Leaking high pressure PS hose

[mclasser]

So the HP PS hose has been leaking on my Infiniti for some time now. This is a very common issue on Nissan products. It isn't that bad yet but I don't want to be stuck on the side of the road when it finally decides to puke fluid everywhere.

The guys over on the Maxima forums say removing the old hose is easy but re-installation is a PITA due to alignment of the lower banjo bolt. The OEM hose is quite pricey and obviously a poor leak-prone design. A lot of guys have used a Gates/Edelmann hose off Rock Auto with good results. The trick is to "dead" bleed the system with the engine off first otherwise the pump will perpetually whine due to trapped air.

Anybody done this job before and care to share some tips? This way I can gauge whether to DIY or just pony up the cash for my mechanic to do it.

 

[JMJNet]

I don't have a Maxima but on the hose, if you have hydraulic shop in the area, they can rebuild those HP hoses for you probably better quality than anything out there.

 

[Trav]

I use Gates pressure PS lines all the time, perfect fit every time and very high quality. OE from VW is almost $300, the Gates is $40 and is just as good including corrosion resistance.
This is an easy job, just R&R the hose, fill the reservoir half full and turn the steering wheel left and right stop to stop a few times with the wheels off the ground then refill and repeat then start the engine.
If the return line is easy to get at just remove it and have someone crank the engine for a few seconds with the reservoir full.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would also use an aftermarket hose.

 

[spavel6]

Banjo bolts are always a bit of a PITA because of the angle needed to get it into the tight area around the PS rack.

Go slow and hand tighten the first few turns before using a ratchet. Also, I'd get a few extra copper washers in case you loose one while trying to aim the bolt - for me, the job inevitably takes an extra hour while curse and search for the dropped washer that fell into some crevice in the subframe, etc.