Identify this part:

[ShadowGT]

Maybe we can turn this into a game or something, everyone takes turns posting a pic and people have to figure out what it is and perhaps a part number.

Here's my problem:
The picture below is looking straight down the passenger side of the engine between the air intake and firewall. We're looking down at the engine subframe, passenger side.
There are two power steering pipes that run along the sub frame. These pipes are connected to the power steering reservoir and the power steering pump. When the pipes bend over the subframe straight downwards, a new set of pipes screw in run towards the driver's side of the rack and pinion.

The pipe I have circled is cracked open and needs to be replaced. I can't find this part, I don't even know what's it called. The Subaru parts desk is my town told me I don't have "pipes" I have high pressure rubber hoses. These are flat out metal tubes like brake lines are.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/06/DSC02862b-1.jpg

I actually need the second half that meets the connection and goes to the steering rack.

Those zip ties you see are holding a piece of rubber hose to protect the pipes from chaffing while vibrating.
Yes it's messy down there, everything is coated in power steering fluid.

If you wondering about picture orientation.. that's the passenger driveshaft, the firewall is the top of the picture, transmission to the right, front of car would be bottom of the picture.

Those pipes are two pieces. From the pump / reservoir to the subframe. From the subframe to the steering rack.

[ShadowGT]

By the way.. I can't use that FAST software that Chuck posted because I'm using 64bit Windows 7. Some of the major websites like Rock Auto and Partstrain don't even show what I need as being an option.

[ouch1011]

By the way.. I can't use that FAST software that Chuck posted because I'm using 64bit Windows 7.

Works fine for me on the same OS

Anyway, its hard to tell, but it looks like both those metal lines are sold together as an assembly. Part num it shows is 34610AC310. Its up to you to determine if thats what you need.

[ShadowGT]

By the way.. I can't use that FAST software that Chuck posted because I'm using 64bit Windows 7.

Works fine for me on the same OS

Anyway, its hard to tell, but it looks like both those metal lines are sold together as an assembly. Part num it shows is 34610AC310. Its up to you to determine if thats what you need.

The best I can figure was that the lower pipes that connect at the subframe come with the power steering gear. The upper pipe / hose combo comes with the power steering pump. The way the broken pipe was connected to the steering gear, it was never meant to come off while the steering gear was attached to the car. So I take it you can buy all the upper hose and pipe combos all you want, the lower side you can't.

So.. like I was saying in the What Have You Done Today thread.. in light of all this, I just unscrewed the broken pipe from the coupling, and use a pipe and tube cutter to cut the pipe in half where it was gouged open. Used a dremel to grind the surfaces flat, sanded all the JB weld off and made the pipe sections shiny clean.
Got a 7mm brass compression fitting and joined the 2 pipes together and mated them. Filled up the fluid and went for a drive, all is good.
So 3 bucks in parts and about 3 hours of work was I all needed to do to fix the problem.

[ouch1011]

I'm not sure brass is rated to handle the pressures that exist in a power steering system (on the pressure side, of course, not sure where yours is leaking) so you'll want to keep an eye on that.

[ShadowGT]

I'm not sure brass is rated to handle the pressures that exist in a power steering system (on the pressure side, of course, not sure where yours is leaking) so you'll want to keep an eye on that.

They told me at the hardware store up to 5000 PSI for this particular one. It's still not leaking, hasn't changed or deformed. I've been driving all over the place past few days. Everything is all good.

[Dead91silvia]

I have the parts if you need/want them... Just pay for shipping... I was gonna scrap them. They are off of a 97 BG. Still hooked up to the upper lines and the rack.

[Garrison]

I have a similar slow leak in my power steering rack (near abouts' where yours is, as well. My car is *disgusting* where your picture is taken). I guess this is what I'll need to do as well. Anymore help you can offer?

[ShadowGT]

I have a similar slow leak in my power steering rack (near abouts' where yours is, as well. My car is *disgusting* where your picture is taken). I guess this is what I'll need to do as well. Anymore help you can offer?

You need to find that leak and see where it is exactly coming from. The top hose / pipe combos from the steering pump and reservoir can be ordered for 25 bucks by themselves. It's the metal pipes that connect at the halfway point behind the subframe that's a pain. If you can find the leak and it's the metal piping that runs along the bottom and around the side of the steering gear, you can cut the pipe in half, grind down both sides to be smooth, clean it all up and stick both ends into each end of a brass 5000 PSI 7mm compression fitting (found at good hardware stores in the plumping department) Shove both ends in, and tighten each side of the fitting down, now the pipes can't escape and won't leak.

I'm still not leaking it's been a awhile.

If the leak is somewhere else like escaping from the tie rod sockets or at the base of the pipe connectors, you'll need to look into a new steering gear.

That fitting is less than 5 bucks too by the way. Good as new.

[Garrison]

Hello again,

I changed out a set of rotors today and took the opportunity of having a nice (read:trustworthy) jack to crawl under the car and snap some photos of where the leak is likely coming from.
http://i1003.photobucket.com/albums/af158/Garrisonbowers/IMAG0021.jpg
http://i1003.photobucket.com/albums/af158/Garrisonbowers/IMAG0020.jpg


As you can see it is almost definitely coming from what looks to be a leaking seal. Now, ideas on how to fix this?

[ShadowGT]

Holy moses..
That's like so much more than my car. You could clean it all up really well, fill up the reservoir with the front of the car on jack stands. Have a partner turn on the car and shift the steering wheel lock to lock and you just look around and see where it's leaking from. It's ghetto and dangerous but yeah.. that's pretty bad.
I could see my leak from the top down.

EDIT:
At some point I think you just have to replace the whole steering gear with the age of our cars.

EDIT Again:

That brass pressure fitting I put on is still there, not leaking.

[Garrison]

So purchasing a rack and pinion is what you're suggesting?

[chuckthefuk]

try using

opposedforces.com/parts

[Garrison]

I'm not even sure I know what to replace, to be honest. Their system details many different hydraulic lines in that general area

[ShadowGT]

I'm not even sure I know what to replace, to be honest. Their system details many different hydraulic lines in that general area

A remanufactured power steering box or known as rack and pinion complete kit. User here Dead91silvia who posted earlier in this thread has this part if you want it. I don't need it, I just had a blown return pipe.
If you order it, you'll get the whole assembly, you just hook up the steering wheel gear, the outer tie rod ends and connect the inlet and outlet hoses from the power steering pump.

I think Chuck showed a picture of it out of the car. It looks like a lot of work but it's only attached to the car with two brackets (I think) and those brackets have a bushing in them that's probably dead. You don't have to undo every single hose / pipe you see. Only the two that meet midway up to the engine and of course the steering wheel connection and the outer tie rods.

[chuckthefuk]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/

-Chuck

[ShadowGT]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/

-Chuck

Thanks Chuck for the backup.

You can see in his picture where the two mounting brackets go. If you decide to get a used / reman assembly, it's going to look exactly like that. The lower half fluid inlet / outlet piping is already in place, you just make the connection with yours from your steering pump. The inner tie rods will already be there, just connect your outers.
And you connect the steering wheel input.

[Garrison]

Oh snap, I see now. Is it worth it to get whiteline bushings while I'm there?

[ShadowGT]

Oh snap, I see now. Is it worth it to get whiteline bushings while I'm there?

Might as well. I mean you're going to have the thing out of the car, might as fix up what you can. I would.

[Garrison]

Well this was a strange ending to this story, which I realized I never updated you on.

So I hosed down the area in simple green, and allowed it to sit for a while, then pressure washed it as thoroughly as I could (reaching the sprayer back behind the front strut bar and down into the area to really clean the hell out of it). I did the same thing on the underside, getting on my knees ;) to clean all of the unterscheisse off the bottom of the crossmember and steering rack. (I even mistakenly sprayed my header wrap (not a great idea) by focusing so intently on cleaning the engine block [dirt-eh].)
So I start the car and allow it to idle for a while, checking to make sure all is well, drive it back home (smoking slightly at stoplights) and I get it home. I get back underneath it, and low and behold it looks brand new under there. Not a sign of any sort of powersteering leak. Odd, right?
The next day my friend comes over and I ask him to turn the steering wheel with me underneath the trouble area (with the wheels on the ground, still; essentially as much pressure as you can get on it) and I see no leaking fluids. I am baffled, so I go up top and look at the hoses near the rubber-metal seem... no leaks. In fact, no fluid was coming out of anywhere.
Shut the car off, insert cardboard underneath to make sure of the no leaks (my thought was that it would leak after being pressurized, then turned off). Come back 3 hours later to discover a faint oil leak. Gave it another week, and noticed the development of gunk right around the rubber-metal portion of the lines. I guess the lines blew?

Long story short: My problem can most likely be solved by changing my upper lines, lucky me.

[chuckthefuk]

The pancake bunny fits your story well.

-Chuck

[Bdubs]

My car is leaking in the same vicinity. However, my problem is, the hard return line is actually rotting to the point where it is now weeping fluid. I managed to change on line last year, which was also leaking. Figured that'd be good for a while, and sure enough, the other started leaking just recently.
My main problem is, I truly believe these lines are not designed to be changed without having to drop the steering rack. Boo. I just can't get a wrench on the side which connects to the rack. Not sure if anyone has found a better fix, but I have a brand new return line that I can replace it with, however I just don't have the time to take the frontend of the car apart at this time.

[ShadowGT]

My car is leaking in the same vicinity. However, my problem is, the hard return line is actually rotting to the point where it is now weeping fluid. I managed to change on line last year, which was also leaking. Figured that'd be good for a while, and sure enough, the other started leaking just recently.
My main problem is, I truly believe these lines are not designed to be changed without having to drop the steering rack. Boo. I just can't get a wrench on the side which connects to the rack. Not sure if anyone has found a better fix, but I have a brand new return line that I can replace it with, however I just don't have the time to take the frontend of the car apart at this time.

Sorry for the delayed response, I haven't been that active on the site in general for awhile. The way the power steering rack is set up and mounted, you're right, the lines aren't mean't to be replaced with the rack still in the car. There is absolutely zero clearance over on the driver side to get at the attachment points. Before I got desperate and hack the line apart and used a compression fitting to fix the leak, I tried my damnedest to remove the lines from the rack. I believe the rack will have to come off the car to get a grip in there.