weird power steering fluid leak...

**Spaz** · 12-08-2008, 04:38 AM

well... seems like every few days i got to fill her with fluid... i checked the lines.. the steering rack every thing... i took a pressure pump and tried to see if it was leaking any where and it wasn't... i'm completely baffled... i'm getting luid all over my alternator and it puddles in my k arm... of course the fan is blowing it all over the under carrage also... it seems to be worse when it is cold out... any one have this happen???

**Orcus79** · 12-08-2008, 11:42 AM

Probably a pin hole on the High pressure side. You won't see it but it will make a mess. Cuold also be a leak between the resivoir and pump. But from you say it sounds more like the line from the cooler to the rack.

**Spaz** · 12-08-2008, 11:54 AM

yeah... i've looked every where for the leak and can't find it... i sprayed down every thing with electronics cleaner to see where the leak is coming from to no avail...

**bigrondownhiller** · 12-08-2008, 12:01 PM

You might have to add some dye in with the fluid. Then you might be able to narrow it down with a blacklight.

**Orcus79** · 12-08-2008, 12:04 PM

Another trick, and be careful doing this, it to take a peice of cardboard and run it up and down the lines. It will catch the spray from a small leak and show you where it is coming from.

**juiced99ws6** · 12-08-2008, 03:18 PM

what you need to do to really find the leak is to get the car or at least the front end up in the air. You are only going to be leaking from the pressure side under load. Get the car in the air and turn the wheel back and forth and your leak will become apparent. Or you could just go out and buy both lines, they are pretty cheap and install is easy enough and then you have nothing to worry about

**ls1camino** · 12-08-2008, 03:31 PM

Just drive in a straight line...no turns and you should be fine

**Spaz** · 12-09-2008, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by juiced99ws6

what you need to do to really find the leak is to get the car or at least the front end up in the air. You are only going to be leaking from the pressure side under load. Get the car in the air and turn the wheel back and forth and your leak will become apparent. Or you could just go out and buy both lines, they are pretty cheap and install is easy enough and then you have nothing to worry about

did that... couldn't find any leak...

**SSTODD** · 12-09-2008, 07:55 AM

Had an 89' IROC that would leak fluid out of the cap because the rubber seal was missing on the stem for checking the fluid level. I can't remember if these cars have that or not?

**Boat** · 12-09-2008, 08:37 PM

I'd recommend you make sure the leak is not coming from your reservoir...

I just took my PS pump off for the 4th time for this exact same reason. I'm getting pissed! I got a new power steering pump a while ago and did not know there was supposed to be an o-ring between the reservoir and the pump. After the first leak I installed an o-ring from my o-ring kit. It still leaked after that so I removed it again and applied some black RTV along with the o-ring. It did not leak for a couple of months. Lately I noticed a small puddle of PS fluid in the garage where I park. The leak is definitely coming from the reservoir.

I just removed it again and it's currently sitting in my vice in the garage. Im seriously considering JB welding the reservoir to the pump! I don't know what else to do...

I've already replaced the alternator for this reason and now I'm worried my new one is going to get messed up now...

**Boat** · 12-09-2008, 08:40 PM

Oh, by the way. Does anyone have a recommendation on how to clean power steering fluid from an alternator without screwing it up?...

**juiced99ws6** · 12-10-2008, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

did that... couldn't find any leak...

hmm.. ok. kinda rules out the line then because under pressure that wouldnt just be a seeping type of leak. I guess your next best bet would be that resevior... I don't remember it being all that difficult to take the resevior off the pump but I cant remember for sure.

**mark21742** · 12-10-2008, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by Boat

Oh, by the way. Does anyone have a recommendation on how to clean power steering fluid from an alternator without screwing it up?...

$7 can of MAF cleaner from the parts store won't hurt the alt but don't know if it will get all the fluif off.
if you have a paint gun, with the engine running, crankup the air pressure and narrow the spray pattern.....use a mix of Dawn dish soap and water......then use plain water in the gun .....works and you can use it on the whole motor.
just leave the motor running while you do it!

**mark21742** · 12-10-2008, 02:16 AM

hey Spaz, on my goat there are two small pieces of hose just sliped and clamped on right below and on the passenger side of my radiator going through the rad support to the cooler hard line. I had one clamp break and got about the same type leak you talk about....dont know if you have the same setup.....why do we have a power steering cooler anyway?

**Spaz** · 12-10-2008, 08:04 AM

well... from looking at it, it looks like i have to take the damned pully off to get the res out...

looks like there are two bolts holing it there but they are right behind the damned pully...

**0rion** · 12-10-2008, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Spaz

well... from looking at it, it looks like i have to take the damned pully off to get the res out...

looks like there are two bolts holing it there but they are right behind the damned pully...

you can get those bolts out though without taking the pulley off..... I did it when I did my heads/cam. Just takes some patience and a bunch of small turns.

**juiced99ws6** · 12-10-2008, 01:40 PM

or if you just rent a pulley puller from autozone then it is not difficult at all to remove or reinstall.

**ls1camino** · 12-12-2008, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

you can get those bolts out though without taking the pulley off..... I did it when I did my heads/cam. Just takes some patience and a bunch of small turns.

Spaz + Patience = ?

It's like telling a 5yo kid that just drank a 2 Liter of coke to sit down and watch the 6 o'clock news.

**310stanger** · 12-12-2008, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by Spaz

well... seems like every few days i got to fill her with fluid... i checked the lines.. the steering rack every thing... i took a pressure pump and tried to see if it was leaking any where and it wasn't... i'm completely baffled... i'm getting luid all over my alternator and it puddles in my k arm... of course the fan is blowing it all over the under carrage also... it seems to be worse when it is cold out... any one have this happen???

check for a split of crack in the plastic reservoir itself spaz

**bigdaddy001** · 12-12-2008, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by Spaz

well... seems like every few days i got to fill her with fluid... i checked the lines.. the steering rack every thing... i took a pressure pump and tried to see if it was leaking any where and it wasn't... i'm completely baffled... i'm getting luid all over my alternator and it puddles in my k arm... of course the fan is blowing it all over the under carrage also... it seems to be worse when it is cold out... any one have this happen???

I had the same problem with mine this summer. It turned out to be a pinhole in the high pressure side. You would only see it when you turned the wheel, even then it was hard to see. They're not too expensive.