Does ATF damage Rubber hoses?

Arzaam

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On my BMW X5 the power steering cooler hoses have a suspected minor seepage on the crimp where they connect to the cooler, the pipe going to the rack is oily about half way down the engine bay, The power steering fluid it uses is ATF, its been like this for a year but power steering level never reduced. My question is will they oily layer one the outside of the hose damage it causing it to rupture? they look fine at the moment no swelling or anything, the material seems same as ATF cooler hoses on Mercedes. I don't want to replace it unless neccessary as its 400 quid for that hose from BMW and difficult to get to the steering rack and there is no reduction oil level.

if ATF is traveling inside that hose wouldn't that mean ATF on the outside wont harm it either? Screen Shot 2018-01-13 at 2.16.13 PM.png
 

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Normal rubber hose ,like those used for the water system are not 100% safe if the atf oil gets in contact with them for a period of time.Just wipe it clean from time to time If the hose is used for PAS then the rubber will be made to withstand ATF fluids .Might be spotted by the mot chap . And if it is weeping then it might burst or come apart at any time . And as this is an easy fix i would visit the scrap yard and pick up a hose that you need .The system will self bleed after the job is done .Or if you want to remove the old atf hose and get a new one made up at hydraulic shop
 

John Laidlaw

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Only time you might have an issue is of the ATF fluid should come into contact with the reinforcements which are vulcanised in the wall. At that point of course the hose must have an issue anyway!
Normal contact on the inner lining or cover will not affect the hose as it’s compounds (likely NBR/EPDM mixes or SBR) will be resistant. At least for many years even at elevated temperatures
 
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Arzaam

Arzaam

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thank you for the responses, though no MOT man to worry about here but I guess I should still have it done, would take the pinch and get it done with new hoses and would require new washers where it connects to the rack anyway, was shying away as the area is so cramped being a v8 engine and AWD the front diff is next to it.
 
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Arzaam

Arzaam

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Only time you might have an issue is of the ATF fluid should come into contact with the reinforcements which are vulcanised in the wall. At that point of course the hose must have an issue anyway!
Normal contact on the inner lining or cover will not affect the hose as it’s compounds (likely NBR/EPDM mixes or SBR) will be resistant. At least for many years even at elevated temperatures

reinforcement vulcanized in the wall meaning in the PS cooler? or firewall or somewhere else? thanks
 

LostKiwi

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reinforcement vulcanized in the wall meaning in the PS cooler? or firewall or somewhere else? thanks
He means the wall of the tubing. These high pressure tubes are made from multiple layers vulcanised into s single unit. As it's under high pressure the tube will have reinforcement layers vulcanised into the wall construction.
 

keefysher

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Only time you might have an issue is of the ATF fluid should come into contact with the reinforcements which are vulcanised in the wall. At that point of course the hose must have an issue anyway!
Normal contact on the inner lining or cover will not affect the hose as it’s compounds (likely NBR/EPDM mixes or SBR) will be resistant. At least for many years even at elevated temperatures

Translation:

Vulcanized - cured to a state of T90 (90% of theoretical cure condition). If it wasn't cured it would be floppy. Another phrase used is cross linked, again if it wasn't it would be floppy and gooey.

NBR - Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, a mixture of 2 man made polymers, acrylonitrile and butadiene. Provides oil resistance.
EPDM - Ethylene Propylene Diene tertiary Monomer, again a mad made polymer. Provides heat resistance in under bonnet parts such as hoses and mouldings.
SBR - Styrene Butadiene Rubber, another man made polymer. Cheap as chips to bring costs down.
All these polymers are bi products of oil, as are the ATF fluids.

Memory inducing from those years of day release at NCRT (National College of Rubber Technology) at the now London Metropolitan University, where the bloke wot shot the Pope went to, to be edumacated.
 

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^ thank you sir I should remember my audience!
 

keefysher

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^ thank you sir I should remember my audience!

Yw young man.

We sometimes have to remember the yoof don't know where things come from, it's not all on google, or digital, or facebook, instagram or wotever!!
 

John Laidlaw

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Yw young man.

We sometimes have to remember the yoof don't know where things come from, it's not all on google, or digital, or facebook, instagram or wotever!!
Is right innit?
 

Xtractorfan

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You could try opening up a jubilee clip, slipping it around the pipe, and tightening it up just behind the crimped joint.. See f it cures the problem..
Other suggestion is as stated to remove the hose and take it along to a hydraulic pipe repair centre and they will replace the old rubber reinforced bits for peanuts, in comparison to the price of the new pipe from BMW.
I had my little plastic'curly wurly' power washer hose replaced recently (10metres)for less than £30
 
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John Laidlaw

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If you are greatly concerned in the short term you can use a self amalgamating tape around the area half on half off the crimp ferrule https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/1320402901...3D710-134428-41853-0%26rvr_id%3D1415335023200
Apologies this is a UK ebay link but it is available all over. It’s handy stuff to keep around. There are far more sophisticated semi cure rubber tapes but for this type of job i’d Not bother with those
 
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Arzaam

Arzaam

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Thank you all so much for the replies and detailed explanation and also for the link
Will get the hoses repaired or if not get the new ones anyway since I intend to keep it
Though judging from the above replies o can stretch it to 6 months more to a more favourable time to get new ones and keep a eye meanwhile if it gets any worse though in a year it didn’t get any more oily nor did the level drop one bit
 

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