Power steering reservoir leaking

[gnalan]

I noticed I had a leak with my power steering system somewhere, since the rack has started groaning. I read on here about problems with the reservoir leaking, and also the plastic piece inside that connects to a brass piece coming off of the return line. My plastic piece is still connected, and the brass piece sticks out of the plastic nipple the return hose connects to by about 1/4" of an inch. Is this normal? Can someone post a pic of how it should look if that's not right?

I'm flushing the system tomorrow, after cutting the ends off of the old line at the bottom of the reservoir, as well as at the pump, and using new Oetiker clamps to keep it sealed up. The horrible worm clamps on it now have dug into the rubber hose so bad there's raised notches from where the clamp slits are, and were still loose when I went to take them off.

I also noticed when I pulled my reservoir out it looked like someone had tried to seal the two halves together with some sort of yellowish colored epoxy. Apparently it had leaked from there before, and that's how they tried to fix it. I got some two part JB Weld for plastic, mixed it up, and sealed around the top edge of the seam, the bottom edge of the seam, and also around the seam that had previously been epoxied which had some gaps in it. I don't plan on it being a permanent fix, but for now the $6 for the JB Weld is all I can afford and I'm hoping it'll keep things sealed up until I can buy a new one.

If someone could let me know about the brass piece, and post a pic, that would be greatly appreciated. If mine isn't right I'd rather try and fix it before flushing the system. I'm going to go with Dexron VI, since the fluid that came out so far is a nasty red color and smells like ATF. When I'm able to get the new reservoir, and a new hose, I'll switch to the CHF 11S or 202 (if there's one that's better than the other).

[firstv70volvo]

I noticed I had a leak with my power steering system somewhere, since the rack has started groaning. I read on here about problems with the reservoir leaking, and also the plastic piece inside that connects to a brass piece coming off of the return line. My plastic piece is still connected, and the brass piece sticks out of the plastic nipple the return hose connects to by about 1/4" of an inch. Is this normal? Can someone post a pic of how it should look if that's not right?

I'm flushing the system tomorrow, after cutting the ends off of the old line at the bottom of the reservoir, as well as at the pump, and using new Oetiker clamps to keep it sealed up. The horrible worm clamps on it now have dug into the rubber hose so bad there's raised notches from where the clamp slits are, and were still loose when I went to take them off.

I also noticed when I pulled my reservoir out it looked like someone had tried to seal the two halves together with some sort of yellowish colored epoxy. Apparently it had leaked from there before, and that's how they tried to fix it. I got some two part JB Weld for plastic, mixed it up, and sealed around the top edge of the seam, the bottom edge of the seam, and also around the seam that had previously been epoxied which had some gaps in it. I don't plan on it being a permanent fix, but for now the $6 for the JB Weld is all I can afford and I'm hoping it'll keep things sealed up until I can buy a new one.

If someone could let me know about the brass piece, and post a pic, that would be greatly appreciated. If mine isn't right I'd rather try and fix it before flushing the system. I'm going to go with Dexron VI, since the fluid that came out so far is a nasty red color and smells like ATF. When I'm able to get the new reservoir, and a new hose, I'll switch to the CHF 11S or 202 (if there's one that's better than the other).

The brass tube can stick out some and if you want you can push it back in if it will move. One thing to look for is air bubbles in the fluid while the engine/PS pump is running, take the cap off and check. My PS reservoir had a crack the length of internal plastic tube (return line) and this was the causing aerated fluid and PS noise. I've attached photos of my reservoir after I opened it up. This is the reservoir design for 2001-2004 model years, it looks like the design changed sometime in the 2005 model year.

[gnalan]

Not the last pic, but the one before it, is how far the brass piece is sticking out on mine. Also the plastic 90 degree bend seems to be against the side of the reservoir on mine. Is there a way to push the brass piece into the plastic piece, assuming it'll push in, without breaking the plastic piece? The last thing I want to do is break anything. If I could afford a new reservoir I wouldn't have spent so much time with the two part JB Weld trying to seal up the entire seam.

[oragex]

Best is to get the new reservoir model off ebay, with the rubber hose attached - or from the junkyard
May lift it, drain it, use a large towel to cover the engine. If you lift the coolant res, make sure to disconnect the sensor underneath
The two are difficult to separate at the upper clip
Takes only green-ish Pentosin fluid

[abscate]

I’ll see if I have a P2 style in my stash , too. I think they use the same As the late P80 1999-2000?

[gnalan]

My top tab was already broken, so it's only held in by the two parts that slide it onto the coolant reservoir. I didn't check the sensor underneath the one for the coolant, but I only pulled it up far enough to remove the duct tape the previous owner wrapped around both reservoirs. I'm assuming that was to keep it from moving since the top tab is broken, but I'm not sure if it's that important. If it is I guess I'll tape the two back together so it doesn't move up any.

[oragex]

If the p/s res stays put on the two lower slides, it should be enough. The upper tab is more annoying that useful