How do power steering lines work?

[5.0]

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In the first picture, what actually seals the power steering line? The metal part where the red arrow is or the white plastic seal where the blue arrow is?

In the second picture, I want to remove the big fitting thing that the red arrow points to and replace it with the fitting from the third picture. Is this part removable? Will I need a new seal? Does it just thread out?

 

[Bricks]

The white stuff looks like teflon tape - it shouldn't be necessary on that type of fitting. That nut looks like it is machined for an "o" ring, but I'm not sure about the application.

I don't think the "big fitting thing" threads out - why would you want to replace it with something else?

 

[5.0]

The big fitting is in the pump that's on the 302 I just put in my Ranger. The smaller fitting is on the stock Ranger pump. It would be nice to be able to use the small fitting in the 302 pump so I can use the stock Ranger power steering lines.

 

[Skandocious]

Hard to tell but from the first picture it looks like a flare fitting. If that's the case, you don't need teflon tape-- the flare is what makes a seal.

If you really want, you cold just try to snip the lines and use rubber hose + hose barbs. That's what I did with my power steering cooler and it's working great.

 

[5.0]

Did you use the hose & barbs on the pressure side or return side?

The white plastic seems to be much too hard to be teflon tape.

 

[Skandocious]

Hose + barbs on inlet and outlet of the cooler. Both sides. But I can't say for sure about the differences in pressure between a power steering pump and a trans cooler... Maybe the PS pump will build too much pressure for hoses + clamps to hold, I dunno.

Whatever that white compound is, it appears that it was applied in an effort to seal the threads. But on a flare fitting it's just not necessary.

 

[d-kuzmen]

The white is a teflon o-ring, if you don't use a new one the line will leak for sure, your local ford store should carry them, there used on most power steering pumps and racks. If you unscrew the large fitting out of the pump you can probably swap it to the ranger size just be carefull there a spring and valve that are gonna fall out.

 

[5.0]

Thanks. I ran out and tried it, and the large fittings swapped places perfectly. I'll pick up a new teflon o-ring next week.

 

[blacksnapon]

I use an extra large punch and a heat gun to warm the teflon ring slightly, then "resize" it slightly to help in installation of the ring. Get the ring on, then allow it to cool before installing the line. Be careful, its easy to go too little or too much.

 

[5.0]

Thanks for the tip. I may pick up an extra ring or two so I'll have an extra for if I screw up. It would be good to have some extras anyway.

 

[SuperCab]

IIRC the PS runs at like 100psi or something. You don't wanna try hose clamps on the pressure side...

 

[5.0]

Ya, that's why was asking. I'm planning to run a filter on the return side, and possibly add a small cooler.