My 92 Stealth has a small leak on the Steering rack that I narrowed down to the transfer tube. It has rusted under that plastic cover, a typical Northern Car rust issue.

Unfortunately the transfer tubes are no longer available and rebuilt racks are an expensive crap shoot.

Getting the entire tube or rack out is a bit of a pain but I will if I have to.

I am have no desire to replace a good rack when a tube repair makes more sense.

Making a new tube has it's own issues since the fittings are probably JIS not NPT or SAE.

It leaks while just sitting and doesn't seem to leak more or less when driving.

Are these just return lines or are they pressurized?

Can I just cut out the rusted section and patch it with rubber?

Thanks in advance.

Likely O rings on the fittings. If you're creative and handy with a tubing bender and flaring tool, you can probably make your own lines. Reuse the fittings and don't worry about threads.

Thanks for the advice.

Short term I am going to try to patch it but long term I am going to replace it.
I just have to wait until a 91 to 94 stealth shows up in the local junkyard.

Compression fittings probably won't work on metric lines but I may be able to get a flare and union to fit.

I would make another from scratch but metric tubing in that size is hard to get locally. Brake line sizes are easy but that is about 5/16 to 3/8 tubing just in metric.

If it is just a return line and no pressure I could actually just clamp rubber tubing in place of that section.

I won't start it until next week because this week is finals but I am hoping to get it done fast. It drips on the exhaust and stinks terribly.

I've used 1/4" line as a substitute for 6mm plenty of times. Just drill the fitting out a bit, sometimes you don't even need to.

If it's a double flare you're done. If o ring, loosen the line clamp and use the flare tool to push a short length of 3/16 line into the flared end . That will hold the o ring.

If the other end of those lines go into the rack(likely) they are pressure lines. One will be pressure tuning right(the other will be return fluid)when turning left they switch roles. Hose and clamps won't cut it.

if using hose, high pressure stuff is a must, plus a "bubble" type of flare is required to keep the hose from popping off.
use fuel injection hose clamps instead of the worm gear style, and don't cramp the rack to full lock, where the pressure spikes.
i went through this with a minivan once, and it was a giant pain until i got a new line from rock auto.

Not going to work on a steering system that could have over 1,000 psi.

HAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!!! i sure found THAT out rather quickly !
i tried shoving a chunk of the factory "flex" part of that line over the "bubble" i made on the part of the line that wasn't rusted [because of the clamp trapping dirt and water around the line] then using three fuel injection clamps, and that lasted a couple of trips before popping off !
glad "the rock" had the line i needed in stock, and shipped it fast !
by then, i was pretty good at laying under the "bus", and shoving the hose back on and re-tightening the clamps by "feel".

Ahhh.

Not the words I wanted to hear but definitely the words I needed to hear. Thank you

There are a couple Stealths in a junkyard a couple hours from here. Looks like time to travel.

You can make lines faster.

Shhhhh Don't use logic... I'm looking for an excuse to skip town. LOL

I will try to make lines first and with the 6mm to 1/4" trick you listed earlier I think I am set.

Kudos for that.

If it was just the lines I wouldn't make the trip but I have a few other parts on that car in need of attention so I may just take the day off and go on a mini vacation if the line repair goes south.

Well that makes sense.

The trick about using the smaller line to hold the o ring is easier done than described.