HELP! Can't remove power steering hoses from the cooler!

CodeBlox

I paid mechanics to do a PS flush for me and I think they either DID NOT do it at all, or did a half ass job. The stuff in there now is really thin and smells really burnt. I was going to drain/refill today but can't. I removed the clamps on the two hoses from the cooler and the hoses themselves wont come off. What can I do to get them off?

demonfurbie

what kinda clamps are they

CodeBlox

They aren't worm clamps, I don't know the name for them but you can remove them with pliers. Removing those isn't an issue. I can't seem to wiggle the hoses off the cooler.

MickQ

Sounds like C clamps. Are the hoses rubber or metal?

demonfurbie

try heating the hoses up with a hair drier then slowly twist back and forth

CodeBlox

They're rubber and really tight on there. I really don't want to cut it. Seems like the hair drier thing might work.

MickQ

Yep. Nice and easy. You'll get an idea by their age.
When they're off, you can check the markings to see what the condition of the fluid is like (old/new). I think PS fluid is hydroscopic (loves water) which is bad.

CodeBlox

This is a 2007 Dodge RAM, it requires ATF+4 in the PS system. I for some reason just think that the same, old stuff is in there still from when the truck was purchased. I should take their asses to court. They messed up my transmission too and I think it's slipping. Thats why I'm doing this myself now, I can't really trust mechanics anymore since then. I think they forgot to put tranny fluid back in the transmission as there was not much at all in there, none on the dip stick when it finally got fixed.

MickQ

Careful then. If you're going to go down the legal route, you'll need a person trained in being able to give a qualified evidence to the effect of their negligence - aka expert witness.
If you go ripping it all apart, then it's not entirely in the same condition as they gave it back to you.

CodeBlox

Thing with with taking them to court is, this work was done in October of last year. Before I took it in, it ran beautifully. Now, the PS whines and I've loss horse power and it seems like the tranny is slipping. I'm thinking it's too late to do anything.

MickQ

PTFE is a great lubricant (common name for teflon). It might be able to patch up anything that's been slightly damaged in the internal workings. I use it to get more power and better efficiency from my engine.
I'm not expert in car matters but if the PS is whining, and you seem to have lost HP, then it might be symptomatic of something else being wrong/blocked/loose.

drkat

Yeah your horse power isn't directly related to your power steering

What you can so is plug in a pressure tester on the test port on the transmission and the. Run the engine thru gears etc the pressure will drop if it slips