I'm going crazy on this one.... I have a 2000 Audi A6 with 170,000 miles. The car's still in good condition and I was planning on passing it down to our oldest son who just started driving.

The Problem I'm having is I've been filling the power steering reservoir up almost daily with Audi/VW power steering fluid at almost $20 a quart.

And have been trying to track down the leak.... Apparently it's in a weird spot between the power steering reservoir and the power steering pump.

I checked the rubber hoses on both ends as well as the clamps and everything is tight and dry.

On closer inspection it appears to be the metal tube in between the two lines... that's the tube which is in front of the air conditioner compressor and under the front part of the left cylinder head (drivers side here in America). It also appears to be attached to a larger tube... which is either an emission tube or coolant tube... (this is from the Audi parts microfich.)

From what I can see the the only proper way to fix it.... is by pulling the the front end of the car including the cam belt as well as the left cylinder head (drivers side).

The other choice would be to bypass it all together and just run a hose from the power steering reservoir to the power steering pump which is going to look.... well you know what I mean.

Anyway, what should I do?

 

Is it the line that runs to or from the ps cooler? I remember mine was a bit leaky once after I did a flush, a new hose clamp and fixed it up.

 

No if you're looking down on the power steering pump which is just under the coils in the front part of the engine between the two cylinder heads you'll see a curly hose on the drivers side of the engine that has a loop and then connects to the metal tube that's leaking.

That tube runs under the left side cylinder head, just behind the timing belt pulley gear and exits under the left side cylinder head (drivers side) in front of the exhaust manifold. This is where the tube reconnects to the hose connects to the power steering reservoir.

If you're under the car it's just above the oil filter and air conditioner compressor which are both covered with power steering fluid.

The tube is leaking someplace in the middle and it's attached to the larger tube.

 

First, edit your first post and add in the year and engine of your car.
Second, the driver's side of the car is the LEFT side. The passenger side of the car is the RIGHT side. Now, do you want to edit your posts in regards to the side that the problem is on?
Third, no outside tube on an engine will require removal of the head to replace. Removal of everything else, maybe, but not the head.

Bob

 

Done
Sorry about that... I've always been somewhat dyslexic.

Done
That's what I'm under the impression now after closer inspection.

Still it looks like I have to pull everything off of the front to replace the stupid leaking tube.

Any ideas or short cuts?

Thanks

 

What engine??????????????? If you can't put it in your post, put it in your signature.

Since you have said that you have coils in the middle of the engine, let's assume you have the 2.8. I have a 2.7t so I don't know for sure how similar they are, but that leak on mine was where the hose entered the PS reservoir. It just LOOKS like it is coming from the hose but was actually coming out of the hose to reservoir connection. I pulled the hose, cleaned and dried it, but some RTV on the outside of the reservoir nipple and reassembled. I let it dry overnight and, viola!, no more leak.

The hose routes up through the crap on the inner fender and lower frame rail and you have to remove the left fender inner liner to get to it. After that, you need small hands.

Bob

 

Bob, it's a 2.8 Quattro which I bought new back in 2000.

The car has been trouble free up until the last 30,000 miles.

I ended up doing a quick fix by running a hose from the power steering pump to the power steering reservoir on the left (driver side inside fender).. by going up and over the cylinder head... I was still able to keep it under the plastic valve cover by routing it just behind the cam-chain tensioner and the front of the valve cover.

This way I was able to bypass the leaking tube which is under the front of the cylinder head.

I'm going to have to put a new timing belt on within the next 10,000 miles or so and at that time I'll replace the leaking tube and reroute the power steering line correctly then.

Right now I'm looking for a donor that I'll keep at the shop which I'm going to use as a parts source for the this old audi.... the car still looks new though.

This car is getting old and the wife wants a new Q7.

 

I bet your wife is older than the A6 and also has failing parts. But, take it from experience, don't use that approach in reasoning with her.

 

Good job on the quick fix!

You CAN get that tube out. It does not require removal of the can cover. In this weather you are OK with no cooler but when it gets hot you will want it. If you know where both ends of the hose go, cut both ends and repeat your quick fix!

Good luck,

Bob