Leaking Pumps, Part 2.

When I replaced the PS pump some time in August last year, I thought that would be the end of my power steering woes. It was in fact the beginning of a series of leaks in the system. Those people who have been messing with old Volvos long enough would have this to tell you: if it comes in pairs, replace both if one is broken. I would add this too: if they come in sets, replace all of them. Might as well, unless you love the suspense of guessing what will break down next.

So, the PS pump was replaced as in http://brickwalla.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/leaking-pumps/ and no more leaks there but the pump-to-reservoir big hose started to leak at the reservoir end. When the leak got heavier I bought a similar sized hydraulic hose to replace the old leaking hose. It was ok for a couple of weeks, then the smaller rack-to-reservoir hose started to leak. I tried cutting the hose end and fitting new clamps but it would work for only a day or two.

It went from bad to worse when I had to carry a spare bottle of ATF and top up the reservoir every morning. I bought a replacement hose and carried it in the car for a week before I mustered enough courage to attempt working on it. It was a more involved job that required me to work under the car, and going through years of dried oil and grime. Even with the new hose, I was still getting ATF leaks even though not as much as before but this time at BOTH the inlet and outlet nipples of the reservoir.

All that fitting and refitting of hoses to the reservoir must have forced the plastic nipples out of shape and they no longer sealed properly with the hoses however hard I tightened the clamps. I had a spare PS pump reservoir from the half-cut 745 lying around the project shed that only needed a good clean up before use. With the replacement of the reservoir every part of the system, except the steering rack and arms, have been changed. No more leaks!

While I was at it, I also re-routed the smaller return hose so it connected to the reservoir nipple in a straight line so as to reduce stress to the plastic bottle and reduce the possibility of unwanted leaks in the future.