How the ?!#* do you remove the low-pressure PS hose from the cooler?

[AVR2]

I've got stuck in the middle of changing the PS hoses on my 2005 KJ Limited. All I need to do is get the low-pressure hose off the cooler and I can start reassembling everything, but it's proving impossible.

I've followed the FSM procedure to the letter, but all it says about getting the hose off is "Remove the low-pressure hose from the cooler". I've tried simply pulling it off with brute force but that doesn't work. I've tried to get cutters onto the pinch-clamp but there's just not enough room for the cutters and my hand in that tiny space between the headlamp mounting and the radiator.

Unless there is some miracle tool or secret technique I don't know about, the only solution I can see is to remove the grille reinforcement, which will open up clear access to the hose at the cooler. The FSM says nothing about needing to do this, though, and I want to try and avoid it if possible since I'd have to remove the front bumper and drill out/replace those damn plastic rivets in the wheel arches.

Any advice gratefully received!

 

[jnaut]

My understanding is that to remove the hoses discreetly, it assumes you have some way of crimping new hoses into the system. You'll notice that the hoses are 'pressed' into an aluminum tube. My understanding is the rack has to be replaced as a unit, and if you want to just discreetly remove/replace the hoses, you might need to do some brazing, cutting and special crimping. I'll let others chime in for better advice here.

 

[AVR2]

You'll notice that the hoses are 'pressed' into an aluminum tube

Sorry, but I don't know what you mean by that. Are you referring to the pinch-clamp at the cooler end of the low-pressure hose? The original hoses, and the replacements, all have standard screw fittings at their ends, apart from the end of the low-pressure hose that attaches to the cooler, which appears to be a simple push-fit.

My understanding is the rack has to be replaced as a unit

The FSM doesn't indicate this, and there's nothing in the way the hoses are connected to indicate this either. As I say, the only real problem is pulling the hose off the cooler, which seems almost impossible without removing the grille reinforcement simply because of the lack of space in which to work.

I wonder if perhaps the FSM *should* indicate that you remove the reinforcement, because as well as getting proper access to the cooler end of the LP hose, you'd also have easy access to the bolts for the HP hose bracket, making it a 30-second job to remove and replace rather than a 30-minute one.

 

[diyman]

AFAIK and IIRC ( never removed mine anyway... )

P/S Cooler should be a one piece assembly which comes with cooler and hoses crimped in place.

PN : 52129063AA ( '06 MY)

Cheers

 

[AVR2]

P/S Cooler should be a one piece assembly which comes with cooler and hoses crimped in place

The hoses are definitely intended to be replaced separately - it's actually recommended to be done every five years.

Looks like you're expected to cut the pinch-clamp off the hose, anyway. The replacement hose comes with a non-adjustable pinch-clamp already in place - see here:

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I guess in the absence of a tool that will get into that tiny space to cut the clamp, removing the grille reinforcement to get proper access is the only option.

 

[jnaut]

Sorry, but I don't know what you mean by that. Are you referring to the pinch-clamp at the cooler end of the low-pressure hose? The original hoses, and the replacements, all have standard screw fittings at their ends, apart from the end of the low-pressure hose that attaches to the cooler, which appears to be a simple push-fit.

I don't want to lead you astray because I'm in no way experienced on this job you're performing, but since no one else was responding, I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring, hopefully to "jiggle' the thread so somone more knowledgable would respond.

You'll find these forums funny, like that. Post a thread about "what kind of oil" and you've got 700 responses before 9am. Post a thread about trying to insert a new hydro-coupler into your transmission, and you get crickets. That's not to say that you don't have a lot of experts here who are very helpful.

What I'm trying to describe is essentially this:

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As you can see, the rubber hose is 'crimped' into the metal tube itself, and the tube itself has what looks like compression fittings at either end. Based on my guesstimation, you're going to need special tools to remove the hoses, and I strongly suspect that most shops probably don't mess with it, they replace the whole rack. The rubber hose itself looks like it has to come out as a unit with the two metal hose segments and connectors.

The FSM doesn't indicate this, and there's nothing in the way the hoses are connected to indicate this either. As I say, the only real problem is pulling the hose off the cooler, which seems almost impossible without removing the grille reinforcement simply because of the lack of space in which to work.

I wonder if perhaps the FSM *should* indicate that you remove the reinforcement, because as well as getting proper access to the cooler end of the LP hose, you'd also have easy access to the bolts for the HP hose bracket, making it a 30-second job to remove and replace rather than a 30-minute one.

You're probably correct about all of this. As a flat-out amateur mechanic (and I'm too kind to myself even saying that) but having a pretty strong engineering background and general mechanical sense-- I find that FSMs often omit important details when it comes to the most important segment of a job.

1. Turn Thelman Wire Fastener counter clockwise to remove.
2. Remove engine.
3. Replace Transmission.
4. Enjoy!

Again, hopefully our back-and-forth will generate some interest from the real mechanics on this board, and they'll give you the advice you really need.

 

[AVR2]

As you can see, the rubber hose is 'crimped' into the metal tube itself, and the tube itself has what looks like compression fittings at either end. Based on my guesstimation, you're going to need special tools to remove the hoses

No, just a 16mm wrench for one end and a 19mm wrench for the other

That picture is the high-pressure hose (actually for the 2.4L engine, because it's got the socket for the pressure switch which the 3.7L doesn't use). I've already got that out! You don't have to mess around uncrimping and recrimping the hose from the metal fittings, it's removed and replaced as an assembly. The new hose comes complete with the metal fittings already attached. All you need to do is plug each end in and tighten the nuts.

My problem is with the low-pressure hose, which has a compression fitting at the steering rack end (which is disconnected easily with a 19mm wrench), but which attaches to the oil cooler with what looks like a simple push-fit - see the photo in my previous posting. That's what I can't remove, and that's the only thing stopping me finishing the job.

I strongly suspect that most shops probably don't mess with it, they replace the whole rack

Seriously, the hoses are fully intended (indeed expected) to be replaced independently of the steering rack. Replacing the entire rack to cure leaking PS hoses would be akin to replacing the entire engine to cure a leaking valve cover

Ultimately, my problem is simply one of access to a particular hose fitting. If the FSM had said "Remove grille reinforcement", I would have done that at the outset and the job would have been completed within a couple of days. I was just wondering if there was some special trick that might exist to get that hose off the cooler without needing to remove the grille reinforcement, but I'm pretty much resigned now to the need to cut off that pinch-clamp, which is extremely inaccessible while the reinforcement is in place.

 

[Nooby]

That picture is the high-pressure hose (actually for the 2.4L engine, because it's got the socket for the pressure switch which the 3.7L doesn't use). I've already got that out! .

acually my 02 has the pressure switch

not that it will help you, I will need to change my high-pressure hose sometime too

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[jnaut]

AVR2 any movement on this project? Did you have any luck? We all love how-to's when someone goes into new territory and solves a problem!