I have a 2004 x90 and the lines that go into the rack are press fit. I recently had the rack replaced due to the old one leaking around the bellows. The guy who installed it has tried 3 times to get the line going into the rack to stop leaking. The first time, when he installed the rack it mostly wasn't leaking for about 3 weeks then it became a flood. He replaced the O ring and it maybe worked for a few days. He replaced the O ring a 2nd time and he aid that it is still leaking slowly. That slow leak is now a flood and I can't even get 3 miles.

The mechanic told me that he was hoping that I could find some Volvo specific O ring that would seal the thing because every size he has tried doesn't work. Does anybody know where there would maybe be a special O ring I could order for a press fit rack? There are 2 versions of the rack. One where the lines are press fit in, and one where they screw in. I have the press fit version and I have read they have problems sometimes and they only installed them for a few years.

Another thought I had was maybe the pump has some kind of stuck pressure relief valve that is not working and blowing the line out of the rack. I have been running the thing with low fluid and the wrong fluid for a while. Maybe a valve in the pump is damaged?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I looked at things a little more and it looks like the leak is actually from a line that goes from one side of the rack to the other. I attached an image
https://mikkowus.com/steeringRack.png

leaking line

 

and here is a video Would it be possible to source the lines from somewhere? I wonder if maybe I could get a punch and stretch the line out wider..... I need the thing rolling well before next weekend. I am going on a long road trip.

 

Volvo does not sell those tubes. Those tubes carry fluid under pressure to push the piston back and forth between those two pipes. - Most likely the solution is a different rack. Unless the pipes are sealed by item #19 on the control side.

 

Thank you. I'll order that O ring. Maybe I'll have some luck.

 

What holds those tubes in? There's a threaded fitting on the rack end, what's on the other end?

 

There is a plate that slides over some lumps on those 2 small lines. That plate is held down by a single T30 bolt. the bolt is kind of far away from where the lines go in so I don't think there is enough pressure holding that plate down. Or, like the Mechanic said, The original O ring was dried up and he cant find the right replacement O ring.

I would almost bet he did something dumb like not torque that bolt down, and then when I brought it back in, he just replaced the O ring as a way to cover up, and then he couldn't find the right size after throwing the original O ring away. The last time I brought it in he didn't put the splash guard back on. It's still at his shop if he didn't toss it. I need to call him up before he does. Everybody has been overwhelmed with work lately. He's usually really good, but could be screwing up because he's so overworked.

Another possibility is the line is somehow damaged going into the steering rack so the o ring just doesn't seal it properly. If there was more space, or I had a lift I might be able to get in there and have a look see but right now its pretty hard to get my hands in that space.

Here is an image that shows it pretty well

 

The leak seems to come from the lower line only and Its pretty significant. One thought I had was maybe I could put some kind of clamp on the opposite side of that hold down plate to help hold those lines in a little better. I just am not sure what I could use. Maybe a perfectly sized c clamp with some of the threaded part cut off?

 

I may have found the solution....

The O rings you put me on to above were the right O rings I believe but the lines also may have a crack in them. The part number for new lines is 30776289. I ordered a set. Hopefully I won't need them and can return them.

https://www.swedespeed.com/threads/p...g-leak.647167/

https://www.volvopartswebstore.com/p.../30776289.html

 

It looks like there is a crack in the top side of the lower lie, just on the outside of the flange that the plate that is screwed down goes over. I put a O ring over the top of it and a bunch of gasket maker, hopefully that holds up for a few days and the new lines come quick.

 

Ended up having to replace the line. I ended up bringing the car to a shop because they pretty much had to take the rack out to replace the line. There was a ton of stuff in the way including the torsion bar etc.