Low pressure power steering hose?

[Jon K]

Hey guys, I have a gunky leaky hose at the resevoir and want to replace it but my order from AutoHausAZ already shipped - i was wondering what the pressure is on a "low pressure" power steering hose. Its a 12mm hose and I can just get fuel line or radiator hose in 12mm if its below like 15 psi.

[Chris'91'525i]

Hey guys, I have a gunky leaky hose at the resevoir and want to replace it but my order from AutoHausAZ already shipped - i was wondering what the pressure is on a "low pressure" power steering hose. Its a 12mm hose and I can just get fuel line or radiator hose in 12mm if its below like 15 psi.

I would not recommend it. You want to use hydraulic hose.
It's a much heavier duty hose, made to resist heat and the hydraulic fluid.

[shogun]

There is no pressure on that hose.
The pump sucks the oil from there that is all.
Usually it helps to cut of just 5-10 mm of the tip of the hose which sits on the connector of the reservoir, use a new good clamp and it is sealed again.
Did that 4 months ago and no more leak.
As you have to suck out the Pentosin from the reservoir before you disconnect the hose, this is a good opportunity to change the filter in the rerservoir.
In case of my Pentosin reservoir the filter is located below the strainer.
Clean the complete container, you will find a lot of very fine particles, probably material from the gaskets in the sealing system.
I filtered that stuff in a coffee filter, just to see how much it is.

[Jon K]

Shogun - I will get pics of my leak on the frame rail and get your opinion on what you think I should do about it. Its gross, the fluid comes out below my fogl ight now and leaves goo on my lip spoiler... ugly and annoying.

[shogun]

Below the fog lights? Then it is probably a different hose. Maybe the one which goes to the cooling spiral for Pentosin in front of the radiator, at least in my E32 750 it is like that.
That hose is also low pressure as far as I remember. On one side it has the clamp, the other side is crimped.
The lowest one here on the list, just as example from a 535
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=djtny345su5tvk553td0zv45&makeid=800003@BMW&modelid=1012385@535I&year=1990&cid=26@Steering%20System&gid=7318@Power%20Steering%20Hose

[Jon K]

No sir - its dripping alllllll over the frame rails

[NovceGuru]

Man I ordered some stuff from AutoHausAZ Saturday and it won't be here until Monday.:(

[shogun]

That is why I got my 750iL Highline so cheap last year.
Owner (dentist with no car knowledge at all) thought he has heavy engine oil leaks. I just put my hand inside and noticed that it has the green Pentosin colour.
It dropped on the left side and also in the middle under the car.
Meanwhile I have repaired it.
It was just that hose (low pressure) which connects to the Pentosin reservoir. From there it ran down on that hose to the lowest point, dropped onto another hose and then same procedure, dropped onto some sus parts and ran again down and so on.
What I did: I cleaned first everything from the old Pentosin. Then I watched every day carefully for a new leak and found out very easy where the point of leak was.

I even have the old pics when I inspected the car at the seller
dirty hands/Pentosin, all came from one point only
http://bmwe32.student.utwente.nl/shogun/DSC00018.JPG
http://bmwe32.student.utwente.nl/shogun/DSC00017.JPG

[Kalevera]

Jon, I've used bmw OEL Fuel in the past in replacing that section. It's a fix, but I think you will find that, because of its properties, ATF will begin to permeate the hose and it will get "sticky" with time. Probably has more to do with what they use to make the line, but from a technical standpoint, nothing to worry about.