Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Alright, I was working on the 91 GP today, and when I pulled it out of the garage after changing the oil, one of my power steering lines burst so there is PS fluid everywhere in the parking lot lol. And after driving it about 100 feet and putting it back in its parking spot, the reservior is nearly empty... I don't have a jack, jackstands, or ramps with me, so it is really hard to tell where it was leaking from (and made changing the oil really suck.. that is a tight fit!). It sprayed fluid ALL over the backside of the engine I slid under the car and can feel where a line comes off the rack and turns to rubber for about 4 inches, then it is metal again, it is really wet here. Where and what are the common PS lines to go bad on these? It is not rusty at all, being an AZ car, the underbody looks like a new car. I think one of the rubber PS hoses somewhere burst. It isn't wet at all near the pump, and the hoses on the passenger side of the engine look to be dry. It is very wet in the center of the car. Near the rack, it is completely dry. Any ideas guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carkhz316 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Hey man, I'm gonna take a stab at it and say its the cooler line. At least that's the one that spewed on my Euro. It's a hard line that runs parallel to the rack for about 12-14 inches, does somewhat of a *90 bend (this is where its a rubber line, about 4-6 in. long with crimped collars over the metal line), and then turns back into a hard metal line as it does the loop and doubles back off of the front of the cradle. Easy fix if this is it. Hope this helps you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I think that is the one. The 90* rubber bend is the part that feels really wet. I'm going to need to get the car up in the air so I can see it better though. How much is it to replace the line? Difficult to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Can the rubber 90* bend be replaced by itself, or is it part of the hard line? I can't see very well under there. In this picture, it looks like the rubber piece is held on by a couple hose clamps, is this right? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jman093 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 The cooler line always blows out right there on that rubber section. A lot of members have had that happen. My old Lumina Euro is on it's 3rd one. And no it's not held on by clamps. It's crimped onto the metal lines. So unless you want to cut out the section and splice in new hose (which isn't a good idea) you have to buy that whole line in your picture. It's not all that expensive. I think maybe 40 or 50 bucks at local autoparts store IIRC. It does kind of suck to change it. It's not difficult though. You can do it in the garage on ramps with some hand tools, but it's time consuming because it wraps around the engine and attaches in hard to reach places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Hmm.. I'll have to see how expensive it is, I don't have much money at the moment. What would happen if I cut it and spliced in some new high pressure hose in its place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Hmm.. I'll have to see how expensive it is, I don't have much money at the moment. What would happen if I cut it and spliced in some new high pressure hose in its place? Unless you flare the ends of the line look forward to it coming undone down the road. I tried that with a transmission hose, it didn't last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I just looked it up and they are only $25 for a new one, so I'll just replace the whole thing with a new unit. http://shop.oreillyauto.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=PWR&MfrPartNumber=91911&PartType=19&PTSet=A Is there a writeup for this somewhere, or are they really simple to replace? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 This happened to me last year - and I cut off the rubber section and put in a piece. After a few failures (read: shit hose) I haven't had any further problems. If yyou go that route thouh use fuel line clamps as they won't cut or damage the hose and they can take some good torque without stripping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Here is my link from last winter: It's got some pictures and bullshit in it http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=65857.0 Since that thread ends on a sour note - my 7th and final repair was to install the fuel line clamps, put a new hose on, and use AC Delco "COLD CLIMATE P/S FLUID!!!" <--that stuff is fucking amazing. I highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carkhz316 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Here is my link from last winter: It's got some pictures and bullshit in it http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=65857.0 Since that thread ends on a sour note - my 7th and final repair was to install the fuel line clamps, put a new hose on, and use AC Delco "COLD CLIMATE P/S FLUID!!!" <--that stuff is fucking amazing. I highly recommend it. X2 on his repair method. I did it over a year ago and had to do it again a couple months ago, ONLY because rubber hose that isn't pre-formed in a 90 degree bend, doesn't like to be bent that way and stay without leaking . SOOOOO, I just took some new hose (that I had leftover from the first time), and did a loop-de-loo with it. It's holding up just fine. Hasn't leaked or blown lines off (knock on wood). If the whole new cooler line is only 20 something for you, it may be more cost effective do replace the whole deal. When I did it, to local Auto Value had it for almost 60 bucks, versus 10 bucks for some generic PS line. So, I went that route since I was pinching for pennies, (broke college student still), and since it was just on my Euro. Whichever way you go, have fun. It's not too bad to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Well, I'm glad to hear its an easy job and not horribly expensive. I am also a broke college student.. lol I need to find a way to get the car in the air so I can confirm that it is in fact the low pressure line leaking. Is there anywhere else near there that I could have a leak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 The high pressure hose is just above it - it too has a rubber piece that I think can be seen in my picture. There was no jobber low pressure line that I could even buy around here - and I think the GM one was over $100...I too was broke in school last winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier... I grabbed the factory jack out of the trunk and jacked the car up... The low pressure hose is definitely NOT leaking. Let me draw a picture here. There is the metal shaft (intermediate shaft?) going across to the passenger wheel, just above the low pressure line. On this shaft, above the low pressure line, there is a fitting screwed into the shaft. I went and turned the wheel back and forth a few times and scooted under the car, and there was tons of orangeish foaming fluid oozing out from around the threads on this fitting... what is this? I'd imagine I can just tighten it, couldn't I? Leaking around this fitting would explain why fluid sprayed EVERYWHERE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Couple pics: You can see the leaky fitting in the second pic on the lower right side, there is orange ps fluid seeping out around the fitting.. kinda hard to see until I got in the car and turned the wheel a couple times, then it went foaming everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 That line is about $25 from most any parts store. kinda a PITA to replace on a 3.1, but not all that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier... I grabbed the factory jack out of the trunk and jacked the car up... The low pressure hose is definitely NOT leaking. Let me draw a picture here. There is the metal shaft (intermediate shaft?) going across to the passenger wheel, just above the low pressure line. On this shaft, above the low pressure line, there is a fitting screwed into the shaft. I went and turned the wheel back and forth a few times and scooted under the car, and there was tons of orangeish foaming fluid oozing out from around the threads on this fitting... what is this? I'd imagine I can just tighten it, couldn't I? Leaking around this fitting would explain why fluid sprayed EVERYWHERE Please dont tell me that you got under the car with the scissor jack. I dont mean to be a killjoy, but never do that. I've had the car come off that jack when i was just checking on my hub. It was a quick job so i figured that was all i needed and didnt have to lug my bigass jack out of my basement. Yeah my car fell off the jack and the fender landed on my tire that was strategically placed just off the hub. At least i know what my car would look like slammed though. And FTR, i'm no retard and know how to correctly place a jack, its just that these crappy jacks cannot be trusted. If i had no other option, I might jack the car up with that jack and put it on jackstands. Maybe this is what you did? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 this was the only way that he could get under the car. he had no ramps jacks or stands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 If that was my only option, you wouldnt find me under there. I dont want to sound preachy, but knowing that a scissor jack is not meant for car maintenance, let alone seeing one fail at its job should be enough to keep a sane person out from under the car. You could throw a wheel under the car for good measure, I usually do that anyway as a third line of defense, but i think i'm more than 8 inches high when im laying on my back. Fixing my car is not worth risking injury (or my life) like that. Drive up onto a curb next time? lol I'll get off my soap box. EDIT: Quick google search turned up this: http://www.projo.com/news/content/Barkan_death_01-07-09_ICCS8V2_v14.390a335.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I don't have anything else here, so thats what I used. I wasn't under the car for long anyway. The lines don't appear to be bad at all. When I turned the wheel back and forth a few times, I went under the car, and PS fluid was seeping out around that fitting going into the shaft. I can't for the life of me get a wrench on it to tighten it though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 By the way, all the wheels are on the car, and I fit under there without the car jacked up, I just needed it a little higher so I could get a better look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 oh yeah, i forgot that i used to do oil changes as the car sat. now i have to drive up on something to even fit the jack under the subframe I guess thats ok. Just heed my warning though, i've seen those things fuck up more than once. You'll sure be scared out of your wits if it does anything when youre under there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Oh I'm sure.. they don't look sturdy at all If I had a wheel off, I definitely wouldn't be under there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake91 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 in the newer cars they must be better because i had my moms ga up on its and i was turning the wheels back and forth and it didnt even budge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted January 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Alright, so I went under the car this morning and got a better look... apparently I was wrong. I tightened the fitting and something was still leaking, so I pulled the plastic sheathing off the high pressure hose and wiped the hose off... there is a small slit in the high pressure hose. I went and picked up a new high pressure line, and started on removing the old one, but I can't figure out how to remove it from the rack... How do I go about removing the high pressure line from the rack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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