Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:23:47 +0200
Reply-To: Janne Ruohomäki <janne.ruohomaki@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Janne Ruohomäki <janne.ruohomaki@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Think I have sprung a leak in my powersteering lines! Need
some guidance please.
In-Reply-To: <DABC46E3-A22B-4311-A81A-128947A5DD80@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 7:06 PM, Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@mac.com> wrote:
> I need some guidance please.
Now I don't know if I am going to be much of help but when something
brakes I am obsessed by the reasons which led to brakedown.
...
> Got home and it was empty. So I look today to see if I can see
> anything. I had the lines replaced the fat & thin lines with copper
> ones in 2007 I believe. I am noticing some red fluid around some areas
> of the lines but I can't be sure where its really coming from.
I have no personal experience in copper lines but have been thinking
about making ones. I dont think copper lines should corrode this fast.
Can You tell if there are any signs of corrosion in your lines ? And
do You drive in salty environment ?
> Where are the key areas to look for leaks?
I am just about to remove my corresponding lines from -90 syncro 2.1
wbx. Not sure if they are similar pipes at all, but mine are almost
completely corroded almost the whole way. It starts right after the
engine bay all the way to front. They didnt leak so far but I am
replacing them as I am removing almost everything anyways.
For stress fractures or similar I would check the endpoints and
joints. Also places long runs of unsupporterd pipe could vibrate and
create such. I noticed that the original piping in my syncro was quite
rigidly connected to body with rubber bushings in supports. And there
were quite many of those supports, thats probably the reason why it
did not leak at all but the piping looked like it would leak
immediately almost everywhere.
...
> Is this an easy job for one person to do in their backyard?
> How long should it take?
> If I brought the lines to a mechanic with a lift how long should it
> take to replace the lines and add the fluid?
Deadlines deadlines.. What a terrible attitude and I am so bad in
giving time estimates ;)
Now but seriously, of course it can be done in backyard. It can even
be done in the forest, if You need to. You need to keep the fluids
clean and dry though. And one reason why I am considering other
alternatives than solid stainless: I can get home without this
apparatus, the power steering. I actually like to drive cars without
it, especially 4wd.
I would reserve almost whole day to this. I would at least, some could
probably do this quite fast. Including removal of the old ones. You
really don't want those lines left so that they will rub into
something or wiggle.
Did I understand this correctly: You have non-flexible solid pipes
currently, the ones that are leaking and the ones described would be
made of more flexible stuff ? I would at least try to run those such
through some place in the underbody where they can just lay, instead
of hanging them. Its pretty long way from the engine to front of the
van.
