240 Power Steering pipe leaking...what is this pipe for?

Hello.

I have a '92 240 with a Power Steering fluid leak. I located the leak
and it's coming from a pipe attached to the Power Steering Rack.

The pipe runs from the middle of the rack, around the front axle,
behind the rack, and then attaches to the passenger side of the rack.
2 questions:

1) Why does this pipe take such a roundabout route? They could have
routed it along the front of the rack and made it about 5" long,
instead of 18"

2) Does anyone have a source for parts that aren't Volvo official
(which I suspect are pricey)?

3) If I make my own pipe (my neighbor has the tools and know-how to
create a replacement) do I need to make it the same shape, or can I
just make it as short as it needs to be.

Thanks in advance!

-matthew

 

Good question to ask Volvo engineering. But irrelevant to fixing a
leak in power steering.

Have you checked the dealer price? In my area they are competitive.
If you want non-Volvo check Ebay, Pep Boys and your local parts
store. For my money the factory parts are the way to go.

Give it a try I suppose. But be sure to check frequently for leaks.
Be aware that shade-tree fixes like this tend to fail when you are out
on the road and away from a repair shop.

 

Relevant if I want to make my own.

Do I need to copy the same shape or can I just make it go from point
to point on the rack?

 

While I don't know why they made it like this, you can bet there's a reason
or they would have skipped that step to save money. I recommend copying the
original as closely as possible, or just patching the leak with something.

 

The roundabout route may be for cooling of the power steering fluid.