FRANKIE111

I have a 2000 TL. I lost power steering due to a break in the return, or low pressure line. I took it to a local repair shop, whose name I won't mention, and was told that while I should have this line raplaced, I should also have the high pressure line replaced at the same time. The car has 163k miles on the clock. They quoted me parts prices from Acura at $190. for the high pressure line and well over $100 for the low pressure line. They said that with labor, the cost would be about $860. I checked around for prices on the internet and found the parts for much lower. The repair shop said I could provide my own parts and they would do the labor. I just replaced the rear brakes myself and then the front strut assembly (that was fun) and I've done a lot of other work on my cars over the years. What bothers me is the labor cost. I've seen on you tube how to replace the high pressure line. It doesn't look like fun but not impossible. I can't find ANY VIDEOS on replacing the low pressure or return line. I see that it has a cooling tube that looks like it is mounted to the fromt of the radiator. When the car was up on the lift at the shop, the mechanic showed me where the leak was. It was near the bottom of the engine compartment near the front passenger side of the car. I was told that the engine has to be tilted up to get to the bolts for that line. What I don't know is that does the whole line have to be replaced from the rack to the reservoir? it looks like what has broken is a rubber hose that may lead from the end of the cooling tube up to the reservoir. And are they givine me a line of B/S about the engine having to be tilted up? Could this be what the service manuals recommend but savy mechanics know a way to get around this? Any help with this problem would be greatly appreciated. In the mean time, I have bought a Haynes manual, which seems useless, and ordered a shop manual by Honda (used) from e-bay. Thanks ahead of time.................Frankie

Iggy

Firstly, welcome to the forum. Those guys are full of crap! The old tilting the motor crap to make it sound like it's a big deal really infuriates me. I agree, it does take a couple of hours to change out the high pressure line but it's just not that big of a deal. Unless the high pressure line is leaking or dry rotted, I would leave it alone.

As far as the leaky low pressure side goes, the factory hose clamps tend to rust and with time lose their effectiveness as the rubber ages and becomes harder. I just replaced mine with regular stainless hose clamps. Worst case you could replace the rubber hoses and clamps which is not a very big job and inexpensive. Lower plastic sheild and bumper removal makes the job a lot easier and is not all that difficult.

Here are the part numbers (non- Type S vehicle) for reference: Click here

Lastly, the search function on this forum is your friend. If you had searched "service manual" you could have saved yourself a few bucks. Here's the download link: Service Manual

Good luck Amigo!

Below is a photo of the crappy factory clamps and the hose routing.

FRANKIE111

Thanks, Iggy. I have yet to learn about this forum and how to navigate around it but with the help from members like you, I'll be ok. The car is still at the repair shop, Pep Boys, and I asked them not to do anything until I get back to them. I am happy to know that there is a repair manual here to reference. I appreciate the picture that you posted and the advice not to repair the high pressure line unless it's faulty. I was looking at the part s at Rock Auto and they are much cheaper. In looking at the diagram you posted, it really looks like it's just a hose, perhaps number 17 or 18 in the diagram. I'll see if it's necessary to remove the bumper. I'll almost be happy to do that as opposed to paying $860. to Pep Boys. I'll go onto you-tube to see if there's a video on it. Thanks again for the help. You made a much happier Acura owner in Egg Harbor Township, NJ....................Frankie

FRANKIE111

I went to look up something in the repair manual and couldn't preview it because it was too large. I could download it but it would take 3 hours. Is there some way to just view something without downloading it? Also, I went to pick up the car at Pep Boys. I told them that $860. was beyoud my budget now and I'd have to take it home. It seems that that wasn't the right price and that it was $916. instead. They said they could give me 20 percent off. They also said that if I shopped around and got a better price, that they would match it. Hmmmmmm. I brought the car home and had it up on ramps and was starting to take off the bottom cover plate. A neighbor from up the block drove by and said he'd help me and to bring it up to his garage. He's a mechanic and I knew his father well and also know him. He looked at the rubber hoses and also at the metal cooling pipes. He said that they were corroded and that he could make some up and had the hoses. I asked him how much and he said "nothing". I know that it's his work so he said $50 I'll take the car to him on Wednesday evening................Frankie

Iggy

Sounds like it's gonna work out just fine.

As far as the manual goes. I'd just hit the dload button right before you go bed and voilą, free manual when you wake up.