I'm in the midst of doing a TB replacement on my 2001 2.7T and have been following the teardown instructions located here. Everything was going well until I went to remove the front carrier as described, but am hung up on the following hose connection that wasn't outlined in the instructions (I think his car is a different year). The pictures show the hose at the bottom of the radiator and connect to the back side of the intercooler on the drivers side. I disconnected the hose and had some type of oil coming out, so I put the hose back until I figured out what the hose was for. I included a pic of the oil cought in the bucket. So what is this and is it safe to disconnect?

 

Bump... Nobody knows what this hose is?

 

The pictures to not "pop" up on my computer... can not see much.

Are they the hoses for the power steering? ...do not know why it would go over by the intercooler... isn't the reservoir over there? How are the auto transmission lines routed? I'd just be guessing....

 

Well, I disconnected them anyway since it was the only way I could swing the carrier out to have full front access for the TB swap I am doing. Some fluid drained, but not too much. I believe it is power steering fluid. They mount into the back side of the intercooler into an aluminum block. One hose goes to the radiator and then there is a return line back to the intercooler. Strange, wouldn't think it would have anything to do with the intercooler, but that's german engineering for you!