PAS Help

[DB S3]

Guys

Have noticed a small leakage from what i think is the PAS system. The symptom is a bit of a give away - small puddle under the car !!!!

I think that whatever's coming out is coming out of a pipe that connects to the underside of the silver thing in the middle of this photo, just to the left of the oil reservoir -



Apologies for the numpty question, but is this the power steering motor ?

If so, how serious is it if i'm leaking just a little fluid (about a 1/4 pint in a month)

Can the car still be driven ? And how easy is it to replace the pipe, which i assume is connecting the pas reservoir with the pas motor ?

Any help much appreciated.

David

[Bomber Denton]

The rubber hose that connects under the pump always leaks, you can fit a new jubilee but it will do it again.

It will only leak fluid when the car is at standstill when the car is running the fluid is constantly circulating.

[Ribol]

Bomber Denton said:

The rubber hose that connects under the pump always leaks, you can fit a new jubilee but it will do it again.

Cannot see photo posted above but assuming it is the same as on mine(2000 400 chim) just change it - tightening it up will make no difference once the rubber starts going. It is either normal 1/2" or 5/8"(not sure which) heater hose (low presssure) costs nothing and is easy to do.

[GreenV8S]

Ribol said:

It is either normal 1/2" or 5/8"(not sure which) heater hose (low presssure) costs nothing and is easy to do.

Can you use ordinary water hose? I would have guessed you need a butile liner i.e. an oil hose.

[Ribol]

GreenV8S said:

Ribol said: It is either normal 1/2" or 5/8"(not sure which) heater hose (low presssure) costs nothing and is easy to do. Can you use ordinary water hose? I would have guessed you need a butile liner i.e. an oil hose.

In theory you are right but the hose I took off was the original fitted by TVR and was normal rubber reinforced heater hose. The reason it leaked was due to the fluid getting to the rubber rather than splitting hence my previous post suggesting tightening the clip etc won't fix it. My car is "X" reg, if the one I put on lasts as long that will do me.

[GreenV8S]

Still seems wrong to me to knowingly put the wrong spec hose on, but maybe that's just me.

[Ribol]

GreenV8S said:

Still seems wrong to me to knowingly put the wrong spec hose on, but maybe that's just me.

Lasting over 5 years before starting to weep in furnace like temperatures would hardly suggest it not being up to spec.

[shpub]

Get some hydraulic red stripe hose from your local hydraulic supplier and fit two decent jubilee clips. Usually solves the problem.

[DB S3]

Guys

Thanks for the advice. Am going to order some piping from TVR as not confident I know enough about this stuff to buy some 'off-the-shelf' piping.

Quick question though - a couple of you guys seem to reckon it's a dead easy job. Baring in mind my limited mechanical knowledge and having just had another good nose around the engine bay, the fitting of pipe at either end looks reasonably straight forward, but how the heck did you guys thread the new pipe through all that wiring inbetween pas pump and pas reservoir ? or am i being thick here - do you just replace the small (6 inches or so - and no jokes !!) straight section that travels up into the pump from the brass 'D' just below the pump ?

[Ribol]

DB S3 said:

do you just replace the small (6 inches or so - and no jokes !!) straight section that travels up into the pump from the brass 'D' just below the pump ?

I just replaced the 6 inch(although I think mine is bigger ) pipe because that is all that was leaking.
Going back to the hose debate, there are generally three qualities of heater hose available in decent motor factors, non kink hose(rubbish), cheap rubber heater hose(ok for heater hose), rubber reinforced heater hose(harder but stronger). If you have no luck at the dealer you will be fine with the last one.