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While replacing my power steering fluid and checked the levels I noticed the next day that is it leaking slightly. T
here is about a drop every few minutes coming from this metal piece that I circled in a picture. It is only coming from this area. Any idea what it is? It is behind the driver side front tire about 8 inches back. I know it's the power steering fluid because once I changed it and turned the wheels 20x to get the air out this happened. I checked my AIM but it's hard to decipher what that piece is. I wiped it off for the picture but as time went on and I looked at it again there was a fluid drip hanging so I know that's where it's coming from. Thanks!
That 'metal piece' is a Zerk nipple which SHOULD NOT be used to add grease to the control valve. But, the only reason that drip shows up on that nipple is that is the LOWEST point on that component...so any oil on that piece would drain to that nipple before it fell off. Your leak (or leakS) are coming from above....somewhere. Could be from the P/S hoses or fittings; could be from the valve cover; could be from???? Capture a bit of that oil using a piece of white paper. Look at it to check the color of the oil and also sample the smell. It will either be engine oil, P/S oil, brake fluid, or transmission oil (if you have an automatic trans).
Once you know what oil is leaking, you can search on the associated components for the source of the leak. You need to find the source in order to really fix it permanently. You may have to clean/wash the surfaces off well and dry them in order to find the initiation point of that leak. But, with a bit of effort, you can do it.
That 'metal piece' is a Zerk nipple which SHOULD NOT be used to add grease to the control valve. But, the only reason that drip shows up on that nipple is that is the LOWEST point on that component...so any oil on that piece would drain to that nipple before it fell off. Your leak (or leakS) are coming from above....somewhere. Could be from the P/S hoses or fittings; could be from the valve cover; could be from???? Capture a bit of that oil using a piece of white paper. Look at it to check the color of the oil and also sample the smell. It will either be engine oil, P/S oil, brake fluid, or transmission oil (if you have an automatic trans).
Once you know what oil is leaking, you can search on the associated components for the source of the leak. You need to find the source in order to really fix it permanently. You may have to clean/wash the surfaces off well and dry them in order to find the initiation point of that leak. But, with a bit of effort, you can do it.
Thank you for your detailed response! I waited a few hours and put some napkins under there and this is what it looked like. It had no smell (from what I can tell) and looks exactly like the power steering fluid I put in recently. I am going to look at my AIM and all associated parts to try and identify the leak and where it came from. I am going to try to dry it all with a shop towel too to try to find the leak.
On my 73, I first changed all the hoses, as they’ve were in pretty bad shape. They are easy to replace, just messy. The leak slowed down for a while but eventually got worse.
I had a Corvette repair shop replace the valve. I decided to buy a new valve, after reading that remanufactured units can sometimes leak. Since I was paying someone to change the valve, I went with a new on, made by Lonestar. The valve is not hard to change, but I wasn’t comfortable with the procedure for centering the valve (starting the car with it being on jack stands).
I solved this for my two cars by switching to a Borgeson (79) and manual steering (80).
If you have a set of Race Ramps or similar, clean the whole area really well, then take a look while the car is running. You will be underneath a running car, so BE Careful!
Hopefully it is just a loose hose fitting. After replacing all the hoses in my 79, the control valve started leaking, then the PS pump. All gone/replaced now...
I completely rebuilt the stock power steering system in a couple of days with the rebuild kits for Control Valve and power assist cylinder, and new hoses. More trouble to clean them up and repaint, than to do the rebuilding. Power cylinder is simple. You just have to be careful with the Control Valve to keep parts oriented and sequenced properly, clean everything well and use care during reassembly. Been working fine for about 10 years since without any problems or leaks. I think I've dumped about $30 in that whole process. Borgeson?? $1000+
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
If you can get under there, use some brake cleaner and get everything you can clean. That way it will be easier to locate the leeak. I went through this last year. Bad pump housing
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Jul 19, 2019 at 06:18 PM.
Mine leaked on me too, bought a new one and it started leaking again. Within days i had a puddle. I don;t like puddles. I tore the whole thing out and went with Steeroids. No more puddles from that device.
Do whatever you want, but I am not going back to lucy-goosey steering valves anymore.
Power steering leak question
I think I've dumped about $30 in that whole process. Borgeson?? $1000+
