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  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 11:21 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    I acquired the electric steering pump out of a Subaru XT from a fellow GRM board member - but I am plumbing it into a different application.

    There is a female threaded fitting that looks like it should have an O-ring (very similar to AN type fuel lines) and it appears to be a pipe thread. I assume it is metric.

    Does anyone know if this is a standard type I can buy a fitting for in order to have a hose made for my application or if I have to scour the junkyards - what other models aside from XT might share the same hose fitting?

  • sachilles

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:05 p.m. sachilles Dork

    I thought just about every modern subie uses the same style pump.

  • Ojala

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:10 p.m. Ojala Reader

    Sachilles: Most Subies do use the same pump, but not the prehistoric XT. They had an electric power steering pump that mounted on the firewall. I seem to remember that it required a special Subaru fluid unless you rebuild the pump with new o rings.

    I have only worked on the XT pump on a friend's Factory Five. That being said I think that there was an o ring at the end of the fitting. The car has a Mustang rack so he had a custom hose made.

    NINJA EDIT!!!!

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:15 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    Ojala wrote:

    Dont those pumps require an unusual Subaru oil?

    I expect the fluid is more a function of the rack - a pump shouldn't really care too much about what it is pumping as long as the viscosity is similar and it isn't caustic to the seals.

    I think Synthetic ATF will be fine. It is a pretty inexpensive junkyard part so... if I'm wrong I'm out $40.

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:16 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    sachilles wrote:

    I thought just about every modern subie uses the same style pump.

    This is an electric driven, self contained unit. I am hoping one of you will know a common crossover part or fitting size but the pump was specific only to XT and one other model ( SVX?).

    The hose is pretty steep from the dealership and XTs are not really common in junkyards.

  • MG Bryan

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:19 p.m. MG Bryan Dork

    Wouldn't a shop that's equipped to make you that hose also be equipped to measure the threads? (genuine question, not trying to be a smart-ass)

  • Ojala

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:19 p.m. Ojala Reader

    In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

    I called my friend with the roadster to see if he knows. He knows more about those pumps and the associated hose interchanges than I do. What rack are you using?

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:23 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    MG Bryan wrote:

    Wouldn't a shop that's equipped to make you that hose also be equipped to measure the threads? (genuine question, not trying to be a smart-ass)

    I can measure the thread myself but I cant seem to lay my hands on a thread gauge at the moment. The fitting is more than just the thread though - there is a seat at the bottom that looks like a tube with a matching flange and o-ring go in ahead of the nut.

    If I can't locate a part in the "less than $20" range I am probably going to have an AN fitting TIG'd directly to the nut.

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:24 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    Ojala wrote:

    In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

    I called my friend with the roadster to see if he knows. He knows more about those pumps and the associated hose interchanges than I do. What rack are you using?

    Hey, thanks for the inquiry. I'm using a ZF rack out of an E36 M3.

  • MG Bryan

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:25 p.m. MG Bryan Dork

    Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

    MG Bryan wrote:

    Wouldn't a shop that's equipped to make you that hose also be equipped to measure the threads? (genuine question, not trying to be a smart-ass)

    I can measure the thread myself but I cant seem to lay my hands on a thread gauge at the moment. The fitting is more than just the thread though - there is a seat at the bottom that looks like a tube with a matching flange and o-ring go in ahead of the nut.

    If I can't locate a part in the "less than $20" range I am probably going to have an AN fitting TIG'd directly to the nut.

    Ah, fair enough. My misunderstanding.

  • Ojala

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:43 p.m. Ojala Reader

    In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

    What size banjo is that?

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 12:45 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    Ojala wrote:

    In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

    What size banjo is that?

    No idea - but I have them from the rack end - ready to be mated to a 'buru part. If you need numbers I can put a caliper and gauge on them this evening.

  • sachilles

    Feb. 13, 2012 1:07 p.m. sachilles Dork

    Ojala wrote:

    Sachilles: Most Subies do use the same pump, but not the prehistoric XT. They had an electric power steering pump that mounted on the firewall. I seem to remember that it required a special Subaru fluid unless you rebuild the pump with new o rings.

    I have only worked on the XT pump on a friend's Factory Five. That being said I think that there was an o ring at the end of the fitting. The car has a Mustang rack so he had a custom hose made.

    NINJA EDIT!!!!

    Ah......my bad, I misunderstood. I thought he meant he had a forester xt, or outback xt(the newer turbos).

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 6:54 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    Thanks fer nuttin' bitches... but just in case any of you want to try this later I am not bitter toward your lack of obscure Subaru knowledge. Here ya go...

    Aeroquip AN-6 to 16 x 1.5 O-ring PS adapter

    My google-fu has just reached Shadow Master.

  • Feb. 13, 2012 7:10 p.m. 93gsxturbo HalfDork

    Thats called a "Saginaw" fitting and typically used on car power steering systems.

    You can either buy the adapter like you posted, drill/tap the fitting to accept NPT (since NPT seals on the taper, either some JB Weld or pipe dope should keep it good in the "under 1000 psi" range, and the threads and sealing surface can be fairly mangled and it will still seal fine, or find someone with a Mastercool flaring kit that can make Saginaw flares on any hard line, then just reuse the tube nut off the original line.

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 13, 2012 7:30 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    Ojala wrote:

    In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

    What size banjo is that?

    There are 2 sizes. 14 x 1.5 and 16 x 1.5. Easy to go AN and just have correct length hoses or even steel line (my rack is solid mounted).

    Unisteer 16 x 1.5 to AN-6

    Unisteer 14 x 1.5 to AN-6

  • Ojala

    Feb. 14, 2012 9:44 a.m. Ojala Reader

    In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

    Well look at you cheating and buying new parts!

    My friend Larry called me back about the steering line and he said it was too cheap to just make a hose with fittings rather than justify using a junkyard hose.

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Feb. 14, 2012 9:52 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    Ojala wrote:

    In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

    Well look at you cheating and buying new parts!

    My friend Larry called me back about the steering line and he said it was too cheap to just make a hose with fittings rather than justify using a junkyard hose.

    I am even too cheap to make a hose (1500 psi hose gets pricey... ). My rack is solid mounted with aluminum bushings so I am using 3/8 steel hard line (14.99 for 25') a couple tube nuts, bulkhead connectors and a flaring tool.

    Since the PS pump is electric - I'm mounting it in the passenger well to help weight distribution and make the wiring local to the battery and panel.

  • Ojala

    Feb. 14, 2012 1:38 p.m. Ojala Reader

    You could always use a tube bender to put a coil in the line to help with any flexing/temperature fluctuations.

  • digdug18

    Feb. 14, 2012 2:51 p.m. digdug18 Dork

    I'd put a plug in it, then tap it to something standard that you have. either that or epoxy something in there. But I'm cheaper than you.....

 
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