The annual T/A spring problems...

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 03-27-2013, 08:29 AM

Seems every year after I take her out of storage there is an issue, still love the car but ARGH! I looked under the car and there was a black/brown stain so I instantly figured oil, Well I dropped it off with my mechanic today and he insists it is power steering fluid leaking...I thought power steering fluid was clearish red

I haven't changed the power steering fluid since I bought that car and that was 9 years and 60,000 miles ago, Just curious if anyone knows if power steering fluid would change to a dark oil like consistency from being so used and old, just wanna make sure he's not jerking me around, cause I swear that looked like oil - Thanks

**ls1camino** · 03-27-2013, 08:46 AM

Check for yourself, but yes, PS fluid gets dark.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 03-27-2013, 08:51 AM

I thought so thanks, he just called me on the phone and its about a 45 min drive to get there or else I woulda checked my self, but man looked just like a pool of oil was pretty shocked when he said power steering - THANKS

**cammed goat** · 03-27-2013, 10:06 AM

Have your mechanic make the repairs and flush the system. If I recall, our cars use ATF for power steering fluid. And ATF does get dark over time as Jeremy stated before.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 03-28-2013, 05:30 PM

Hey, I also replaced my oil pump last year right before I stored it, I took the car out only a couple of days ago and have been driving it a lot, I noticed after I drive her for awhile and it gets all warmed up, when i'm stopped oil pressure hangs around 23-26 when i'm rolling between 45-55 mph with cruise control on it ranges around 35-40 and when I hit the gas from 45mph to about 60mph it jumps up to 50-55 pressure. My car is 99 with an A4, I have always put 5w30 in my car but i switched to 10w30 for the first time when I got my oil changed yesterday, Are these numbers ok?? -THANKS

**ls1camino** · 03-29-2013, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by 1 RedHot TransAm

Hey, I also replaced my oil pump last year right before I stored it, I took the car out only a couple of days ago and have been driving it a lot, I noticed after I drive her for awhile and it gets all warmed up, when i'm stopped oil pressure hangs around 23-26 when i'm rolling between 45-55 mph with cruise control on it ranges around 35-40 and when I hit the gas from 45mph to about 60mph it jumps up to 50-55 pressure. My car is 99 with an A4, I have always put 5w30 in my car but i switched to 10w30 for the first time when I got my oil changed yesterday, Are these numbers ok?? -THANKS

You're fine. the difference between 5w30 and 10w30 is nothing when the temps are above 0* F.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 04-09-2013, 04:19 PM

Well thanks for all the input this site and the people on it have been really helpful over the years, but I need more input lol, I have taken care of alot of things with the T/A these last couple weeks, I ended up driving out to look at my car before the mechanic did work and confirmed in person that it was a power steering leak so i had him take care of that, last week I replaced the front brakes and rotors my self which was'nt to bad, I also got the wright up on the VATS bypass through this site which was REAL helpful and was successful, but I have to admit it was a pain in the ass to do. Anyhow I have 2 last issues to address one if which I just noticed a few days ago, the car was parked for about a week with out driving and I noticed a little speck of oil under the car, I looked under it and saw some oil on my oil pan. I just had my front oil pan gasket replaced about a year ago. Is it possible they did a crappy job or is there other things that can leak oil around that area?? Next, I have had this problem for about 3 or so years where after I drive my car for a while and it sits for over a half hour or so, when I turn the key it goes "err err err" like its about to start but just don't turn over, all I got to do is try it again and it starts right away every time the second time. This never happens from a cold start or if I start it back up right away after driving, only if it has sat 30+ mins after driving. I checked to see if it was throwing any codes and its throwing NONE, I also had my wife turn the key half way while I was listening near the gas cap area for the fuel pump to turn on and I heard it turn on just fine. ANY ideas would be appreciated, when the fuel pump was goin out on my wife's camaro the engine would cut out when driving and we would have to let it cool to restart it, MY car has never done that. Maybe dirty fuel filter?? My car has 130XXX Miles and I have never had it changed, - THANKS

**cammed goat** · 04-10-2013, 12:28 PM

Shop could have missed a spot when they applied the gasket sealer, overtightened the pan bolts or could be above where the oil filter threads into the block as a gasket tends to go bad in that area. As for the cranking issue, your starter could be going bad. Take out the starter and have it tested. Others will chime in.

**screamin chicken** · 04-22-2013, 02:48 AM

I havent had that happen but i have twice had all my cooliant leaked out of mine after driving it and putting it back in the garage, I only have 30,100 miles on it, so i drive it maybe 5 times a year....

**KMdef9** · 04-22-2013, 02:29 PM

When you say it tries to start, the motor is cranking hard? Or does it sounds weak? If it isn't your battery or starter, its fuel or ignition related.

A couple ideas come to mind.

As you think, fuel delivery could be weak. Check the pressure at the rails. Or it could be a dirty fuel filter.

**0rion** · 04-23-2013, 05:34 PM

yeah...I need a better definition of "err err err"

Is it cranking the motor and just not starting or is it barely cranking the motor over? Those are 2 different trouble shooting paths. As for the oil your best bet is to crawl under it and clean it and then check it after the next drive or it sits all night and see where it's coming from. You can narrow it somewhat by parking over cardboard so you can see where it drips but that's not always the most accurate because oil runs or is blown back by driving. It could be the front of the pan leaking or if it's a little further back it could be a couple places.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 04-23-2013, 05:51 PM

Yeah it cranks hard like its about to start, nothing weak or slow about it. All i gotta do is turn the key back and try it again it starts right up with no hesitation the seconds time. I find it weird it fires right up strong from a cold start. Say i drive to a store or the mall and im only in there for 10 or so minutes the car will start right up, it only acts up if it has been sitting 30 min or so after driving it. I haven't really been able to mess with the car for the past couple weeks because of this bazaar Minnesota winter we have been having. And FYI it has a brand new battery. Its sounding like my first attempt at trying something should be changing the fuel filter then??? being I think its the original filter, was also wondering if bad a spark plugs could have anything to do with it, I hav'nt had a tune up since 50,XXX miles and now it has 130XXX.

**0rion** · 04-23-2013, 07:45 PM

you're overdue for plugs and wires. Fuel filter would be a good place to start since it probably needs swapped anyhow. I would get a fuel pressure gauge and see what your pressure is doing. I was thinking either a cracked hose in the tank or bad fuel pressure regulator but you say after it sits all night it starts up fine? That's usually when those would show the most. It definitely sounds fuel pressure related one way or the other. Start with the filter and you can buy a pressure gauge for about $20 if you wanted to check your pressure and see what it's doing. Should be 58psi when you turn the key to run and should hold. The other thing is the pump could be heating up and causing it but I think you should start with checking the pressure and doing the filter.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 04-23-2013, 08:00 PM

Ok thanks, yeah as soon as the weather is better next week i'll swap the filter and check the pressure, I will update you guys when I find some answers.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 05-05-2013, 09:05 PM

We hooked it up and tested the fuel pressure and it reads 58 when it starts which is normal, but after it sits for 20 or so minutes the pressure drops way down to 10, so were thinking its the fuel pressure regulator, oh and FYI I changed the fuel filter and it made no difference. As far as the oil leak goes we put some dye in the oil and were gonna check out where the leak is coming from, there seems to be oil on the driver side manifold that drips to the bottom of he car near the oil pan, my car has a brand new front oil pan gasket and the oil pump is brand new, so i'm curious to find out where the leak is coming from, it is a VERY small leak, like a half tea spoon of oil a week but it still really annoys me so I wanna fix it, really curious where its coming from, i'm gonna bring it in monday and see what we find with the dye.

**ls1camino** · 05-06-2013, 04:25 AM

Check the valve covers' gaskets.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 05-09-2013, 09:22 PM

Ended up being the valve cover gaskets leaking, on another note, I was wondering how much power steering fluid the LS1 holds.

**1 RedHot TransAm** · 05-16-2013, 06:52 AM

When they fixed the valve cover gasket, they made me aware that my rear main seal was leaking, its a VERY SMALL leak it does'nt even make it to the the ground, it just gets a little oily on the bottom end, they said it was'nt worth fixing, 1. being it was such a small leak and 2. they said they would have to remove my transmission to get at it and that would be expensive labor wise. Does anyone know if that lucas oil stop leak stuff works or is safe? I was also told using valvoline max life has some mild additives that would slow and or stop the leak because it has some special additives and would be safer than putting a gallon of the lucas stop leak in. Suggestions??????