Just Got My Engine Back Together, Went Three Miles Down The Road And A Power Steering Pipe Burst, I Managed To Limp Home But The Pump Was Grumbling Near The End.

Am I Likely To Have Damaged Anything?

if the pump runs dry it wont last long. same for the rack. i suppose it depends if there was still any fluid drops in it and if not how long it was dry for.

stick a new pipe on it, refill it and see what happens.

you bleed it by turning the steering lock to lock.

if its still noisy and/or heavy after that then you have a bit of a problem.

on the good side, PAS systems are generally quite strongly built (for obdvious reasons) so after just 3 miles you might have got away with it.

si.

Should have got away with it tbh. DO NOT buy a new pipe from nissan - last time I looked they were about £150 plus VAT :eek:

 

Remove the hose and take it to a hydraulic specialist - they will replace the rubber for a fraction of the cost. The one that will have gone runs from the pump, down under the alternator pulley and across the subframe. There is a joining piece as it bends under the alt pulley and this is where they usually go...

Thanks guys. I found the culprit. Its the pipe that runs from the Hicas actuator down to the pump. It looks like it was bent round too sharply where it fixes to the pump and has split. A warning to any one fitting one or tensioning their pump drive belt.

I am wondering if I'm ever going to drive this car more than ten miles without something breaking/rattling/wearing out/leaking/smelling etc etc.

Just kidding. I still love the damn thing!