Keeping PAS when swapping engines

Brakes, Suspension, Steering, Handling,
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nominous
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Keeping PAS when swapping engines

Post by nominous »

I've never seen anything written up about this anywhere, so here goes.
I previously swapped a B18 into a 1.5 crx shell and replaced the stock PAS high pressure line with that from a SiR, fitted the SiR pump and also crank pulley.
Worked fine as expected but you need a lot of parts which can be hard to find - especially crank pulleys in good condition !!

Since then I've done a B18 into a GL Sedan swap and did it in a slightly different way:

Image

That is the PAS pump from the B18 with a short section of it's high pressure hose joined to the high pressure hose from the GL.
Trip to the local hydraulics firm and then reccomeneded this part. It's a compression fitting with 23MM nuts and 19MM centre.
It's for 12MM pipe IIRC, which seemed to be a common size. They had this on the shelf for a little over £5.

To fit, take a tube cutter - I used one for copper pipe and went slowly, to cut both pipes ensuring that you have a straight length approx 30mm to get the nut and compression olive on to the pipe.
There MUST be a straight section - you cannot do this on a bend.
I had to straighten my pipe a little after cutting. I inserted a drift into the end and bent it slightly. It's thick wall so this is difficult!

After cutting, the edges of the pipe will have raised up a little above the normal diameter.
I stuffed a bit of garage towel in the end and then using a file brought the edges back down again such that the compression olive would fit over the end of the pipe.

To align in the joint is pretty simple. With the nut and compression olive ove the pipe, fit to the centre section, hand tighten the nut and then push the pipe as far in as it will go.
Then using two spanners crank the joint together hard - no idea on torque, I tightened till it wouldn't move by hand.
Repeat for the other side.

I've done two of these now and no leaks experienced. PAS is high pressure but hydraulics are higher still.

The valving for the fluid is done in the PAS pump.
You can play with this if you dissassemble, but perhaps swapping pumps might be a task to experiment with for someone.
Say a ITR pump over a GL pump.
Good news is you get to keep the stock pulley on the engine.

For the low pressure line you will just need to extend the hose to fit onto the pump.

Some cutting of the headlight area may be needed with the new pump depending on your mounts.
I've had to do this with the sedan, but I had to do it on the CRX too.
I'd suggest trying the pump for size before you start cutting. Mainly the hose tail for the low pressure got in the way.

I'll try to get pic of the pipe ends to add to the post.
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