so the power steering return line ruptured on my car and I can't really afford to fix it, but I need to get her back on the road. any quick fixes for a ruptured line? or really any ideas at all?
Posted Jul 10, 2011, 8:04 PM UTC
High pressure side or the low pressure side? Low pressure side is a lot more forgiving in the types of quick fixes you can do. I once used a two part epoxy which worked real nicely on the low pressure side. Depending on how bad and where the leak is you might be able to use it on the high side as well although don't quote me on that one.
You can also rockauto. They have a lot parts often quite cheap. I had replaced the high pressure line on a 97 jetta at one point for I'd say about $40ish although I don't remember the exact price. Its not that bad of a job to do and can probably be done DIY in about an hour.
If you post more details like the model car and pictures and such I can probably be a bigger help but I hope this gets you started.
Edit I just realized you said that the leak was in the return line. Like I had mentioned before this is usually much easier to deal with than the high pressure side. The epoxy fix could end up working quite well for this but just keep in mind that if you go that route it may be very difficult to replace it in the proper manner at a later date.
Ok its the return line so I think I'm going to try the epoxy. What kind did you use, like is there anything specific I'm looking for?
Do you have any pictures of the problem? Like I said the epoxy can end up working but depending on where it is you might not be able to undo the fix. Is this a car you plan on keeping for a while or is it something that just needs to hold you a few more months until you get something else?
No pictures right now but its just a small slice in the hose. I'm just trying to keep it going for a little bit before I grab something different
ok. well for a slice in the hose the epoxy isn't going to work too well. For a really quick fix you can get rescue tape. its basically a silicon tape that will fuse to itself making a nice seal. The stuff is fairly chemical resistant so i think it should hold up to power steering fluid at least for a little while.
The key is you need to be able to get the area nice and clean and then wrap the tape around it nice and tight so that it fuses together properly.
But once again,you might be best off just replacing the line either with the appropriate replacement part or making a new hose for it using some automotive rubber fuel line as insomnia_accountant said. However once again, unless you tell us what car it is we are all just guessing in the dark here.
If you go the epoxy route just get some basic 2 part 15 minute epoxy or so. I think I had ended up using something like this. The leftovers are sitting in my toolbox down stairs so I can check later.
One thing that I want to re emphasize is while the epoxy can work as a quick fix, depending on where there leak is it might make it very difficult to near impossible to fix the car the right way at some point in the future so keep that in mind. If you just need the car to keep you going for a few months before you junk it then go for it. If its something you plan on keeping for a long time then I would consider fixing it the right way.
Again more info and pictures will help us help you figure out the best course of action.
i would use brake kleen to degrease it, then tape it up and down with the non adhesive rubber electrical insulator tape from the depot. be sure to stretch it and wind it with care, several times for at least 4 inches up and down from the rupture. this will only work on the return line.
How much can you spend?
Well the lowest price I could find for the hose was $125 and I'd rather not spend that.
Depends on the car, you don't necessarily need the OEM/aftermarket return hose. The OEM/aftermarket return hose cost around $60-100, but I'm just using a 3ft rubber hose (@~$3/ft) instead.
Since it's not originally a high-pressure hose and there's couple people "on the internet" has done the same thing on a similar camry that's why I did it. And it's been leak-free for almost a year now.
Try some car wreckers. Also think of getting the hose made by a hose maker, could be cheaper from them.
What model of car is this? I replaced the high-pressure hose in my Dodge Ram, and it wasn't anywhere near this expensive.
TBH, I replace my PS return line on my camry for <$20. Brought 3ft of Duralast rubber hose (original one is also rubber), a set of hose clamps for $2, and a quart MaxLife ATF for ~$4 (yes, camry's use ATF for power steering, so check your manual, don't use the wrong fluid).
Like pyroman has said, it's a really easy DIY job. Just find where it's leaking and why does the line goes (from steering rack -under the engine- to PS reservoir).