off (5 minutes to remove it and another 5 to replace it) - makes the job sooo much easier.

Anyway, the hose into the steering box gave me some problem - maybe. The original nut seated flush but the new one will not seat more than 1/2 way. I removed and retried it 4 times. It hasn't leaked a drop yet with about 50 miles on it. I think I'll leave it alone but I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue.


(Useless additional info. After numerous refills and then removing the hose and letting it drain two days before replacing the hose, my fluid was STILL a bit dirty after refilling the reservoir. Where does that dirty stuff hide? It was pretty old originally - 160,000 miles and I've never changed it.)

 

[Larryjb]

The easy way to flush out the power steering is to undo the low pressure return hose at the reservoir and feed it into a bucket. With the front wheels off the ground and the reservoir filled, crank and turn the steering from stop to stop. Just don't let the reservoir empty. You have to repeat this a few times to clear out everything.

Don't forget that whatever dirty fluid you had in the reservoir was (and may still be) in the steering gear.

 

[Donf]

[QUOTE="Don't forget that whatever dirty fluid you had in the reservoir was (and may still be) in the steering gear.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Larry, yep, I forgot, or just wasn't even thinking!

 

[JonnyTahoe]

The easy way to flush out the power steering is to undo the low pressure return hose at the reservoir and feed it into a bucket. With the front wheels off the ground and the reservoir filled, crank and turn the steering from stop to stop. Just don't let the reservoir empty. You have to repeat this a few times to clear out everything.

Don't forget that whatever dirty fluid you had in the reservoir was (and may still be) in the steering gear.

One of the most over looked fluid. Mine was so old it looked like burnt trans fluid and smelled like it too. did not disconnect any hoses just used a suction gun and flushed it out that way. used an entire quart.

 

[96-2D-Hoe]

Just a quart? I used at least two with the hose disconnected to 'flush' mine. Otherwise you're just mixing old with new. I'm sure it's better now than it was before you started though.

 

[OR VietVet]

The best way to remove the hose is with a crowsfoot line/flare wrench at the end of a long extension. The crowsfoot alone is not the right tool. If the shroud removal gives more access and is that simple, do it by all means. The threaded fitting may be longer on the new line and therefore has some threads showing when fully tightened. Did you look? The flare at the end of the line may also be thicker. What @Larryjb said about the fluid change is on the money. Plus, use power steering fluid and not trans fluid.

 

[Donf]

I've since sucked out another quart, making it 3 1/2 quarts total run through it. (1 1/2 quarts refilling it prior to the new hose, 1 quarts when I changed the hose , and several suck and refill with a new quart since then) I'm now out of new fluid so it's going to have to make do with what it has. Still not out of the bottle clean but pretty close.