GQ-ROD

Hi all, this is just an over all summary of my replacement of the high pressure power steering hose on my 84 crossfire.


Noticed a puddle of fluid on the ground one day a lot about the size of a Frisbee in diameter, it was power steering fluid.

Got some fluorescent leak detector at o'reilly's cost 10 bucks. and their 25 buck uv flashlight, it's red, with 2 flashlights in one uv and regular.

Poured in 1/2 the bottle of uv dye into the power steering reservoir, checked and saw a slight not gushing leak from the tight radius bend portion of the high pressure power steering hose, it had rubbed over time as it rested on the steering column and wore a hole in it. You cannot even notice it in the pic, but this is the only place it was leaking from confirmed by the uv dye test under load.

Checked online and NO ONE had it in stock except Ecklers, pricey BUT they had it, i was able to drive there and pick it up from there warehouse ! GOT LUCKY !

Contrary to what i read in searching threads and online it CAN be done painlessly with an open end wrench, and a either a long box end wrench or stubby box end wrench. 18 mm for the lower, and 5/8 exact fit on the smaller one at the pump. ( the one at the pump seems to be a little bigger than 16 mm BUT not big enough to be a 17 mm. ) you can do it with a 17 mm JUST DON'T round off the edges !

I did not need a crows foot on the lower fitting. Though i had one it was useless, no real space to turn it.

1a- Get a six pack of your favorite beer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1b- Took me a total of about 4 hours taking breaks for spirited livation,

1- Disconnect your battery, and REMOVE the alternator ! this is FAR EASIER than removing the power steering pump pulley with a puller to gain access to the smaller fitting at the pump.

2- Using a box wrench at a weird angle you can remove the lower fitting WITH PATIENCE a little turn at a time providing it's NOT frozen in there, on the smaller fitting on the pump i used a long 5/8 wrench and about 1/8 turn at a time i got the old fitting off, i thank my lucky stars neither fitting was frozen, otherwise you will have to cut the steel lines and use a socket.

3- WORD OF CAUTION - BUY EXTRA O - RINGS !!!!!! this word of advice is CRUCIAL since while trying to insert the hose fitting to the pump, i thought i lost the o - ring, LUCKILY it had already seated itself inside the fitting on the power steering pump on my first attempt to thread the fitting ! but i got LUCKY, had i lost it i would have been F**KED.

4- I used a small mirror to verify the o- ring was already seated within the groove in the fitting. DODGED A BULLET !

5- So did the lower fitting first ( NO WAY to get a torque wrench in there SO GO EASY and just SNUG them down ) then did the top fitting, i used zip ties to keep the hose from rubbing on the steering column again until i can fabricate a bracket to hold it better.

6- Put power steering fluid in about 1/2 a quart, put in the last half of the remaining uv dye, bled the system,installed the alternator and belt, connected the battery, started the car, checked for leaks, NO LEAKS !

7- Have to admit i did notice a slight improvement in power steering assist. Not Cadillac BUT better than before !

The leak did not SEEM to be grave judging from the tiny hole in the hose, BUT it was. 1/2 a quart of fluid over a 30 min drive lost before the pump would start growling.

Over time it collected a lot of power steering fluid on the lower cross member and this spilled or was thrown onto the headers making for a smoke filled drive !

8- Degrease your engine, and you are done ! thanks to all the members on here who post their experiences and their trials and errors it really helped make this go easy !