Power Steering
 

After a brief test drive of my very recently completed E/M with a 351 Cleveland, I had a near disaster while putting the car into the garage. With the steering cranked all the way to one side and backing up the car, an instant flume of smoke appeared from under the hood, and people standing near-by started yelling that the car was on fire. In a near panic, I shut the engine down, left skin on the side pipe scrambling to exiting the car, and raised the hood. I was able to quickly extinguish the flames with a blanket and apparently suffered no MAJOR burn damage to the car.

Once everyones nerves settled down and administrating some emergency first aid on my badly buned leg, we discovered that the output hose from the power steering pump had blown apart where the hose enters the fitting. Once the fluid came into contact with exhaust header the fire was on. This hose was stainless steel with typical Earl's fittings at both ends. In fact, I have no rubber hoses in the car except one, the lower radiator hose. The power steering system is made up of the pump, remote reservoir tank, a small cooler (oil cooler type), and of course the rack and pinion. The following link is to some early pictures of the car and some engine shots that give you an idea how the steering is laid-out ( http://www.geocities.com/gadavis.geo/index.html ).

Can someone explain how much pressure is generated by the pump and a theory is to what may have caused this to happen? I will be returning the hose to the shop who made it for me to have have it analyzed. The shop is a specialty outfit dedicated to fabicating custom braided units.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Nesato

Nesato I have the same ps pump on my car. the output is 300 to 375 psi if the pressure valve sticks it will go to 600 psi. I looked at your picture. the hose should not have broken unless vibration caused it. You have the correct couplers for SS hose on the system and assemblied them as pre the instructions. If the line ripped out of the fitting get a new one leave a little play in the line. I use the clamps with the rubber inserts to prevent breaking through vibration. If the hose broke at the fitting I would say poor assembly. I blew a cooler line off my car when doing the break in. Didnot have the hose far enought on the fitting when tighening the coupler. Reved up the motor to 3 grand and pop off came the line 85 psi blew it off. Hope this helps Rick Lake

Re: Power Steering
 

In your pictures I can see the standard Earl's hose and fittings but, I can't see any high-pressure P\S hose and fittings.

Extreme pressure spikes at the end of steering travel will blow a standard ss hose assembly.

Earl's high pressure P\S hose has a blue fabric cover and when used with high pressure hose ends, is rated for an operating pressure of 2250 psi.

My theory... wrong hose.

Scott