Ok, maybe not everywhere, but all over my driveway...

I recently replaced the fraying accessory belts on my Accord and in the process I moved around the power steering reservoir. Everything went well until a few days later when I started hearing horrible sounds from that area. I assumed the belts were loose or something so I messed around with them as the sound got worse and worse.

Yesterday, I noticed something on my driveway. Upon investigation, my car had voided itself of PSF all over the place. the reservoir was nearly empty!!!

I topped off the reservoir and went to work. By the time I got there the reservoir had dropped about 3cm. A pretty serious leak.

I believe the leak is in the low pressure inlet side of the pump.



I think my messing around with the reservoir agitated pipe #17 and cause it to leak. I was thinking that instead of buying a new #17 I could just route some stock fuel line from the cooler (#16) directly to the reservoir. Do you guys think this idea will hold up? Do I need special line? This is a low pressure system, isnt it?

 

you need to visually chk the work you did and visually locate the leak ,, chk the hoses going to the reservoir, hoe that goes to p/s pump,,

 

Of course I will find the leak before I fix it but I am almost positive that it will be either hose #11 or pipe #17. So I need to know if I can use regular fuel line to replace the hard lines? How 'bout the soft lines?

 

You might have to use OEM lines. Take a look at how the lines connect to the power steering pump. I don't think it is a hose and barb setup. I think the connectors are crimped on to the soft lines as well.

 

Take a look at hose #10 in my original post, seems to be clamped on. I also looked at the lines and couldn't see any crimps on the low pressure side.

 

Exact same thing happened to me the other day after replacing the timing belt/water pump. The old power steering pump didn't take kindly to having its belt tightened up and the shaft seal went bad, sucking air into the pump, cavitating the fluid and puking it out the reservoir. Made a heck of a noise.

$25 for a lower-mileage junkyard pump and everything's back to normal.

 

I'd alway perfer to use proper hose (yes low side but chemical properties are different)......Gates offers hose for different uses...depending on application and size...search for pn 35001 (I think that is ps hose in 5/16 dia)...sorry not good with the metric conversion

 

Well its done!

I used fuel line so I hope it holds up.

I found two separate leaks. One was at the PS cooler. When I went to remove the line it just disintegrated so I smoothed out what remained and forced the line onto the fatter cooling area and clamped it down (there is no bulge here so Im a little worried about it holding). Next I found that pipe #17 had a hole in it so I cut it halfway and ran fuel line to the cut.

I can post pics tomorrow if there is any interest.