I now have the subframe of of my 96 xj12 out and am about to replace the power steering and oil cooler lines while replacing the varius balljoints, bushings shocks etc.

The '13' plate in the diagram above is held on by a single bolt (which seems inadequate) to the oil filter housing, and I'm trying to figure out how to get a socket on it to release the lines. I'm assuming if I release the fasteners that are in the brackets that are part of the hoses I'll get more wiggle room, but then how do I put it all back together with new o rings?



Oily under there as I had a major oil leak, haven't started the spring clean yet)

 

Answering my own Q for the forums - wobble extension 13mm socket going in from the inside of the downpipe. You can see the nut from the wheel well but I couldn't get a socket on it. I have the subframe out, will update here on visibility when the car is back together.

Here's the burst oil line

 

I'm replacing the two O rings but can't figure out what size they should be - the one I picked out of the groove in the metal tube that inserts into the oil filter housing is pretty skinny and I can't figure out whether it used to be fat 26 years ago! (I have the opposite problem).

Anyone got any insights on this? I got this O ring at NAPA just now, thinnest they had (lower ring in image).


Edit: solved - Jag Part #: EAC2495

 

G'day Oliver,

One of my oil lines burst on the way home from work years ago and although the OEM pipes were still available at the time the cost was prohibitive so I took the offending pipe to a local hydraulics workshop and had the original metal fittings re-hosed for less than a tenth the cost of the OEM stuff and fifteen years later it is still going strong. I had the other hose done at the same time just in case.

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

Yes mate, that's what I'm doing - rebuilding the ps hoses and the oil lines. I got some good size 12 hose in the mail today, $5 a foot off ebay. (I bargained him down)

I'll either cut the original oil line fittings off with a Dremel and use good quality clamps on the barbed ends or have the hose place put new fittings on if not too prohibitive in cost.

The O rings are a bit of a head scratcher - want to get that right as once the subframe is back in it will be very hard to get to any leaks way up in the back of the the oil filter housing.

I've got some spare exhaust wrap I think I'm going to put on the areas exposed to the down pipes t protect the new oil cooler hose

 

G'day Oliver,

You say that you are re-hosing the power steering hoses, are you aware that the operating pressure is considerably higher than the engine oil pressure and you will need a different spec hose, certainly on the high pressure side.

According to the workshop manual the PS operating pressure can be as high as 110 bar or aound 1500psi.

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

Hi Jeff, yep I talked to the local bearing and hydraulic people and asked if they wanted me to get the high pressure ps hose in, but they said no they wanted to use theirs as they like to use the strong stuff so nothing comes back to them failed (famous last words...).

I solved the o ring mystery, they are EAC2495 and made out of some sort of material that doesn't degrade over time, quite pricey. Also replacing the two sump gaskets and taking a peak at the bottom end this week, apparently there are some o rings to replace in internal oil tubes. If they leak, they just leak into the crankcase, but each leak reduces oil flow to the engine so may as well have a look at that before I close it all up to put the subframe back...

 

Though I had good luck so far (knock on wood) doing the oil cooler hoses myself, a friend with an X305 did the same as me using high quality hose clamps and same hose, and had nothing but trouble. He ended up having to take the oil lines to a hydraulic shop. I kinda wish I did this and always worry about them coming off and leaking.

 

Hi John, I’ve not really had the chance to test the long term value of the hydraulic shop hoses since the car has had non stop transmission problems: all solenoids replaced; internal harness replaced; external harness repaired and now the TPS. Each time different symptoms appeared a few miles after I got the car back. Almost always went into limp home mode although the last time just wouldn’t go into fourth/overdrive so not limp home. Going to get the car back tomorrow and then will have to address the airbag light and the failure of the driver seat back not adjusting. The car has been in the shop for 5 of the last 6 months and I’ve spent an obscene amount on it even after doing much of the engine front end rotating part’s myself . Too deep into it now to sell it

 

Gday Guys,

When I rebuilt my oil cooler lines the shop replaced one of the hoses with hi temp hi pressure hose and used Oetiker two eared clamps which are crimped onto the hose. I bought a suitable length of the same hose to re-hose the other line myself and used large bolt up hose clamps. See pix.
Neither hose has leaked in over 15 years.

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

Well guys I'm going the hose clamp route. I've visited several hydraulic shops who have said 'can't do it' once they see the job (metric, weird size, they don't have the clamping tool or the fitting etc). I also visited a British car garage today (he's getting evicted from his building poor *******). His advice was to hose clamp it 2 each end (clamped in opposing directions) and put heat shield on the hose, so that's what I'm going to do. He also said, as did one of the specialty shops, that if you don't use precisely the right crush tool and fitting you are probably better off with hose clamps.

A couple of comments that the fitting and clamp is more similar to ac hoses than hydraulic, I didn't talk to any of those types of businesses as we're talking hot oil not refrigerant...

I'll probably get an Oetiker 18500056 Service Kit, they have 12 of the right sizes and the clamp tool - for the price it isn't much more than 8 screw clamps.https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...p?Product=3295

 

G'day Oliver,

As I said earlier I have had no trouble with either of my oil cooler lines, they are both oil tight. The bolt up clamp is a double width clamp I sourced at an agricultural supply shop and as it is bolt up you can tighten it quite a bit more than a screw type clamp. I didn't use a heat shield on my hoses though I did bind one of the hoses, where it goes over the subframe, with an anti-chafing wrap.

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

I was just mulling over making a reflective metal sheet heat shield to mount between header and oil lines, would need to be easy to remove and put back for inspection though