Hi guys, recently i faced that (common?) power steering leak from a plastic coupler on the oil cooler line of my XK8 4.2, located underneath the air box.
The coupler belongs to the middle part (No. C2N2127) of the line which includes the cooler, as a spare it takes obout 250 bucks.

I assume the culprit is an O-ring in the coupler for maybe 20 cents.

Therefore i would like to know what type of coupling it is and how it can be released.

The coupling is press-fitted in the hose and inserted in the tube, secured with four tongues on the circumference.
Hardly to open without a special release tool.

Has someone got it opened or replaced?

thanks and regards , Fritz

 

Why not do what the vast majority of us do when we suffer that same power steering fluid leak? Cut the faulty plastic coupler out of the equation completely and replace it with the proper brass hose barb, new hose clamps, and a short section of new hose instead. Do this and you will likely not have to deal with such a leak again. Brass plumbing beats plastic plumbing every time....

 

thanks for your advice and i see what the solution could be, but as i am a follower of the pure doctrine i would like to try the o-ring way first.

After having a look on the picture i got a clue how the coupler is easy to release. The solution must be a suitable plastic collar around the metal tube and this collar has to be pressed into the coupler, similar to the fuel line couplings. Can be made of a bottle cap or something like that.

Maybe it will come to the brass plumbing solution because the coupler is hidden under the airbox and there is nothing against clamps. i'll come to it in a couple of weeks and promise to report.

if somone is aware of the couplings name dont hesitate .....

 

I think you are right about the fuel line coupling. If my memory is correct, I think I forced it with a pair of small screwdrivers - one on each tab. For what it is worth, after trying a few different o-rings - all leaking - I used a mini tube cutter and went the clamp route

 

I also tried several O-rings with no success. Now clamped as others have done.

 

Thank you guys, i'm nearly convinced now. I thought it over and my guess is that not the (mostly reliable) O-ring is leaking but the pressed rubber hose. I experienced a few other hoses with complete loose press-fittings, because the rubber is shrinking due to deterioration and the "pressing" got lost.

@ Nalle
As you wrote you shortened the metal tube a bit. Is that nozzle above the collar to short to fix a hose with a clamp?

 

Yes, I think so. I wanted more to be able use double clamps. Also used tube cutter to minimize risk of metal filings.