Power Steering Leak
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 509
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From: Edmonds WA
Power Steering Leak
I've got a pretty bad leak coming from the power steering in my 87. It started growling on the way home the other day, I checked the fluid, which was way low and topped it up. After a 5-mile drive, it was growling again and really low.
I noticed fluid on the floor of the garage, so I jacked up the front of the car and it seems to be dripping from the bottom connector on the pump.
Anyone else had this kind of problem with the PS? Does it likely mean the pump has failed and needs to be replaced? Or is it possibly a bad connector? I suppose if you have to get the pulley off to fix a connector, you probably should just replace the pump.
Is this a 1-hour job? Or an all-day job?
Thanks much!
I noticed fluid on the floor of the garage, so I jacked up the front of the car and it seems to be dripping from the bottom connector on the pump.
Anyone else had this kind of problem with the PS? Does it likely mean the pump has failed and needs to be replaced? Or is it possibly a bad connector? I suppose if you have to get the pulley off to fix a connector, you probably should just replace the pump.
Is this a 1-hour job? Or an all-day job?
Thanks much!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,300
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From: Summerland B.C. Canada
The low pressure line on pump bottom is held in place with a gear clamp and may just be loose or the hose may have a hole. Both are fixed easily.
Clean it well at watch at startup, should be a little more obvious where it's coming from.
Clean it well at watch at startup, should be a little more obvious where it's coming from.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Fort Knox, KY
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My '92 had a leak along the metal rack-to-resovoir pipe. Replaced it and the leaking stopped. If you replace the connector on the low-pressure line, be sure and use worm gear screw clamps and not the O.E.M. style.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 509
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From: Edmonds WA
Thanks for the tips--I totally agree about using good hose clamps. Although replacing a hose is simple, in this case getting to it doesn't seem easy since there isn't much room.
Do you have to remove the pulley to replace the hoses? Or, do I just need to take a different angle on it?
Thanks much for the help!
Do you have to remove the pulley to replace the hoses? Or, do I just need to take a different angle on it?
Thanks much for the help!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 509
Likes: 5
From: Edmonds WA
I crawled further under the car and managed to get a better angle to see, and reach, the pump. Looking at the back side of the pump, it seems to be dripping from the pipe that connects to the control valve (from the drawings in the FSM, anyway). The fitting wasn't very tight, so I snugged it up, but it's still dripping. 
I'm wondering how a fitting on the power steering pump would work it's way loose anyway???
I'm wondering how a fitting on the power steering pump would work it's way loose anyway???
