Had the car in for its MOT today and the tester found the source of the leak that has me topping up the HICAS reservoir every couple of months...

 

Looks like a leak down by the power steering pump? Thats what the tester called it anyway, showing me a smallish Nissan box nestled underneath the car while it was up on the ramp.

 

Can the seals around the hoses going into this be replaced? The tester was hinting that the whole pump might need to replaced! (There's never been any problem with the car other than requiring that occasional top-up.)

 

Any help appreciated

PJ

Just an update on the above, and even bigger plea for help... :)

 

Since I don't know of any other decent local garages I figured I'd have a laugh and take my Z down to the local dealer's and see what they reckoned. (I thought what the hell, at worst they'll sting me for a new pump despite the car having no running problems)

 

Typically, their approach seems to be to simply replace any component that could conceivably be related to the problem... in my case this means they want to replace the *entire fecking steering rack*, all for what looks like a leak from the hose joining the p.s.pump, and charge me £1025 for the privilege.

 

Has anyone seen such a leak before? Is it more likely to be a leak from that hose, or (as the dealer is saying) a leak from within the rack that is only emerging down at the bottom of the car?

 

Thanks in advance

Its the hose where it bends under the alternator pulley - or it is 99% of the time anyway ;) Best thing to do is remove the hose, take it to a hydraulic specialist (loads about) and ask them to repair it. Should cost ~£30 to have that done. Do the job yourself and you're sorted! Takes about 1 1/2 hours to do...

 

HTH

 

CheerZ,

 

Andy

can you ientify the part? - http://www.300zx.lv/catalog/?gr=I&PHPSESSID=b52e399d208afc9700ddf19d7a1b3e55

 

Vijay

Many thanks guys! I'll have a look for local hydraulics place and see what they think. Wish I could do the job myself but to be honest, no matter how simple a job it is its gonna be out of my league ;)

 

Long time no see, Vijay :) How's your Z doing these days? Running as well as it looks, I hope! Regarding the part, I'm not 100% sure, really :( Looking at one of the images at that site I think it might be the hose on the left (49717M), since that's a one that connects to the power steering pump. I'm only going off what the MOT tester said though...

Hello Raz,

 

Turbos are gonna need doing but hey, that's the joy of Z ownership :D Is there anyway you can get someone to turn the steering full lock and you have a look down there.

 

Vijay

Ack! Yeah, they do make us suffer don't they... My clock is fast appoaching 100000kms so knowing my luck I'll soon be in the same boat too :D

 

Yeah I could get a mate over to help out. Is that with wheels on the ground or up on stands? What would I be looking for? I've seen the offending leak when the car was up on a ramp at the MOT place.

Ack! Yeah, they do make us suffer don't they... My clock is fast appoaching 100000kms so knowing my luck I'll soon be in the same boat too :D

 

Yeah I could get a mate over to help out. Is that with wheels on the ground or up on stands? What would I be looking for? I've seen the offending leak when the car was up on a ramp at the MOT place.

 

I'm sure that when the steering is on full lock it will pressurize the pipes etc and you should be able to see the leak a lot easier, thus identifying the part you need to change :)

 

Vijay