Leaking power steering fluid
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 904
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach FL
Leaking power steering fluid
Hi everyone...
Noticed some spots on the driveway, my 1994 coupe is leaking power steering fluid.
I checked the pump, the reservoir, and all of that is clean/dry.
Lot of spattering near the drivers side, on the CV boot, on the rack, and various other parts. Looks like the fluid is getting thrown around a lot, wherever it's leaking from.
Any common failure parts that I should be looking at? Best way to find the leak? I tried to see it from underneath, that didn't really help. I'm guessing next step is to take the tire/rim off and see if I can see anything from there?
How to recreate the leak, do you think? Should I try turning the wheel left & right while watching for some fluid leaks?
Thanks for any advice...
Noticed some spots on the driveway, my 1994 coupe is leaking power steering fluid.
I checked the pump, the reservoir, and all of that is clean/dry.
Lot of spattering near the drivers side, on the CV boot, on the rack, and various other parts. Looks like the fluid is getting thrown around a lot, wherever it's leaking from.
Any common failure parts that I should be looking at? Best way to find the leak? I tried to see it from underneath, that didn't really help. I'm guessing next step is to take the tire/rim off and see if I can see anything from there?
How to recreate the leak, do you think? Should I try turning the wheel left & right while watching for some fluid leaks?
Thanks for any advice...
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 552
Likes: 2
From: Dubuque Iowa
I'd put money on the rack leaking, especially if it has never been changed before. The seals on mine started to go at around 75,000 miles.
If you don't already have the fast ratio rack, now you have a good excuse to get it
If you don't already have the fast ratio rack, now you have a good excuse to get it
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
Likes: 9
From: Merritt Ils Fl
I chased a PS leak for 2 months. If I went thru all I did to find it I would need to write a book. Last move was a new rack, Old one was seeping from an outter seal.Good excuse for a close ratio swap
. As I was having the toe in checked guy pointed out the return hose was leaking but only when the was stressed from the side. Strange but true. Fixed now but was a major PITA to find.
. As I was having the toe in checked guy pointed out the return hose was leaking but only when the was stressed from the side. Strange but true. Fixed now but was a major PITA to find.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 904
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach FL
OK... looks like a rack replacement would cost me $200 or so for parts.
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week
)
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week
)
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 552
Likes: 2
From: Dubuque Iowa
OK... looks like a rack replacement would cost me $200 or so for parts.
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week)
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week
)Last edited by ride250s; Dec 15, 2008 at 10:56 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
OK... looks like a rack replacement would cost me $200 or so for parts.
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week)
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week
)Do it yourself
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 519
Likes: 0
From: greenville SC
OK... looks like a rack replacement would cost me $200 or so for parts.
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week)
How much in labor is this going to cost me if I brought it somewhere?
Should a weekend warrior mechanic like myself attempt a fix like this? I've replaced an Optispark, and that was probably the hardest thing I've ever done to a car (took me about a week
)If you can change an opti then you can change a steering rack but it does suck. Everything you need to reach is hard to get to.
Then it needs to be realigned immediately but you can eyeball it & get it close enough to drive it to the alignment shop.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
My son's LT4 was shooting PS fluid all over the place on the drivers side. I had to tear it down until I was able to locate the source of the leak, which was the high pressure line that goes into the PS pump. So my problem was just to replace a $0.50 O-ring. I started at the PS pump since there was PS fluid all over the inside of the hood. Yours seems to be located in the rack. But make sure you don't install a whole new rack if all that is blown is a rubber O-ring.
EDIT:
I just remembered that prior to fixing, I actually filled the PS resorvoir up, and had my son start the engine. PS fluid was coming out from the pump area like an upside down niagra falls. Try to locate exact source of leak this way. I only had the PS pump turning for 10 seconds or so to isolate the exact point of leak. Massive leaks tend to be very easy to find.
EDIT:
I just remembered that prior to fixing, I actually filled the PS resorvoir up, and had my son start the engine. PS fluid was coming out from the pump area like an upside down niagra falls. Try to locate exact source of leak this way. I only had the PS pump turning for 10 seconds or so to isolate the exact point of leak. Massive leaks tend to be very easy to find.
Last edited by MikeC4; Dec 16, 2008 at 12:33 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 96,443
Likes: 9
From: Fort Knox, KY
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Check the metal rack-to-reservoir pipe, too. It took me the better part of six months of ownership to track that PS rack leak down on mine.
