R32 GTR Power Steering Leak

[nouveau_poor]

Hi all,

First post here but I have a 1990 R32 GTR with a small power steering leak coming from the high pressure hose leading out of the power steering pump. I had the PS fluid flushed and replaced earlier this year and this leak seems to have developed within the last few months. The car drives fine and doesn't make any strange noises but will leave a few drops on the floor after turning into a parking spot. I got under the car and identified where the leak is coming from as shown in the photo here (the dark streak on the left is the dribble of PS fluid from where the hose meets the metal fitting). I've attached another image of the part and the leak area circled in red.   

My question is, would it be possible to tighten the metal fitting to stop the leak and if so, how would I go about it? Second, I don't mind buying the whole high pressure PS assembly pictured and swapping it all out as a preventative measure (as I can't find the rubber hose/metal fitting alone), but would this be something that can be done just by getting under the car or would the engine/large components need to be removed first? Thanks for any insight you may have!

Edited September 9, 2019 by nouveau_poor
rewording

[WantGTR]

cant tighten up any fittings. that second picture you have, thats the part you need to buy. buy it new and change it over. it is a pain in the ass snaking it around the engine bay but it is not impossible. 

[nouveau_poor]

Thanks for the reply. I read somewhere else something about a crush washer deteriorating over time leading to a leak but that might not be applicable to the fitting in question. If the swap can be done without removing the engine or major parts I'll do it myself or ask my mechanic. In the meantime, has anyone had luck using power steering additives to stop small leaks like this?

[Ben C34]

No way will an additive stop that leak.

The part that is leaking is crimped, you can't tighten that. It's done by a machine.

[nouveau_poor]

Well I'll go ahead and order the assembly if the rubber hose can't be saved. Hopefully replacement isn't too difficult and labor costs aren't too high. I don't enjoy having to top off my PS fluid all the time. I'll try to keep the thread updated when I get around to installing.

[GTSBoy]

You could just remove the assembly and take it to a hydraulic hose shop and they could put on a new bit of hose in a few minutes. Obviously you would discuss this with them in advance and show them the picture and book a time to walk it in....

But it would save you the arse raping that you'll probably have to endure to buy the whole thing.

[tridentt150v]

Hydraulic shop, Enzed, Pirtek...they will make it while you look on in amazement.  Take about 15 minutes....ie a hellava lot quicker than you when you have to remove and refit it, that will take you half a day and skun knuckles.

[WantGTR]

Fwiw, that whole pipe can be bought from nissan for under $300

[nouveau_poor]

That's some good advice about the hydraulics shop, I'll keep it on my radar. It does sound a lot less painful to just fix the rubber itself. A local shop is selling the whole pipe for a tad less than from Nissan so I was thinking that replacing it all with OEM would be good for the long run. Is the rubber hose alone removed from where it meets the hard line by the first metal plate/bracket? If so, I'm surprised that Nissan doesn't sell the hose alone if the whole pipe can be disassembled like that.

[WantGTR]

It's all one piece as you pictured. From the pump to the steering rack.

[GTSBoy]

11 hours ago, nouveau_poor said:

If so, I'm surprised that Nissan doesn't sell the hose alone if the whole pipe can be disassembled like that.

The hose is crimped onto the hardpipe ends. It's non-trivial to remove and refit.....unless you're at a hydraulics place.

[nouveau_poor]

Gotcha, so the whole pipe would be removed and taken to the hydraulics shop to rework

[tridentt150v]

Yes, they will cut the old one off then install a new hose on with a new swage fitting.  They do this in a tool made for the job, a hydraulic swaging press.

[nouveau_poor]

So an update as promised. I ended up going the full assembly route as i figure it's long-term insurance and I would have had to pay someone to remove the old assembly anyway and so the price difference between a repaired hose +install and a new OEM part + install was worth it to me. I took a peek under the car beforehand to see if I could remove and reinstall myself but could not for the life of me find a straightforward way to weave the bends and everything around the steering rack. Dropped it off at my usual shop for a day and got it back a bit ago. No leaks (as one would hope) and I don't think they had to remove neighboring bits to do it. Not sure what kind of witchcraft they used but it went in the same way the old one did. Ideally it should be good now for another 30 years right? Pictures of it snaking around below:

It goes behind around all this stuff

The switch/plug for the high pressure line 

Here you can see the leak flowing down the hose before it turns into hard line again

3 pipes go into the power steering rack assembly. The one replaced is the center one.