1996 Honda Accord power steering

Always run the soft metal nuts in by hand a good three or four turns to start it. That will insure it isn't cross-threaded. If you needed a wrench almost right away, it may be cross-threaded and not run down far enough.

If the nut was rusted to the steel line, the line could have twisted before the nut let go when you unscrewed it. That twisting can crack the steel line, or bending it to gain access can crack it.

If the line is able to swivel after the nut is tightened, replace the o-ring on the end of the pipe. That design and those pipes that get tight usually include new o-rings with the new rack. Those hoses that can swivel when the nut is tight will not move up and down. If your hose can move up and down, (be pulled out and pushed in a little), the nut isn't fully tightened.

Your observation that the leakage is worse when you turn the steering wheel suggests the return line is what's leaking. The fluid may be running to the pressure hose making that one look like it's the one that's leaking.

It's usually impossible to get a torque wrench with the right adapters in there. I've always deferred to common sense when tightening the nuts.

Your pressure line has a double flare on the end and doesn't use the o-ring I mentioned before. If you can swivel the line the nut isn't tight enough. If the nut is tight you may need to look at the end of the pipe to see if the flare is cracked. If the nut is cross-threaded you'll know it when you need a wrench to unscrew it. The rack normally has to be replaced for that because there really isn't a good way to fix it. You might try a "Heli-Coil" insert but I never tried fixing a rack that way.

Dandy. Happy to hear it's solved.