I've got a serious leak at the pressure fitting on the steering gear! It's spraying all over my engine compartment, and my belt (which is having plenty of issues WITHOUT getting covered in PS fluid!)!

1. Fittings are NOT cross-threaded
2. Replaced o-rings on inlet AND outlet 2 days ago when I first noticed the leak
3. Both hose and gear fittings are completely clean... Cleaned with brake cleaner, swabs, and paper towels. No dirt, no burrs, no nothing.

The fitting is spraying out between the fitting nut and the pipe!

Advice needed! I can't even begin to tune the MSII with this leak going on! These pipes and fittings are all factory to each other and were donated from the 87. They didn't leak when pulled apart!

 

Get rid of the o-ring on the pressure side fitting of the steering box. Sounds crazy, but the box isn't cut for it. They have it from the factory, but every one I've removed the fitting from had the o-ring down between the pipe end and the opening in the box.

Where it doesn't do anything but stay out of the way.

When the o-ring ends up between the flat on the Saginaw fitting and the seal surface of the box, it leaks. This is because the o-ring gets smashed.

To see what I mean about being cut for a o-ring, pull both hoses/fittings off of the steering box. Note how the low pressure return side has a taper cut into the seat. That is for the o-ring to seat. Can see the o-ring that it has conformed to this taper.

Now look at the high pressure feed port. Flat across, no place for an o-ring.

I also found that the P/S pump pressure outlet is cut for an o-ring. This is one of the strangest anomalies in GM P/S history...

RBob.

 

I hear what you're saying. I thought it was kind of odd that the original o-ring was torn up (but it was hardened and I thought that was due to age) and the other ones that were on the other gear box (the ones that were mounted to the 88) were almost conical shaped.

You're absolutely sure that getting rid of the o-ring will get rid of the problem? Is this one of those things like the exhaust manifolds that doesn't require a gasket?

 

Nothing to lose by trying it. Probably need to tighten the fitting good & tight. As the o-ring pieces will have put little dents in the line fitting flat.

RBob.

 

Okay... I tried it without the o-ring (any ring) installed. Still spraying fluid all over the place. And got the fitting so tight it's not funny. I'm going to clean it up inside and out and try again tomorrow after I get another couple gallons of gas in the tank.

 

Crack in the resrvour?

 

Check the pipe for cracks in and around the nut area.

RBob.

 

I've even tried a fuel injector (big fat) o-ring down in there... It minimized the leak (about cut it by 2/3) but didn't get rid of it. I cleaned up all of the pipes with the wire wheel on the bench grinder before I put them in and didn't see any damage to the pipe, but I'll check again.

It's about to the point where I seriously want to cut the end off of the pipe and try something like a bubble flare...

 

Is the steering box fitting and the hose end fitting the same? IOW, both are Saginaw or both are SAE flare? The threads are close enough that they can be threaded into the other, but will leak.

RBob.

 

I got it... I took the fitting back apart again today and found what I can best describe as a 1/2" long "tear" about 3/8" above the top of the fitting nut. I removed the pressure line from both the box and the pump and replaced it with the V8 line I have. It doesn't look right, but it's holding fluid now. With an o-ring in the fitting as the factory had it (not an injector o-ring, one of the small ones I bought).

RBob... This thing has been driving me .