I have tried looking on this forum and the vast depth of the internet but I cannot seem to find a write up on removing and installing the power steering hose on a v12 xjs. Mine recently fell down while driving and destroyed the hose so I have ordered a new one, but do not know how to change it. Im wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a write-up, preferably with pictures(i love pictures.... haha) or very detailed instructions.

Just to help out its a 91 xjs.

thank you for your time.

 

Buy the manual first !

There are a couple on ebAY - For a 91 you will only usually get a CD nowadays, but not expensive.

 

^
thats probably money I don't have. hahaha

 

I've never replaced the hose but I have replaced the rack in an XJS. From that experience I'd say there's no way to change the hose without unbolting the rack and letting it drop a bit for access to the pipe fittings. Not a very pleasant task.

Others will chime in with more.

Cheers
DD

 

How is it not very pleasant? im just wondering cause ill end up going to my buddies and we will figure it out when we jack it up on friday haha so im just looking for more help so we are not blind

 

Not very pleasant in that there's very little room to work and everything will be filthy :-)

You'll have to remove the pinch bolt that clamps the steering shaft to the rack. Tricky job reaching it. I recall removing the left tire and getting a better shot at the bolt thru the wheel well.

Three bolts hold the rack in place. No big problem on removal but getting everything back together is test of your patience and arm muscles.

Not sure about what you'll have to do at the *pump* end of things.

Cheers
DD

 

oh this is gonna be very very fun........... ^_^ I think i can i think i can!

 

That which does not kill us only makes us stronger :-)


Cheers
DD

 

agreed, unless it paralyzes you....... well thats pretty lame. geeze im horrible.

But i mean we did the same thing with the alternator, just went for it one day haha and did it.

 

^_^ I thought I could I - thought I could

You need a decent pair of ramps to get the front up in the air, (and a warm garage, if possible !).

Get it all cleaned up before stripping. With power steering systems, cleanliness is next to Godliness, (actually old amateur mechanics like me will say it is ahead of).

Incidentally, you don't say which hose has failed on the system. As I recall, there are three, reservoir to pump, pump to rack valve, and rack valve back to reservoir.

Incidentally, the CD on the XJS I saw on eBay was about $4, Buddy can you spare a dime !!

 

Haha yeah my buddies has a good set of ramps, no warm garage but it hasnt been too cold, except today... in tucson. It is the hose that umm sits down inside that little clip on the (hell i dont know what its really called) member at the bottom of the engine. it came out of the clip and was scraping on the road and thats how it went out. Well i donate plasma tomorrow sooo ill probably be buying a CD hahaha >_<

 

I changed mine without dropping the rack. You need to drop your left exhaust pipe to get access to the 4 lines on top of the rack. Loosen the 2 outside ones first. They are the ones that run along the rack, loosen both ends and move them out of the way. Now you can get to the high pressure pipe. The only problem with this method is aligning the new pipe, it is a real challenge because it has to be perfectly square or you can misthread and damage your rack.

 

Hey, good idea. There's more than one way to skin a cat!

Cheers
DD

 

Well so i tackled it today, only to end up with not completing it. We dropped the rack and got the hose out, well.... when putting the new hose in... we could never get it lined up and spent unknown, and rather stupid amounts of time trying to get it right but it would just not line up and thread....... soooo we gave up, bolted the rack up and called it a day after spending the day on in...
How can i make it easier to line it up and thread it without stripping it and putting it in sideways...?

 

I had to continually change the angle of the hose every so slightly and turn the nipple until i felt the threads grip. It's easier if you have a helper wiggle the hose. Once it appears to be started, don't turn anymore until you view that it is square. If not, start over.

I couldn't do it without removing the two pipes in front of ps hoses so I had clear access to it (without dropping the rack). You may want to remove those anyway to see what you are doing.

Since you've dropped the rack, check out your rubber bushings, I bet they are worn out.

 

alright we will have to try that in a few days. yeah we kept trying to move the rack and stuff but could never get it squared up or even for the thread to start.

yeah bushings are pretty much done.... I would replace them but havent had a job for money but luckily start one day after christmas, sooo things will happen faster on her.

 

Worn steering rack bushings were the only reason I dropped my rack. You can get a good neoprene kit for only $30 on fleebay. They are well worth it. My rack would move a quarter inch. That made for an interesting drive.

 

wow. well once i get the money i plan to get new bushings and the power steering totally fixed. then will get my electrical fixed.

 

Good advice, I changed my bushings when I changed the power steering hoses, they were definitely ready, and suprising not expensive.