Xsara Pas Pipe Routing?

[brian j 32]

Hi,

 

Having given up on finding a ph1 xsara rack, and chickened out of swapping pinion housings (I couldn't get a seal kit that looked right) I have decided to go the tried and tested route of fitting a Ph2 Xsara rack and trying to get the pipes to fit.

 

The Rack went in fine, the column is connected up, the low pressure pipe is connected up OK, (following some attention with a hacksaw and a bit of brute force)

 

BUT!

 

HOW should the Xsara High pressure pipe fit?

 

After all the engine is similar, the rack is similar, the engine bays aren't that different sizes, how hard can it be, right?

 

I spent hours on my back on the cold road trying with no real joy. I have managed to massage the pump end to fit after some trial and error (and stripping the manifold, breather piping, alternator etc...) but I have no idea how it could/ should run between there and the rack.

 

Looking at servicebox and the shape of the pipe, it seems like it should run under the gearbox or between the sump and gearbox. But it is too long to run between the sump and gearbox (There's a huge amount of 'spare' flexi looping around and getting in the way. Even worse when, like me, you have an aircon compressor and pipes in the way) and also it clashes with the remote oil filter piping/bracket.

 

If I move it out to the end of the gearbox casing, the shape is wrong, it hangs too low and there is nothing to mount it to and at the subframe end the shape is massively different and it fits, but is nowhere near to having anywhere to bolt up to. At about 11pm I had a serious SOH failure, gave up and am giving the car dirty looks every time I walk past for now...

 

I am trying to avoid having to pay for a hybrid hose, because I am absolutely broke this month! I was hoping to hear how others had done this with an original VTS hose. Did you go across the top or bottom of the gearbox or some other way?

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

As standard it should run under the engine/box, remember that the Xsara VTS had the GTI6 type sump which mates up fully to the gearbox hence there isn't the "gap" like on a 205.

[brian j 32]

Of course, that would explain the odd shape when on a 205.

 

I am still open to any good suggestions about how to fit it at least a little neatly!

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

To be honest your best bet is to get the metal ends to fit nicely where they need to go then get the rubber hose shortened and swaged on to suit.

[brian j 32]

Aye,

 

I hear you. I have managed to get a refund for some faulty items I bought on ebay, so hopefully £60 will cover it at Pirtek.

 

I just need to get the motivation to take the pipes off again and get them across there to sort it.

[Tom Fenton 1,540]

Avoid Pirtek like the plague, known within industry as the most expensive place for hydraulic hoses. Find another local supplier, there is bound to be one.

[welshpug 1,655]

I can't think why you are having issues using that pipe if its the same engine as its intended for, the subframes are similar enough for the pipes to fit.

 

this is what it looks like under the ZX, the xsara will be pretty much identical bar the pipe running lower due to the larger sump bolting up to the gearbox.

 

[Anthony 1,002]

You'll likely have to bend the Xsara hard pipe around a bit, as the PAS pump is at the top on a 2.0 16v and underneath the alternator on an 8v.

 

The flexi section should be correct though if you've fitted it right from memory - it ends up U-shaped between the sump and the subframe.

 

As Tom says, the pipe is meant to attach to the large "winged" sump found on most late 16v 2.0 XU engines which is different to yours. You might be able to adapt the fitting used on 2.0 HDi and 1.8 16v XU engines, which have a sump much closer to an 8v lump sump but still runs the pipe underneath.

 

Another option is to just use the PAS pump end hard pipe section from an 8v, the PAS rack end hard pipe section from the VTS P2, and a long flexi between the two so as to make a hybrid,

[Anthony 1,002]

I can't think why you are having issues using that pipe if its the same engine as its intended for, the subframes are similar enough for the pipes to fit.

It's not - it's a 1.9 8v engine and a Phase 2 Xsara VTS PAS pipe and PAS rack.

[welshpug 1,655]

ahhhh, that'll be it then!

 

the xsara pipes bolt to the gearbox which has a quite different casing to the earlier gearboxes.

Edited January 1, 2014 by welshpug

[Plumbob 66 1 Cars]

Does anyone on here know which pipe is which on the PH1 Xsara VTS steering rack? I've got a 10mm and 8mm pipe that have been chopped through approx. 5cm long and loosened before I bought the rack.. I've been looking on here and the 306 forum but haven't found a definite answer. Also my car isn't at my house at the moment so I can't say which is in which hole on the rack, I can't remember if the threads on the fittings allow the pipes to be accidentally swapped. I know the high pressure pipe from the pump is 10mm diameter but I'm unsure if it's not already been modified to suit the 309 it came from...

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Plumbob 66 1 Cars]

Ok so I've found that a standard 205 PAS rack its the top fitting that's the high pressure one, please can somebody just confirm that the Xsara rack is the same?