NASCAR314

I am installing a Doug Rippie power steering pressure line on a 1996 LT1. It is significantly different from stock style, as it is routed straighter and thru the serpentine belt.

I have no pictures or anything to go off of, so I did the best I could, but still had to "zip tie" it to keep it away from one of the pulleys.

Anyone have a picture, or an idea on a GOOD way to rout it?

BTW: the connection at the rack is a PITA to access

leesvet

Thru the belt?

So you either have to have a belt with a buckle or take the PS hose off the remove the belt?
That makes as much sense as a gopher with a tooth brush.

As far as tie straps...yeah, I have my return hose tie straped abck to keep it off the pulley. I had to cut the end back as far as I could to snug it farther onto the nipple so it would stay off the pulley, but it was still less than 1/8" away and it wouldn;t take much to take a bite out of the hose...so the universal retainer kit came out...tie strap it down. I could care less if the dead possum looks up and see's that tie strap !

Taking the wheel well liner out and the wheel gives you a bit more working room and access. You can see a little more even if you can't get to it any better.. A flare nut wrench gives you the best bite on the fitting,...beyond that, the car was assembled around that line on the backside of the rack.

Caliburn

I feel your pain. I am wrapping up water pump and opti, and was going to take another shot at routing the drm line so that it did not go through the serpentine belt. It was liberating to just cut off the old belt during dissassembly, but now it has to come off to put the new belt on. I would be interested in any ideas as well.

NASCAR314

This is a pic of how I routed it. Pretty straight forward, pic is from drivers side front tire, looking straight down.

I have it "loosely" zip tied up high, for insurance, around the A/C lines, and more firmly tied down low around the frame member just above the steering rack. It was wanting to rub against the power steering pump pulley. Not hard, just lightly.

96GS#007

I don't have any pics of mine, but it routes back under the accessory bracket and then loops forward to the PS pump.

I split a piece of heater hose and wrapped that around the DRM hose to prevent it from rubbing a hole in anything.

I *highly* recommend not using zip ties around the a/c lines. I've seen zip ties, even loose ones, start to rub a hole in the rubber line.

As leesvet mentioned, removing the inner fender panel gives you more room. I also unbolted the ac compressor and set it aside which definitely helped

It's hard to see, but in this shot prior to my 383 install, you can see the covered PS line under/near the a/c compressor. In essence, that is the routing that I used.

leesvet

Thats an obvious BUFU from DRM....someone just made a steel braid hose the same length as the OEM hose/tube combo and gave no thought to the route or the location....like they had never seen a C4 PS pump & rack system.

What they should have done, was to add a section of tubing off the pump to aim the tube/hose straight down, then it could go to braid and loop under and around the belt and pulley to the rack fittings.

If it were me, I'd send that back with a "no thank you" note and this pic, and go back to the steel tubing/hose. I suspect thats exactly why there is steel tubing in the hoses for the PS assy. For placement and a solid hose.
I've never had a problem with that line, and rarely hear of anyone blowing that hose. Its a pressure line BUT its more than up to the pressure generated by that small pump. Vane pump IIRC...not big on pressure.

That hose just makes no sense..., lets play..."what if"

...you blow a line or ANYTHING and have to d/c that side of the engine face? at the track? its over.

....even glaze a belt and have to change it....is that in the flat rate manual as a 6 hr job to change serp belts? Breaking a belt is probably the best break-down that could take place ! At least 1/2 the job is going to be simple. This could be a great candid camera moment for a shop guy told to put a new belt on....

They could have at least made a union in the middle so you could break the line apart and change the belt in less than..all weekend?

Big fubar imo. Disappointed in the brand name,. ...that design smells of cheap aftermarket junk. No thought in the design, just the "hook" of selling steel braid hose.

96GS#007

FWIW, DRM has been selling the exact same hose/fittings since the C4 was still in production...aka a loooooooooong time. Obviously they could at least send some instructions regarding routing.

The reason for the hose is that when it was common place to see a C4 on the track...road courses, not 1/4 mile...(hard to remember those days ), we were breaking the hard line and cracking the fittings all the time. It wasn't that the fittings or line couldn't stand the pressure, it's that the factory setup couldn't withstand the vibration associated with extended periods of high rpm and general race track usage. If you didn't pop a factory line or fitting, you weren't driving hard

leesvet

Yeah, I figured vibration was the reason for the braid replacement, its just the lack of instruction or alternative that gets me. As you say, they could have at least sent along some clue as to how it should be routed. Heck, I'd live with a thru da belt mount if it had a union that you could actually get to so the hose could be separated...but again, why make a mess just to change a belt? They shoulda gone the extra inch or so and printed out the secret formula.

Still think it would be fun to drop off at a shop for a new belt......who knows..maybe they'd figure out a route !

From what I can see, it looks as though it (hose at pump)can take a turn south as well as the rack end can be rotated to aim under and around the belt/pulley. That may be easier said than done, but just about everything in the C4 PS system is easier said than done..

96GS#007

...I should add, that with my routing such that the hose goes back (towards the firewall), it doesn't pass between/around the belt. As such, a belt change is accomplished just like always with a minimum of fuss

NASCAR314

Not to defend DRM here, but...they use an adapter that goes into the pump, then a "flare-fitting" screws onto that. So you can break it loose without removing the power steering pump pulley, and re-attach after belt is removed and replaced. This also prevents you from disturbing the rubber "o"-ring in the pump connection.

96GS#007: this will get me thru one more racing weekend till winter, when I can re-organize things a bit. I'll fix the A/C line interference. I think when I re-install the R-D racing "camber brace" it will solve the pulley rub problem.

leesvet: Power steering pressure lines from GM and aftermarket break all the time in autocross and road racing applications. Especially when running 315 racing slicks on the front end. And they make on hell of a mess when they do

I have a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am V6 and you must un-bolt the pass. side motor mount and jack up the motor about 1 1/2 inches to change the serpentine belt on that! Not as difficult as it sounds, but a BIG surprise for your average shade tree mechanic.

NASCAR314

I see yours in the pic, but kind of hard to see routing, what with no motor in the car and all! Is that a DRM hose? I did not think it would be long enough to take that rout?

96GS#007

Yes, it's a DRM hose