I have a 96 lt4 with 45k miles, within the last 1k miles ive noticed that once in a while when I turn the steering wheel i will feel a slight "clunk" (kind as if the lugs may be loose on the wheel), its been doning it more often although not everytime I make a full or partial turn.
Ive noticed oil that is splattered on the hood, looks as if the belt is just throwing it on the hood.
I took some pics showing where I believe the oil is coming out of, looks to be coming from the nut.
Does anyone have any clues or suggestions to as what I can do?

 

Try checking to see if the fittting is loose, with a crowfoot socket.

 

anyone else? is it a possible o-ring to be replaced?

 

There is no O-ring on that fitting.

 

Try tightening the power steering lines. there are no gaskets or o-rings. It is possible the connection is bad. Replacing power steering lines is a fairly straighforward job.

 

there are small o-rings on the ends of the hoses. Remember this is a metric system, and it uses those o-rings. The standard system used until '78 used the flare fittings, and there were no o-rings.
I would change the o-rings, available at any auto-zone, checker, napa, u name it.
about 3 years ago, I changed the rack in my 86, and at that time, everything was great. I just changed the rack for that very same clunk. The new rack comes with those tubes you pointed to in your pic.
The rack was $240 lifetime at autozone, and I just collected on that warranty with the second rack. If it messes up again, I will change it again for free, and the only hitch is having to align the wheels just for the toe adjustment. $60.
On these cars, the toe is 1/8 inch in, and I had them do 1/16 inch in for tire wear.
The rack comes out in about 1 1/2 hours if interrupted for pee breaks, wife interruptions, coffee, and the like.
Jack up the car, and take off the front wheels, remove the sway bar, turn it 90 degrees to get it out, then loosen the clamp on top of the rack, then the through bolt on the rack mount, then use a puller, and pull off the tie rod ends from the control arms, use a small prybar to jiggle it loose, slide the lower steering u-joint cover up the shaft, take the lower pinch bolt out of the steering u-joint, and then while it's loosey -goosey, undo the power steering hoses. pull the hoses out of the way, and slide out the rack, you have to turn it while you remove it. loosen the lock nut on the tie rod ends, and count the number of turns to take them off, and twist them back on the new rack the same number of turns. It will get you to the alignment shop with that adjustment. then just reinstall in the same manner you installed it. If you lock the steering column in the straight ahead position, and count the rack turns, then leave it in the straight ahead position, the steering column slides onto the rack shaft like butter.
Just take extra precautions to keep everything clean. dirt in the system has no filter to take it out, and eventually will eat up the pump and the rack.

 

My shop manual shows o-rings only on the opposite ends of those two lines. It shows no o-rings at the fitting pictured above.

I did not see an o-ring on the pictured fitting when I had to undo the line and move it aside, to fit a balancer tool into place.

 

Shoot I don't remember. Some of them have O-rings and some don't.

 

I think there may be oil seal in there that may be bad. The same thing happened to me it was pouring out fluid through the rivets

 

Be careful of the PS fluid-I think if it touches hot exhaust it could possibly start a fire

 

the only 'o' rings are at the other end nearest the steering shaft. the ones at the top of the rack have NO "o"rings

 

thanks for the helpful replies everyone.
Just a few questions though. My dad has the crow foot wrench at his work, does anyone know the exact size (96 lt4)?

Should I take the thing off and look for a o-ring or just call the gm dealer to see if they can find out if it does have one.

Also this slight clunking that I am feeling means that the steering rack is going bad, but how long to they usually last and what happens when its completly shot?

 

mseven we both posted at the same time lol. I guess ill try tightening it down, seems like a real pita to get to from the top .

I tried turning the steering wheel to make it leak and nada. My dad even was looking for the leak but saw nothing coming out. Does this thing leak from more pressure in the higher rpms?

 

mine is 5/8" were you have shown in the pic. you can do it from the bottom w/car in the air and loosining the cooler (4, 10 mm. bolts if equipped)

 

Use the crowfoot and several long extensions from the top. It's so much easier.

 

will try it tm. just have to ask my dad to bring home the crow foot from his work.

Either way sooner or later I guess ill have to replace the steering rack, its a shame the car only has 45k miles on it. Could the clunking be from the steering rack being lookse, and it moving around slightly is causing this leak?

 

Did you check to see if it's loose? What's the story?

 

Well I havent gotten a chance to try tightening it. I am thinking its not oil, as someone said it could be antifreeze being slung on the belt (it also evaporates/dissappears after about 40 mins, leading me to believe its not an oily substance.
Its still kinda dark, also the last time I drove the car the rack was wet on the side of it, not on the line going to the top, but where it looks like there is somekind of plug, about 3 or 4 inches from the line on the top..
Im also getting a faint smell of antifreeze out of the vents when first started.

 

Try to find one of my posts on a PS pump failure after a Track day.

After a lot of looking around the leak was developed at the power steering pressure hose at the Power steering pump.

The PS pressure hose has O rings at the ends. To remove this hose you need a 16 metric ( 5/8 works also) for the PS Pump and 18 for the gear rack.

The problem I had was that the hose had a little fisure at the end, you could hardly notice it, but when pressur built the PS fluid leaked very much.

So I had to replace the hose and no leaks now.

PM for details , pictures and procedures

 

I think it is my waterpump on its way out, I just noticed today the weephole is wet, which is leaking on the steering rack.., thats why it evaporates..
Well I dont believe its the powersteering anymore, the smell of antifreeze is getting stronger.