Steering Rack Leak?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 363
From: Midland TX
Steering Rack Leak?
About 4 months ago I had the GM Dealership replace the harmonic balancer under warranty as it was starting to wobble. About 3 weeks ago I noticed what looked like a drop of motor oil on the garage floor under the front of the car, but forward of the engine. Now I am seeing drops everytime I stop the car, but the Power steering fluid and motor oil both still show full?
I understand that they had to drop the steering rack to replace the balancer. I have never dropped a steering rack before, but do they loosen hydraulic connections to do this? If so, I am thinking this is the source of the leak that we have not been able to find yet.
I also had them replace the differential fluid at the same time as preventive maintenance and I am getting drops of black oil at the rear end.
This is the first time I have ever had a drop of anything under the car in 7 years and both after I had the dealership work on those two items - coincidence?
But my main question, is regading the steering rack.
I understand that they had to drop the steering rack to replace the balancer. I have never dropped a steering rack before, but do they loosen hydraulic connections to do this? If so, I am thinking this is the source of the leak that we have not been able to find yet.
I also had them replace the differential fluid at the same time as preventive maintenance and I am getting drops of black oil at the rear end.
This is the first time I have ever had a drop of anything under the car in 7 years and both after I had the dealership work on those two items - coincidence?
But my main question, is regading the steering rack.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
The first thing you need to do is get under the car and find out exactly where the leaks are coming from.
The 2 hoses going to the rack have to be disconnected in order to remove it from the car but I've never heard of one of these leaking before, they are both located on the left side of the rack, almost under the frame rail.
The differential, as I'm sure you've heard, is prone to leaking from the left side cover, so again try to get under the car to determine just where that leak is coming from. The fluid could also be coming from the vent on the top left side of the differential if it was overserviced by the dealership, in which case I wouldn't worry about it at all.
The 2 hoses going to the rack have to be disconnected in order to remove it from the car but I've never heard of one of these leaking before, they are both located on the left side of the rack, almost under the frame rail.
The differential, as I'm sure you've heard, is prone to leaking from the left side cover, so again try to get under the car to determine just where that leak is coming from. The fluid could also be coming from the vent on the top left side of the differential if it was overserviced by the dealership, in which case I wouldn't worry about it at all.
