power steering cooling pipe replacement ? Options

[glenn]

My ST202 '94 started to leak oil a few days ago, unfortunatly I found out at work, when i was going home.. so now the car is stuck at my work..

Anyway, the problem is that the power steering coolling pipe that is in front of the radiator have rusted over the years and finally got a hole in it so it leaks..

Called my local toyota dealer and asked how much it costs, I didnt think it would be THAT expensive, its just a pretty short bent steel pipe, but how wrong I where.. 6800SEK, that is a bit over $1000 ! crazy!

Since that is half the value of the car, I would not buy it ofcourse..

Does anyone have a source where I can but a cheaper replacement ? or any ideas how to fix it myself.

I was thinking of replacing it with a homebent copper (water) pipe ? ..either solder it to the old rusty pipe, or replace the whole pipe..

I also could try to fit some kind of connectors and replace it with a small oil coooler ?

But since the "cooler" is so crappy done (just bent pipe) I suspect that a real cooler would be veyr much overkill.. probably its not needed at all in swedish climate ? or.. ..but still, would feel better to replace it with a pipe instead of a short loop..

Any ideas ?

[Smaay]

if you have a tube shop near by, just go there and have them fab you up a new pipe.

[glenn]

To get the car home I removed some stuff (a relay box for example) and bypassed the cooler with a 50cm 10mm marine fuel hose, the reason I choosed the marine version that costed the double was that it have double reinforcements instead of just one, and it is specced for higher pressure, both are ok for up to 120 degrees C.

After some troubles I got it in place, filled up with synthetic ATF and started, sounded pretty bad, so I had to top up with more oil, and then turn wheel to the ends and then it sounded and felt nice.

I first took a testdrive in our garage at work, 5 rounds ..and then went home in my ST205.. now yesterday my gf drove me to work so I could drive the ST202 home again, and it was fine, no problems, the oil was 38 degrees when I got home after 50km driving.

Now when it is home I will try to remove the old cooler and see how I could make a new one.. maybe it could be done just putting a oilcooler there instead ? ..it probably would be a upgrade

This post has been edited by glenn: Jun 22, 2014 - 9:30 AM