PS Leak on a 119 motor

[deanyel]

I have a pretty healthy power steering leak on a 92 400E, about 18 inches behind the pump. It looks like a bad low pressure rubber hose towards the back of the system. So I'll just replace it. But preliminarily I have concluded a) no access frrom below and b) no access from above. It's impossible from below, they must be thinking from above. But it's very tight and there's an engine guard very much in the way, and it's a very large engine guard that is not going to move easily. Am I on the right track? Am I going to have to raise the engine?

[mbdoc]

That replacement at dealer takes 4.5-5 hrs as the complete p/s pump bracket has to be removed first. NO fun.

[deanyel]

I was afraid it was something like that. This may call for a new invention - the Remote Power Steering Hose Installer. I'll let you know how it goes.

[david s poole]

the leak is usually caused by a pce of oil resistant hose below the reservoir. drain the reservoir and take out bolt[allen] in bottom you will see it.

[Spook74]

Originally Posted by deanyel

I have a pretty healthy power steering leak on a 92 400E, about 18 inches behind the pump. It looks like a bad low pressure rubber hose towards the back of the system. So I'll just replace it. But preliminarily I have concluded a) no access from below and b) no access from above. It's impossible from below, they must be thinking from above. But it's very tight and there's an engine guard very much in the way, and it's a very large engine guard that is not going to move easily. Am I on the right track? Am I going to have to raise the engine?

If you are 18 inches behind the pump, you are not the hose under the reservoir, but the short section just forward of the steering box. (Mine leaked there also.) It is a swine of a job getting it off, including pulling the crossover exhaust pipe to allow access from the bottom, but there is a sheetmetal shield in the way. I was able to pry the front clamp around with a crowbar to where I could loosen it with a phillips bit on 18" of extension. Then pry the hose end off the pipe with the crowbar. Repeat same for the back end from the bottom and the hose can be worked out of its protective sleeve shield going forward.

The hose is about six inches long, and 10 mm ID. Locally available hose is all 3/8" (9.2 mm) ID, which would be a bear to get back on. I ordered a meter of the right stuff from the stealership for $20 + tax, but I'm not sure yet how to get it back on, as it has not come in yet. I think I will hire some elves...

Anybody else been there???

Gerry

[deanyel]

A note for the sake of posterity - you don't take out the rubber low pressure hose by itself - you take it out with the metal line it is connected to. The front end of the rubber hose is accessible, the rear end of the pipe is accessible at the PS gearbox. Take them out together, put the new rubber hose on the pipe, tighten the clamp, and put them back on the car together. That way both ends are accessible - the front end of the rubber hose from the engine bay and the rear end of the pipe at the PS gearbox - and the inaccessible joint between them is a non-issue. I don't know why it took me months to think of this but it did.

[EliotW]

Once you figured it out how long did it take?

[deanyel]

Maybe an hour or hour and a half. Everything is tight on the 124/119. I've gotten so good at taking off the left side exhaust pipe that I take it off just for drill.