How hard to replace leaky steering lines?

[Maxhouse97]

I have a track day in two weeks on my 04 M3, while at the shop for the inspection my Indy tells me both the lines into the power steering cooler are leaking. He wants 950 to replace them. Parts are 150 from my research. Question is how hard is this - can I do it without removing the cooler or reservoir? I swapped out to a ZHP rack myself last year, so I know my way around there. But I have to make a decision now and either order the parts in time or have them do it to make the track day. Thanks.

[Thoglan]

I would diy. It's not $950 hard. Might be biased though, I diy everything

[Wernd]

How hard can 2 lines be? Each end unscrews........i know the hard lines in the rack requires the rack to come out but I can have that done in less than an hour and that requires me to remove a splitter and the belly pan. Possibly also the skid plate if I recall correctly.

[Kevin2772]

Literally just had my mechanic replace both of these for my cars winter oil change and service. I got oil change, fan clutch replacement, and both lines replaced for that price parts and labor. Would say he charged me like $450 for parts and labor on the lines. Said they are a little difficult to get to, only reason for the labor price.

Oh sh!t...just noticed youre in cincinnati too. Which shop quoted you that price??

[elbert]

How hard can 2 lines be? Each end unscrews.......

OP said hoses that go to the cooler. Those are the push-collar types, which can be annoying to take off, but not $950 annoying.

[TwoD]

OP said hoses that go to the cooler. Those are the push-collar types, which can be annoying to take off, but not $950 annoying.

This... I've replaced both and both were a total PITA to get unclipped. They are in an awkward tight spot. That being said as others have mentioned, if you have some basic tools and patience then DIY.


The cooler stays put, reservoir you'll have to remove/loosen.

In a nutshell:

Remove airbox + elbow
Remove plastic belly pan (IIRC you don't need to remove the aluminum pan.)
Remove both lines from the cooler. They make a special tool to help here but in the end I've always ended up breaking the plastic retaining collars which are on the hoses to get them out.
Remove cooler to reservoir clamp at the cooler and that line is out.
Remove banjobolt at the rack and that line is out.
Use new crush washers on the banjobolt while re-installing and torque to 40 Nm.

If you didn't replace the the expansion hose (32412283893) when you did the rack, do that now too and be done.

[sapote]

I have a track day in two weeks on my 04 M3, while at the shop for the inspection my Indy tells me both the lines into the power steering cooler are leaking.

Going to the cooler loop there are two hoses: top one from the reservoir bottle and lower one from the steering rack. These hoses are harden with age then cracked and leak, but they are low pressure.
Remove the left headlight and there is more room to work on the Quick Disconnect connectors. Suggest to cut off the top hose from the reservoir then remove the bottle off the car for ease of removing the stock hose clamp and the hose off. Try not to scratch the bottle port to avoid leaking.

For the Quick Disconnect: if the plastic ring crumbled when pushing in to release the internal barb ring, then get the plastic release tool instead. Or, use a small wire cutter or pliers to unfold the hose metal shell lip, then then the barb ring will stay with the cooler pipe and pull the hose off, then remove the barb ring.

The lower hose connected to the rack with the bolt and washer.

One reason the bottle port connected to the hoses leaking is the 2 ridge lines casted on the bottle ports. I used a sharp blade to smooth out these lines (same on the bottle cap causing leaking and not the cap O-ring).

[Toby22]

I did it in a few hours and I suck at DIY. Just look for YouTube video or DIY post on it

[L0okitzRaj]

I just did this last week. Would have been 100x easier with the special tool to remove the lines into (what I believe) is the heat exchanger/cooler/radiator. If you don’t, it’s still Doo able but it took me an extra hour or so.

[cobra]

None of them are hard, just annoying cause oil drips out and dealing with those stupid hose clamps sucks.

[Cubieman]

Somewhat easy job as others have said but some of the hose clamps are most definitely a pain in ass, I did it w/o any special tools, however the lift helped.

[oceansize]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6lY5wk6Uys

Plain e46 in this video but Applies to the e46 m3 as well. Step by step, just follow this.

[Maxhouse97]

Thanks, turns out it was a miscommunication, it was only 400 to replace them. So with that and the short time until my track day, I went ahead and had the shop replace them. Worked great on the track. I would have done it myself had I had more time.

Appreciate the great response!

[Kevin2772]

Thanks, turns out it was a miscommunication, it was only 400 to replace them. So with that and the short time until my track day, I went ahead and had the shop replace them. Worked great on the track. I would have done it myself had I had more time.

Appreciate the great response!

What shop are you using around here? Same as I payed with M Works.....

[Maxhouse97]

Foreign exchange up in West Chester, Voice of America. They are more generic and less track/BMW focused than I like but best around me to my knowledge. I’ll have to check out M works - is that up in Columbus? Are they body shop only or mechanical?