Power Steering Return Line = EXON VALDEZ ?

[54blackhornet]

After The Seahawks game yesterday I worked on removing the steering box and pump from my 71 K-10, I can't believe how much "gunk" has collected during the last 43 years around the leaking POS return line ? I don't believe the Valdez accident leaked out that much oil ? The PO cobbled together a return line out of pieces of rubber hose spliced together with metal tubing, this can't be how GM originally designed it ? The pressure side is one piece with tight fittings on both ends, how come not on the return side ?....

[WIDESIDE72]

That is the way gm did it since the return isnt under pressure. Measure the length of the line and go to your local parts house and buy a new piece of fuel hose and new clamps. I also like to flare the ends of the steel tubing in order to keep the rubber hose on. Dont flare it completely like you would normally, just enough the keep the hose from slipping. If the steel lines are mangled to badly you can also replace them with pieces available from the parts store.

[Tx Firefighter]

Not fuel hose.

The hose you need is considered a hydraulic hose since it is impervious to petroleum type fluids. Fuel hose will swell and fail in pretty short order. Just tell the guy at the parts store you need a couple feet of 3/8 power steering return hose. It's the same stuff used on transmission cooler lines too.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Not fuel hose.

The hose you need is considered a hydraulic hose since it is impervious to petroleum type fluids. Fuel hose will swell and fail in pretty short order. Just tell the guy at the parts store you need a couple feet of 3/8 power steering return hose. It's the same stuff used on transmission cooler lines too.

Correct; not fuel hose. I wasnt paying attention to what i was saying!

[WIDESIDE72]

Btw, did you go buy hose and fluid and hose for the photo or did you happen to already have it?

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Not fuel hose.

The hose you need is considered a hydraulic hose since it is impervious to petroleum type fluids. Fuel hose will swell and fail in pretty short order. Just tell the guy at the parts store you need a couple feet of 3/8 power steering return hose. It's the same stuff used on transmission cooler lines too.

Thank you.
I was just searching to see if there was a difference.