Std Power Steering - do you have to have the hard line sections?

[Kambo 9]

Hey 

 

I removed my original power steering setup when I took the engine out a while back but had trouble removing one of the fittings on the pump so the fitting was butchered a bit to get it off, will get a place to make up some new pipes for me but 

 

I think I remember there was a couple of hard line sections on the long pipes which I’m guessing is to make the bends around the engine/gearbox, but is this actually required for replacement pipes? I would rather just take the pump along and say a I need xxx long pipes made?

[welshpug 1,683]

they aren't absolutely necessary however flexible pipe will be far more bulky and unable to take the tight radius bends a hardline could.

[petert 617]

Mine is flexible, other than the last 20cm or so where it goes into the valve body. The hard line cooling loop is still there. I should also add mine is 16V, so a lot shorter. I think it needs to be hard for the sharper corners in an 8V installation, as Mei suggested.

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by petert

[Kambo 9]

Does  the actual length of the pipe matter for efficiency ie finding my own custom route?

 

Its a standard 1.9 bay setup so some room to play around with...

[petert 617]

Nope. I switched to flexible because the pipe fatigued at the pump (S1 Mi16).

[Kambo 9]

Thanks