1987 XJ-S V12 coupe.

I notice that the power steering pump cap has a rather hefty spring to keep the cap sealed onto the filler neck.

Is the reservoir where the fluid is added "pressurized" when the engine is running?

The way my engine bay is set up the power steering pump cap is virtually impossible to reach due to coolant and cold air hoses sitting directly above it. I'm contemplating putting an extended filler tub into the pump reservoir and extending it above the hoses so it will be easier to reach (I would just use a dipstick style arrangement to check the fluid level). This will be simple to do if the reservoir isn't pressurized, but if it is I'm back to square one.

Thanks in advance,

John

 

Not pressurized.

Good idea to ease access to the pump. Looking forward to the results.

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks for that Doug!

John

 

To be honest, I think that you will be wasting your time with an extended filler tube unless you make up your own dipstick to run down the extension.
Otherwise you'll have to remove the extension, put the original back in to check the level, put the extension back in to top it up, remove the extension so that you can check the level an so on ad finitum.
If I need to top mine up (very rarely) I just use 3 cheap plastic funnels stacked on top of each other.

 

Just a though. Is your system leaking? Does the difficulty really warrant a mod with how little the fluid needs checking?

Maybe you can just cut the dipstick off so the cap can be pulled off easier and then keep a marked stick in the trunk or glovebox for checking the fluid level? Even putting a mark on the engine oil dipstick?

 

My plan is to have a simple dipstick arrangement, which will double as the fill tube, so I'll never have to remove the cap (which, since I can't get to it is the motivation behind the product).

The way I've modified the engine compartment, there is now a coolant hose directly over the top, and in contact with the p/s cap, so the cap can't be removed without removing the coolant hose...which means at least partly draining the cooling system. Since I normally only drain the system every couple of years, I'd like to be able to check the p/s levels more frequently.

It'll make more sense when I have photos to post.

Thanks,

John

 

I don't have any problem taking power steering cap off and checking fluid.

 

Would it not be simpler to wire in a level sensor?
Somehow!

 

Mac,

That's because you've probably not modified your engine like I have.

I pitched all the up front plumbing, including the thermostats, and installed an electric water pump and electric fans. In order to make this work I had to run a coolant hose right on top of the power steering filler cap. I'm sure anything resembling a stock V12 wouldn't have the problem I have.

There are probably few people who will need/want to do this modification, but I just throw it out there if anyone is interested. Hopefully I'll have it done tomorrow or so.

Steve...no, I don't think so. Installing a level sensor would certainly involve removing the PS pump, and I don't want to do that. Plus it then has to be wired up...where to put the low level indicator...sounds complicated to me. It certainly would be more elegant though!

Thanks,

John

 

Cut the dipstick off the filler cap and stick the sensor on the end!
Wouldn't help you much with the topping up though.

 

Removing the pump is a 5 minute job...

 

Not on my car Daim!

 

And especially not on my car!

Anyway, the modified cap is complete.

The photo tells most of the story.

The cap/dipstick combination, as it turns out, is hollow, except at the very top where the dipstick meets the cap. I bored out the dipstick just to give a little more room for adding fluid, and of course bored all the way through the cap.

I had a 90 degree brass bend in the garage, so I bored into the top of the cap about 5mm. I then "threaded" one end of the bend, just using a file to put some diagonal cuts in it. I then heated the cap with a heat gun, then put the bend on top of it, pushed down and turned. As hoped, my *threads* cut into the plastic and seated fairly well.

Next steps were to cut the dipstick off just below the "Full Cold" mark, and attach a piece of 3/8" ID fuel hose to the bend. Not shown is an aluminum tube that is stuck into the other end of the fuel hose, and which ends near the oil filler cap. I put a rubber terminator (similar to what is used to block vacuum ports) on the top of the aluminum tube to keep dirt out.

The epoxy is to stop any air leaks.

Operation is pretty simple. To determine the fluid lever, I simply blow into the tube. If I hear bubbles, then the fluid is very close to the "Full Cold" mark. If I don't hear bubbles, the fluid is below the full cold mark. If so I pour a small amount fluid down the tube, go do something else for a few minutes, come back and blow into the tube again. If I here bubbles I'm done, if not repeat step 1.

The caveats are that I can't check the fluid hot (which is no big deal), and that I have to be in a fairly quiet place to hear the bubbles. Since I garage the car for various maintenance tasks 3 or 4 times a year, I can just check it then.

No, it's not very elegant. But it is very cheap, has no moving parts, no sensors or electronics to mess with, and took all of an hour to put together.

Not a modification most would need I know.

Thanks,

John
1987 XJ-S V12

 

'I'm forever blowing bubbles'!
Musical mechanics.

 

I must have missed #6 reply, up until then sounded like an oem engine bay.