Pipe Assembly: Inspection

Check all disassembled parts for wear, damage or other abnormalities. Repair or replace faulty parts as required.

INSPECTION CHART

Part name	Inspection	Remedy
Pipe	O-ring fitting surface for damage Nut for damage Pipe for damage	Replace with new one.
Clamp	Clamps for weak clamping force	Replace with new one.
Hose	Flared surface for damage Flare nut for damage Outer surface for cracks Outer surface for wear Clip for damage End coupling or adapter for degradation	Replace with new one.

CAUTION: Although surface layer materials of rubber hoses have excellent weathering resistance, heat resistance and resistance for low temperature brittleness, they are likely to be damaged chemically by brake fluid, battery electrolyte, engine oil and automatic transmission fluid and their service lives are to be very shortened. It is very important to keep the hoses free from before mentioned fluids and to wipe out immediately when the hoses are adhered with the fluids.
Since resistances for heat or low temperature brittleness are gradually declining according to time accumulation of hot or cold conditions for the hoses and their service lives are shortening accordingly, it is necessary to perform careful inspection frequently when the vehicle is used in hot weather areas, cold weather area and/or a driving condition in which many steering operations are required in short time.
Particularly continuous work of relief valve over 5 seconds causes to reduce service lives of the hoses, the oil pump, the fluid, etc. due to over heat.
So, avoid to keep this kind of condition when servicing as well as driving.

POSSIBLE CAUSE CHART

Trouble	Possible cause	Corrective action
Pressure hose burst	Excessive holding time of relief status	Instruct customers.
	Malfunction of relief valve	Replace oil pump.
	Poor cold characteristic of fluid	Replace fluid.
Forced out return hose	Poor connection	Correct.
	Poor holding of clip	Retighten.
	Poor cold characteristic of fluid	Replace fluid.
Fluid bleeding out of hose slightly	Wrong layout, tensioned	Replace hose.
	Excessive play of engine due to deterioration of engine mounting rubber	Replace defective parts.
	Improper stop position of pitching stopper	Replace defective parts.
Crack on hose	Excessive holding time of relief status	Replace. Instruct customer.
	Excessive tightening torque for return hose clip	Replace.
	Power steering fluid, brake fluid, engine oil, electrolyte adhere on the hose surface	Replace. Pay attention on service work.
	Too many times use in extremely cold weather	Replace. Instruct customers.

CAUTION: It is likely that although one judges fluid leakage, there is actually no leakage. This is because the fluid spilt during the last maintenance was not completely wiped off. Be sure to wipe off spilt fluid thoroughly after maintenance.

Fig 1: Identifying Fluid Leakage

Courtesy of SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

POSSIBLE CAUSE CHART

Fluid leaking area ⁽¹⁾

Possible cause

Corrective action

Leakage from connecting portions of pipes and hoses, numbered with (1) through (11) in figure

Insufficient tightening of flare nut, catching dirt or the like, damage to flare or flare nut or eye bolt

Loosen and retighten, if ineffective, replace.

Poor insertion of hose, poor clamping

Retighten or replace clamp.

Damaged O-ring or gasket

Replace O-ring or gasket pipe or hose with new one, if ineffective, replace gearbox also.

Leakage from hose (12), (13) and (14) in figure

Crack or damage in hose

Replace with a new one.

Crack or damage in hose hardware

Replace with a new one.

Leakage from surrounding of cast iron portion of oil pump (15) and (16) in figure

Damaged O-ring

Replace oil pump.

Damaged gasket

Replace oil pump.

Leakage from oil tank (17) and (18) in figure

Crack in oil tank

Replace oil tank.

Leakage from filler neck (19)

Damaged cap packing

Replace cap.

Crack in root of filler neck

Replace oil tank.

High fluid level *1

Adjust fluid level.

Leakage from surrounding of power cylinder of gearbox (20) in figure

Damaged oil seal

Replace oil seal.

Leakage from control valve of gearbox (21) and (22) in figure

Damaged packing or oil seal

Replace problem parts.

Damage in control valve

Replace control valve.

⁽¹⁾	Refer to Fig 1

NOTE: Fluid level is specified at optimum position (range) for ordinary use. Accordingly, if the vehicle is used often under hard conditions such as on very rough roads or in mountainous areas, fluid may bleed out from cap air vent hole. This is not a problem. If a customer complains strongly and is not likely to be satisfied with the leakage, lower the fluid level to the extent that fluid will not bleed out under the conditions described, and have the customer check the fluid level and its quality more frequency than usual.