Hey
Fixing the P/S leak.
How hard is it to do this with the engine still inside the car?

 

Question. You have been hounding everyone for complicated turbo information. Cool. No problem. But then you ask how to fix a power steering hose leak problem?
Anyway, since "hard" is a relative term, jack up the car remove the wheel and splash guard and see what kind of access you got. Because I guarantee you, no mechanic is going to take out the engine to replace some power steering hoses.

You should just do this on your own. No matter how hard it is to do the repair, it's going to be a cakewalk compared to whatever turbo you want to do. Even if it's the most simple turbo system.

 

I was quoted a price of 500$ to do this. I think I can handle it. Also I never asked how to do it. I just wanted to know if its worth waiting until the engine is out.
Thanx

 

Also another note....this seems to be really common on 2nd gens. You are NOT suppose to use power steering fluid in these cars. You MUST use ATF (Dexron II/III). The viscosity of the power steering fluid is to thin, which isn't good on the pump, and has been known to make the system leak.

S

 

oh the irony.... you posted about yours leaking today and today is the first day saw my car drip anything... guess what it was.... anywho where's the cheapest place to buy the ps lines?

 

Don't know where to buy it from. Probably Napa would have them(love that store).

Oh yeah ever since I read you post about DexronII/III ive been using it. It works better and its cheaper too.
Maxwgn had a post about the p/s that was pretty good. It should be stickied it was a real good write up.

 

i had a ps leak about 3 months ago and it ended up being the pressure line from the pump to the rack and pin, its shaped like a long arc in the back of the engine bay. now it would've been really simple project from under the car if the hose that i bought from napa would've been made correctly. instead one of the ends wasn't twisted far enough one way. so that means i had to somehow twist the thing myself and get in ther and start one of the bolts while holding the little o-rings on at the same time. i didnt get it til my friend came over and helped... so just a little info for ya, make sure the new hose matches the old hose perfectly

 

gotcha thanks for the heads up.

 

arent there power steering lines that go to the front and run through a little aluminum loop infront of the radiator

 

yeah
Mine has a hole in one of them. So that section is always covered in trany fluid.

 

well why dont you fix that then see if it fixes your problem.

if the aluminum cooler has a hole in it use some JB weld and if its the rubber hoses going to and from the res. just replace those, its going to be cheaper than the rack and pinion hoses...i mean rubber hosing costs how much?

 

Good point
I was going to do that when I find the main leak. I think it's by the firewall. The high pressure side. Still haven't found the main problem.

 

whoa... so we shouldnt use PS fluid?? i go thru about a pint every month..

 

That's the reason why....you used powersteering fluid. Start using ATF.

S

 

.. haha ok.. yeah, when i went to get the wagg, it had that horrid 'yelp' .. i knew it was the PS fluid b/c i had a 92 celica that the same happend to.... i just continued to put PS fluid in it everytime it started to talk to me again.. but i am glad i found this little thread of info....... t ake care

 

actually you'd be surprised... now that I started working at auto zone, I've discovered that a LOT of vehicles use ATF instead of power steering fluid. Even hondas, for example, use their own proprietary power steering fluid. all Nissan cars I've ever owned use ATF, most foreign cars, and so do a lot of Fords. so it's not uncommon, it's just that people don't know about it. whenever someone buys a bottle of power steering fluid, I make sure they don't need ATF instead. saves them more trouble in the long run.

my 94 sentra, which was SUPPOSED to have ATF, had power steering fluid, which was leaking. I started adding ATF when it was down, and lo and behold, once the ATF flushed out the power steering fluid, the leak stopped.

if my typing is bad, please excuse me, it's my 21st birthday, I'm still feelin' it.

Dan
--------------------------------

 

Hey Guys im new to this site as i am from australia and 2 weeks ago i bought what is labled as a 1985 nissan maxima from the info ive got its a grey import from japan, i dont know much about it other than it is pillarless 4dr with electric everything and has brown velour trim and the vg20ET engine, my question is , on of the idiot lights that says E-PS keeps flickering and the steering keeps getting heavy as if its not power assisted, but other times it works perfect any ideas?? im stumped any info would really help as its a beautiful car to drive but the steering problem is ruining what is otherwise a beautiful car, thanks in advance.

 

my only thought that e-ps means empty power steering...if so go get some ATF and fill it

is therea whining sound when you turn?

 

Hmmm, we don't have that light on the US version. It could indicate electronic power steering...not sure. Do you notice a loud whining when trying to turn? I would check your P/S fluid level as mentioned.

S

 

Thanks guys checked the ps fliud and its full, no whining sound, it turned out to be the wires that go to the little box thingy on the steering rack, one was shorting out, i ran a new wire and now all is well, the power steering is working better than ever. bad description sorry but maybe some of you may know what i mean it seems to be an electronic valve of some kind.

 

You should definately get some pics of your car. Espeically detailed ones of the Engine Bay. I want to see how the bad boy is laid out.

S

 

Ok Mate No worries ill take some photos today for you, only thing is im not sure how to post them on here but ill do my best

 

i got some space left for a few as long as they arent too big

 

well for anyone whi is interested in pics my email adress is bj24au@dodo.com.au so just email me and ill send you pics i took of the engine bay and stuff, maybe you guys can help me. work out a few things.

 

VG20-ET...the wires you referred to on the rack should belong to a pressure sensor on the main fluid intake section of the rack, if it is the same as our max's...

 

About ATF instead of powersteering fluid: I just looked up my Nissan factory service manual and it DOES SAY:
RECOMMENDED FLUID IS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID "DEXRON TYPE".

So, do you guys know of a method of replacing the oil in the powersteering system without making a big mess?

I already had my rack&pinion replaced 2 times in the last 3 years at SEARS (life time warranty, but it is still a pain in the butt!) and now I know why.

At first I thought that they use a cheap rebuilt units, but yesterday I asked one of their lead technician about what kind of oil they put in the powersteering system, (in Maximas) and the answer was: Powersteering Fluid.
Geza
88' Maxima SE
Los Angeles, CA

 

Here check this out:
Basically you gotta suck out the old cuz there's no drain. This was done on a 4th gen, but it's same for all cars.
http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/702

 

Check out an FSM on the process on how to bleed the system. Basically your going to have to bleed it out just like you do brakes.

S

 

Turboast4: Thanks for the new URL link, that website does really have great tipps for Maxima do it yourself. I don't recall exactly, but if I remember well, I don't think I could dip a sucker in the ps reservoir, I think I saw some flat something right below the opening level of the reservoir. Is there a way to remove that something? (it might be a filter of some sort, I really don't know.)

Maximase86: Thanks for the tipp on the bleeding, I do know how to bleed the PS system, I just was wondering if there is a simple way of flushing the system out with fresh oil while it is pushing out the tired oil on a disconnected hose (and without making a mess). But I guess, I just will have to suck it out, fill it up, run it for a while and repeat the process. Doing this 2 times should remove more than 90% of the tired oil.

Geza

 

I got that URL from the 4th gen stickies. Browse around there, there's an incredible amount if info there. The 4th gens are so much more common and there are so many more members w/ 4th G's. Alotta the info is good for any car, not just theirs.

 

Get a Chiltons manual, or FSM. It'll have all you need in there to do this.

S