Re: help! power steering suction hose

[ChuckKuecker <ckuecker@mcs.net>]

At 19:58 8/15/97 -0400, you wrote:
>i have found the most interesting problem with my power steering.  as
>you may recall, it was leaking fluid rapidly and pumping air back into
>the fluid container (lots of bubbles).  in addition, the pump was making
>some funny noises.  well i found the leak.  the L-type metal pipe that
>the suction hose attaches to has slipped out of it's place on the power
>steering pump.  it doesn't appear to have broken, nor is there any
>threads to screw it in place with a nut.  it just appears to be a fitted
>piece that, for 113k, has operated fine.
>
>now, for some reason, it has slipped out of place.  there is scoring on
>the elbow of the bend in the L-pipe, which indicates that it hit
>something (maybe got jarred in my recent frontal collision).  The shock
>may have broken it loose from the pump unit.  in addition, the pipe
>appears to have a slight bend in the section that inserts into the pump,
>again indicating some strong shock.  that's my best guess.
>
>I have checked the bentley to see if this piece is *supposed* to be
>removable, and it does not address it.   Therefore, I believe that
>trying to get it to stay in place again (i was thinking of hammering it
>back in with a rubber hammer-the suction pulls in the direction of the
>pump, so that may help as well) may be futile.
>
>Any thoughts?  I'm planning to pick up a used pump ($50) at Adirondack
>tomorrow (saturday).  If anyone has seen this before, and has a better
>solution, i'd appreciate an email, hopefully tonite.
>
>thanks!
>john
>jgies@skandia.com

As a possible fix (I've done this on VW carbs before, with good results) you
can clean ALL the fluid away from the hole the pipe goes into and off the
mating surface of the pipe, and put some red Locktite (Stud abd Bolt Lock)
on the pipe - then push it into place. Let the Locktite set for a few
minutes, then refill the pump. The Locktite will seal any play as well as
hold the pipe in.

I have yet had one of the fuel inlet pipes I repaired this way on a carb
come loose - if it works, you save the price of the pump!

Chuck Kuecker

ckuecker@mcs.net

'83 Scirocco (new paint!)
'58 Ghia Convert
'75 Bug (getting better)
'67 Bug
'63 Bug (for sale)
'91 Vanagon


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