Alternative Power Steering Line replacement routing

NYFlapjack2

Original poster
Member
Jan 22, 2012
27
Alternative Power Steering line routing using OEM high pressure hose. Bending the new hose tubing up & over the top up front of valve cover attached to the similar engine crossing A/C hose line. (WTH didn’t the PWR STR PUMP and AC COMP swap sides GM Engs? Surely both those respective hoses would route easier and all of them are then much shorter?)

I also did the entire low pressure side after using only old quick connect steel elbow, the return line was done all in new coil bulk hose. Routed into a new cheap relocated oil cooler, mounted up front. From that more of the same hose out it to the power steering pump. I read many others posts in the various forums. And this job didn’t thrill me to attempt it all back to OEM path, on my creeper and my old bones. I did this over limited bursts 2 Saturday’s. Of course I bet now I could do one of these in under half my time now.

My 97x is my winter rat daily down NYS Thruway. It is subjected to harsh CNY – Syracuse Salt City, brine and Magnesium Chloride sprays and garaged nightly. It is “Rust Check” coating applied annually and while the body is mint, there are some parts which do not fare well. Too bad that dam bracket clamp over cooling tubes at LH strut rotted my High Pressure line.

As well the oil cooler was leaking at my RH front bumper area. In my <72,000 miles on it since 1 year old 14,000 miles when I got it … this past summer I did my 4th set of pads/rotors, now just R&R front calipers cause a piston seized. And I’ve done both hubs in 2012 and 2015 as they get shot in the crap too. I take the wheels off and disassembly all brake parts, de rust and lube the crap annually. The pads rust & bloom in the SS clips in caliper and seize. The front rotors ID won’t come off the hubs as the rust bloom makes ID smaller than hub diameter they fit over. And the outermost perimeter on the rotor blooms and will increase the diameter to where the rotor diameter now scrapes on the SS caliper clips. Ever have a pad rust bloom push it off the backing after 2 winters & 11k miles? All stuff of this rusty stuff “Rust Check” can’t really help. Yeah it sux.

Up ramps, pulled LH wheel, pulled air cleaner top, moved air filter MAF hose to top of engine, removed washer jug, up to rest on top of AC dryer. That allowed easy access to Pump connections. LH side I pulled battery and the PCM off for clearance. But left tray and all suspension strut CVC etc. Finally did drop the oil pan plastic skid plate and the frame section just under the PS rack. (Note all those frame bolts spun right out and it really isn’t that rusty on frame and where Rust Check gets to it).

I cut out the old hoses and oil cooler. I left the lower hose loop right where it was rusted in place. I reused the small elbow return hose quick connect couple as it was not rusty and cleaned up well. I placed a non OEM style, cheap aluminum, after-market cooler behind the main grill center about waist high attached to hood latch bracket on rubber in front of rad/condenser.

I am familiar with pipe bending, gradual and have Delrin jaws in my vise to aid and not damage lines. As well the Gorilla Tape wrap is utilized right from the start to allow good grip and control. I did not kink bends or bend anything twice. The wrap stays for extra rust protection.

I picked the OEM cup seal style replacement. I filed and sanded very smooth new generous radius on the leading edge of both tubes where they insert into cup seals. Since I read how others reused old cup seals and they are hard to see/get out I left the used ones in there. With generous Vaseline on tube insertion end and the slip yoke for the return line clamp and the plastic loom to hold lines at connection plate they were baggie protected and clean while trial fitting. When time came from underneath with the frame section removed pushing slightly they all but fell into the holes. And I am pleased to report do not leak at all.

I read where others thought or did this hose routing, and while I do not look forward to doing this ever again. But removal was harder than installation this way so I’d do it this way for my next one.

Anyhow pictures might tell the rest, as I didn’t really find photos or folks using the OEM hoses (vs. compression fittings – or other line work) so here’s a look at an alternative. FWIW (the SAAB that is) and for what I use it for… this cob works for me. And since I have NAPA store blood direct discount I can’t tell you how much I have into this repair…. But you might assume it was very very inexpensively as this thing likes parts so happily saving where I can.


PS STR removal.jpgPS STR new routing 1.jpg PS STR lo press.jpg Parts.jpg NO RUST.JPGDims.jpg Loop.jpg Loop 2.JPG IMG_0425.JPG IMG_0432.JPG IMG_0440.JPG IMG_0435.JPG
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
Good alternative and will likely prevent it from rusting again. I did the same thing for the cooler.

:offtopic: When you have it Rust Checked, make sure they liberally apply it to the underside of the front lip of the 9-7x hood or it will look like Swiss cheese like mine.
 

NYFlapjack2

Original poster
Member
Jan 22, 2012
27
10-4 on hood & why there is a pictured included here. My Hood, 4 door bottoms and lift gate all those pinchwelds flanges are pristine, the annual rust check sure seemed to cure those areas. Yours sounds like my sons past 2008 97x which Hood rotted so bad latch wasn't safe and it bled rust water - ruined etched headlight lens.
 

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