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Adding Power Steering Reservoir To Superspec


alanrichey

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The Superspec came with a Rover T16 engine that is fitted with a power steering pump. Obviously this is not needed, but it is integral with the water pump so not easily removed. The RH solution was simply to run a pipe from the high pressure outlet of the pump straight to the low pressure input. The disadvantage of this is that you have no idea if the fluid has leaked away and the pump is running dry.

 

My simple solution will be to put a 'T' piece into the pipe, run a tube from the third outlet , with a removable 'bung', and use that to check the level occasionally and top up the fluid if required. But I would prefer to actually put a clear reservoir into the loop so I can see the level visually. But as I understand it, the reservoir normally sits on the low pressure side of the system and is not exposed to the high pressure output, which would normally go the steering box. So if I simply plumb the reservoir into the exiting line is there a danger it will build up pressure in the reservoir and blow the top off ? (I have a Rover one and the top of that does not even seal the reservoir), or will the fluid simply be flowing around the system under no real pressure ?

 

Al

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This was forever a problem for me.

I looped my power-steering back with a T-piece running up to a filler. Used copper plumbing pipe attached to car chassis, and then flexible pipes to steering pump. Eventually after, say, a 1000 miles, one of the flexible pipes would leak (pinhole?). I also found that heater rubber piping expanded, so I replaced them with proper power-steering rubber pipe.

I had a plumbing tap (isolation valve thingy) as the filler (say 9 inches above the pump) so I left this very slightly open as a breather, and fluid started to leak out of here. So now I keep the tap almost shut, with a plastic isolating diaphragm covering it - with a pinhole in it.

Seems to be ok now.

-steve

(I'll try and get some photos after the bank-holiday if you want).

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Thanks, that's following my latest thoughts. I wonder if the 'filler tube' could just go into the bottom of a clear plastic bottle with a sealed top (maybe with a pin hole in ? That way I would have a visual indication of the level.

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Maybe a very foolish question ( most of mine are ) The power steering fluid is an oil ?? so could this pump be fed from the engine oil & return to same -- Or will the viscosity be so far apart & create more trouble??

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Power steering fluid is very different to engine oil.

I think your idea of having a T leading to a reservoir should be fine, there will be a lot of flow but no pressure as there is nothing to resist the circulation, there will be a slight pressure build up due to the oil heating up but a vented cap should solve that. Don't use heater hose though!

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Hi Al

When I had my Rover engine, I solved this issue simply by fitting a Rover (200) power steering fluid reservoir, sourced from a scrappy (you'll need the mounting bracket as well - makes things very simple), to the 'L' shaped cross-member in front of the engine.

This had the correct sized pipes to/from the pump.

Fluid level is easily checked, and importantly it worked very well & was quite simple to fit.

The thinking was that the fluid vents into the reservoir anyway (flow to the pump/return from the rack) and is not under pressure.

 

Cheers

Al

Edited by Al Milton
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A concern I would have about using a plastic bottle would be whether the plastic is compatible with power steering fluid, i.e., would the fluid degrade the plastic?

At least with a proper reservoir, this isn't an issue

I suppose there are smaller reservoirs out there

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A concern I would have about using a plastic bottle would be whether the plastic is compatible with power steering fluid, i.e., would the fluid degrade the plastic?

At least with a proper reservoir, this isn't an issue

I suppose there are smaller reservoirs out there

 

Good point. I was going to use a small Coca Cola bottle on the basis that Coke is about the most corrosive liquid know to man :)

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Back from Stoneleigh so time to get back to tinkering (didn't want to risk anything in the run up). As I previously said, the original design was simply tubes from the inlet and the outlet of the pump, joined by clamping them to a copper tube.

 

Before_zps2qrymlvw.jpg

 

So first thing to do was change the copper tube for a T-piece and add a third 'filler' tube.

 

T-piece_zpsd1digtpw.jpg

 

When I removed the copper tube no fluid came out so while in that state I pushed a small funnel in the end of the filler tube and poured some fluid in. It took a disturbing large amount so obviously wasn't full. So maybe I caught it in good time ? (Other Superspec owners please note)

 

Next was to find the reservoir as discussed earlier in the thread. But while at Stoneleigh I found these:

 

reservoir_zpscxbmhmmw.jpg

 

The reservoir was actually off a small hand-held pain sprayer and the metal adaptor was from an air compressor tool.

 

I was going to mount the reservoir close to the 3-way join, but that was very close to the exhaust so I decided to shift it to front right of the engine bay where there is plenty of room.

 

placement_zpsareb6vve.jpg

 

So job done and I can now stop worrying it will run dry. Total cost of modification was £6 :)

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Hi Alan,

I have done the same mod a few years ago.

Pretty much the same as yours except the mounting area of the reseviour.

The only test mine has had in anger has been on a rolling road which is another story.

No leaks and easy to keep an eye on the level.

Jeremy

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