power steering headache
 

Back in November I changed the pwr steering pump in the wifes 00 grand w/ 4.0. Fast forward till two weeks ago she tells me its chattering like a chipmunk and the steering is stiff. Upon inspection I've determined the pump and res are still intact. Turns out, its the high pressure line that's leaking. There's a little o ring that gets hard and crusty over time. The fitting will thread tight but i can still wiggle the hardline a good bit.

Is there a generic o ring to solve this issue? Or am i forced to replace the entire hardline?

thanks in advance

sdws:thumbsup:

If it is just an o-ring, you shouldn't have to replace the entire line. If you can get it off, you can find a replacement at any hydraulics shop or tractor repair shop.

The o ring that came off seemed to be more nylon than rubber, like perhaps it was formed to the fitting.

So you're saying it's not an o-ring, but a tapered seal ring? Wonderful! Check with your dealer's parts department. They should be able to tell you if it's a replaceable part or not. While you're there, you should check with them about what is the proper fluid to use. The original factory fluid for my 2000 WJ has been discontinued and superseded by another number fluid. My high pressure line was replaced just before I bought it at 125K miles. Shortly after that, the pump started to growl a bit so I checked the fluid and found it was dark. The parts manager I spoke to said they probably used the wrong fluid and to pump it out and refill with the proper fluid. I did that and haven't had a problem since. It now has 230K miles on it. This guy is an old offroader and knows his stuff. On the other hand the service manager is an A-hole! If your jeep has a lift, he refuses to work on it and sends you across town to another dealership!