2003 5.4L - Baffled by power steering hose

[Eric M]

I hesitate to post this because of the low probability that this problem will translate well into a forum post. But I'm at the end of my rope with this, and it's the only issue standing in the way of me completing reassembly after a head gasket repair.

I removed the PS pump and pressure line as one unit. Nothing weird happened along the way. Everything came out nice and easy and the pump and line have been sitting on a bench until I went to reinstall yesterday. The hose was never bent in any way. Not even close.

I go to reinstall and it's as if this hose isn't even close to fitting this vehicle. In one photo, you see how the hose was originally routed, passing just over the oil filter, through the bracket, and then lying flat on the frame. The other photo shows the pump in it's current state, partially bolted in with the hose floating out in space. If I rotate the line closer to the timing cover, then the pump will not bolt in, as the hose contacts the timing cover. In a nut shell, no matter how I orient the hose, it is nowhere close to where it needs to be. The pump is bolted into the right spot (hard to get that wrong).

Am I missing something here?

I did go ahead and order a new hose just in case, as I am totally stumped here.

 

[Hamfisted]

It doesn't really "cling" to the timing cover. It just crosses out front of it. There should be a retaining clip though, that fastens under that stud at the bottom corner of the timing cover. It must've gotten shifted during disassembly or something. Put a wrench on the end at the pump and move it to where it needs to be to fasten onto the stud. It'll move. That fitting gets moved all the time when people try to remove the pump bolts without removing the pulley. Where's the clip that fits on the stud ?

 

[Eric M]

Thanks very much for the input and the photo. Go figure, I ended up having to replace the line. No problem now. I must have bent it, even though I was unaware.

 

[Hamfisted]

Yeah, it looked Ok to me. Just needed the retaining clip on it that goes on that stud. But if you got a new line, I'm sure it'll last the life of the Expy now.



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