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06-12-2019, 04:13 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Santa Paula, CA
Posts: 634
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Powerless steering. :(
Hey everyone. So I have managed to blow 3 power steering pressure lines on my 1972 c10 in the last month. First time was due to it touching #1 header tube, 2nd time was due to it touching my fan belt, 3rd time (which was about 10 minutes ago) was due to it touching my header tube. Yeah yeah yeah I know about what happens when hot things touch other things that are not supposed to be hot. Lol
Just a little back story, I havent blown a power steering line since 2014 (same damn reason-header.) What i did back then was get one of my old radiator hoses( I think the lower one) cut about a 6" piece off, split it on one side and wrapped it around both power steering lines and zip tied it. Held up like this all the way until last month. When I was swapping out my 882 heads for a set of 041's that I got from a buddy and had the machine shop go through, I had to take the top end of my engine off, obviously, and I noticed my ole radiator hose heat shield for my power steering lines had taken a beating over the last 5 years. It had a hole burned right through it and was just a matter of time before the power steering line was next. So instead of just making another one out of radiator hose I decided to change things up. You know, for no damn reason. So I put some of that velcro fiberglass heat wrap shield tubing sleeve stuff over the lines and felt like the labels claim of being able to withstand 2000° temps for a short period and survive in a indirect high heat environment was good enough to convince me. Well, it did exactly as it stated. It survived 2000° heat for a short period. About 40 miles. Just enough time to lose all my fluid in the parking lot at the grocery store the next morning while grabbing some stuff for breakfast. It came out fast and I was given a strength test at 8 a.m. performing what should have been a effortless palm swipe 2 point turn to exit the parking lot, but instead became a panicked hand over first tug of war 5 point turn with a horrible screeching smoking vehicle. From what I hear, having to maneuver a power steering equipped vehicle without the aid of power steering is actually tougher than a Non power steering vehicle. And I believe that, now. Anyways, I had it fixed by evening. Glad to say it was directed down and out of the engine bay. Now the 2nd time I blew a power steering line was this past monday. Yes as in the day before yesterday. This time I was about 2 blocks from work and managed to make it. This time I was not so fortunate. The alternator belt basically sawed right through the line, causing it to spray directly into my fan. Well, as you can imagine, IT MADE A HUGE F***ING MESS OF MY ENGINE BAY. top to bottom, left to right, over and under everything. Plus, I managed to leave my wallet at home. ( see definition of "Mondays") Luckily my coworker is cool, he spotted me the cash for the new line and whatnot to fix it, took me about an hour and I was one my way. The second hose lasted about 48 hours. LMAO. This time it was my header again. And I had been checking it and making sure all was good. I do have my headers wrapped, except the one spot where the line is. Isnt that great? Also, because I hadn't noticed it rubbing ANYTHING, I didnt bother wrapping it. Well, I guess we all know what that means... I need to go dig out one of my old radiator hoses and fab up a 5 year heat shield. On a positive note, at least this time my truck is at my house where I have all my tools, my 3 new flare wrenches I bought in the last couple of weeks, all the same size, and about 3 partial bottles of fluid along with 3 full bottles of fluid, and I think 4 partial rolls of shop towels. I am getting faster at doing this job. Maybe I should do a write up for all the rest of the fellas. Shoot it would take me longer to type it all out than to do the job. Lol. Anybody heard of any other ways of preventing this from happening again besides the ole, take off the headers, or wrap the headers, or wrap the lines, etc. Maybe an aftermarket heat shield of some sorts or even your own tricks? Thanks all.
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1972 C/10 LWB - Mine 1964 C/10 LWB - My Dad's Instagram: Mike_The_Grad |
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