PS Hose Replacement

After a long wheeling trip, and a series of lock-to-lock turns trying to back a trailer into the backyard, my slow power steering leak turned into a steady spray. The leak was in the upper pressure hose, which seems to be a problem area on this year of trucks. I was quoted $138 from St. Charles Isuzu, but I was able to get the hose at my local Autozone for $30. Although it is listed only through the '94 year, it fit my '96 Trooper just fine. So here is the procedure for replacing it. Sorry, no pics as this was an in the rain at night rush fix.

Tools:

1. 20 mm socket (mine was 3/4in drive)
2. 12 mm wrench
3. 14 mm socket
4. long thick screwdriver
5. 10 mm socket
6. large plumbers pliers
7. 14 mm wrench

Method:

(1) Remove the plastic fan shroud. There are several metal spring clips that hold the top piece to the bottom pieace. 3 on the pass. side and 2 on the driver, I believe. With them removed you should be able to work out the top, then bottom section of the shroud.

(2) Remove the fan. There are 4 bolts that hold it to the fake water-pump mount. I used the large screwdriver to keep the pulley from turning while i used the 12mm wrench to loosen the nuts. You may have to use a hammer and screwdriver to get the round plate to seperate from the pulley, but it does come apart. It will look like the belts are going to pop the pulley off without the fan on it, but they dont.

(3) Remove the large water hose on the pass. side. The 10mm socket will fit the adjuster bolt to loosen the clamp. Loose both the upper and lower clamps, and you should be able to wiggle it free with some efforts. Have a large basin handy, as this will drain the radiator and the engine. Remeber to keep this away from pets, and dispose of it properly!!

(4) Loosen the adjustment bolt on the PS pump, and remove the belt.

(5) Use the 20 mm socket to take out the bolt that holds the hose into the top of the pump. It should have two brass washers with it. My kit came with washers, but yours may not. Order of assembly is PS pump -> washer -> PS hose -> washer -> hose bolt.

(6) Disconnect the sensor wire for the temp sensor at the bottom of the hose.

(7) Now for the hard part! The bottem end of the hose appears to bolt into a plate. I wasted an hour trying to unscrew it from this. Under the plate are a flat nut, and a compression nut. Loosen the compression nut first, using the plumbers pliers, or whatever you can use to get a secure grip on it with. Looking straight down, you are going to turn the nut clockwise to loosen it. It should slide a bit down onto the copper pipe when you have it loose.

(8) Just above the compression nut is a nut and a lockwasher that secures the hose to the plate. Remove using the same pliers.

(9) Now the hose should come out. I put it in a vice, and used the 14 mm wrench to take the sensor loose.

Here is the rigid line that the flex host attaches to near the bottom of the radiator:

(10) Re-assmble in reverse order, and you are done.