Is This a major problem?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Tigard, OR
Is This a major problem? Pulling into fred meyers today i saw smoke start coming out of the hood. and my power steering quit. I got it parked and shut off, looked and saw the small rubber hose had come off the power steering reservoir. It seemed to be a little too short to go all the way back on the nipple without pulling on it fairly hard. I got it partially back on and refilled power steering, and drove home by time i got home 3 miles, hose had come off again and showered my engine bay with PS fluid. Is this a simple replace the line with a slightly longer piece, or what? what would cause that line to shrink or not quite be long enough?
I think quite a few of us know a little bit about power steering. The problem is we aren't standing in front of your car with the hood popped looking to see why the return line is too short. It may be one of many things and the amount of information given isn't enough to determine anything or even give some decent guidance.
The hose it self could have been replaced at one time with hose that is not designed to hold ps fluid and is deteriorating...or the fluid is contaminated...or the rack is falling off the car...or a bolt is missing in the reservoir mount...or...many things. Maybe start by replacing the short hose with a new return line??? Give a little more detailed information and/or pictures - I am certain there are people here who would love to help.
The hose it self could have been replaced at one time with hose that is not designed to hold ps fluid and is deteriorating...or the fluid is contaminated...or the rack is falling off the car...or a bolt is missing in the reservoir mount...or...many things. Maybe start by replacing the short hose with a new return line??? Give a little more detailed information and/or pictures - I am certain there are people here who would love to help.
If you have a factory power steering fluid cooler you're in luck, that line can be replaced easily with a new line. That line runs from the cooler to the reservoir. But if you don't have the factory power steering fluid cooler you'll have to buy the line that goes from the rack to the reservoir. Buy it at the dealer.
Also....was there a clamp holding the line on. Should have been one on there. Maybe you just need a better clamp....or a new clamp.
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Also....was there a clamp holding the line on. Should have been one on there. Maybe you just need a better clamp....or a new clamp.
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Also.....very important. If that line has come off you MUST thoroughly clean the alternator, because it most likely got drenched in power steering fluid.
Use whatever you want. Degreaser, SeaFoam, CRC spray.......something that will completely clean the alternator. I used a full can of WD-40 when power steering fluid got all over my alternator. I drenched it, let it sit and eat the fluid for a little while....then rinsed it with a strong water hose. If you don't clean the PS fluid off the alternator will start giving you trouble and/or fail.
Or you can just call an alternator shop and ask them what's ok to spray on it. But all the chemicals I listed above have worked fine for everyone that's used them.....JUST RINSE GOOD WITH WATER AFTERWARDS.
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Use whatever you want. Degreaser, SeaFoam, CRC spray.......something that will completely clean the alternator. I used a full can of WD-40 when power steering fluid got all over my alternator. I drenched it, let it sit and eat the fluid for a little while....then rinsed it with a strong water hose. If you don't clean the PS fluid off the alternator will start giving you trouble and/or fail.
Or you can just call an alternator shop and ask them what's ok to spray on it. But all the chemicals I listed above have worked fine for everyone that's used them.....JUST RINSE GOOD WITH WATER AFTERWARDS.
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Comments like this, less than 2 hours after your post, aren't going to be very helpful to your cause. If you expect that this site is staffed continually for your instant service, you are mistaken and should go take your car to a mechanic.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Tigard, OR
So car went to mechanic last night and the reason the power steering cooler line seemed to be too short is because my motor mounts are shot. So new motor mounts and new belts. Going ahead and upgrading to Poly mtor and tranny mounts. outrageously expensive, but needed. wondering if this problem was why the car would only run a 15.38 in the 1/4 mile.
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dude you were close, motor was falling out of the car 
definitely clean your alternator- disconnect the battery and remove the alternator. depending on the severity of oil in it, you might need to disassemble it to degrease and clean it, or turn it in to the parts store for a new one. oil in that can definitely cause a fire, not to mention if it's all over the exhaust manifolds.
definitely clean your alternator- disconnect the battery and remove the alternator. depending on the severity of oil in it, you might need to disassemble it to degrease and clean it, or turn it in to the parts store for a new one. oil in that can definitely cause a fire, not to mention if it's all over the exhaust manifolds.
