Power Steering Fluid leak questions
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 239
From: Missi'ppi... no mo' MO for me!!
Power Steering Fluid leak questions
I need to provide some details which will make this a long read, sorry.
My 2003 z06 has been in storage for about a month. For the first three weeks or so, all was fine. Temperatures here dropped to -19* F and hovered there for about three days. I don't know if this unusual bitter cold has anything to do with my leak, but I mention it just in case it might sound relevant to anyone.
Sometime after the third week, I noticed a puddle on the floor just under the front license. I traced the leak back to the lower outlet on what I think is a power steering cooler. Just behind the radiator fans is a small "radiator", about 4" x 16" x 1-1/2". It's above the steering rack (and pinion). The upper hose from this little cooler is connected to the power steering reservoir, and the lower hose goes off somewhere where I can't see. The leak appears to come from the lower outlet tube on the small "radiator" or at the coupling where the lower hose connects to this cooler. I forgot to mention that the fluid is a clear yellowish oily fluid and looks clean, just like new power steering fluid. There's no apparent damage to anything in this area--no sign of rocks or impact or deformation in any metal surfaces at all. There's no way I can tell for sure, but it doesn't seem like the leaked fluid was the total capacity of the cooler--that is to say, I think the cooler didn't leak it's full load and it's certainly not leaking anymore.
1) Does this make sense?
2) Can I drive the car to a repair facility about 20 miles away if I top off the power steering reservoir or does the car have to be towed?
3) OR should I just replace the small "radiator"?
Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.
Thank you, All !
My 2003 z06 has been in storage for about a month. For the first three weeks or so, all was fine. Temperatures here dropped to -19* F and hovered there for about three days. I don't know if this unusual bitter cold has anything to do with my leak, but I mention it just in case it might sound relevant to anyone.
Sometime after the third week, I noticed a puddle on the floor just under the front license. I traced the leak back to the lower outlet on what I think is a power steering cooler. Just behind the radiator fans is a small "radiator", about 4" x 16" x 1-1/2". It's above the steering rack (and pinion). The upper hose from this little cooler is connected to the power steering reservoir, and the lower hose goes off somewhere where I can't see. The leak appears to come from the lower outlet tube on the small "radiator" or at the coupling where the lower hose connects to this cooler. I forgot to mention that the fluid is a clear yellowish oily fluid and looks clean, just like new power steering fluid. There's no apparent damage to anything in this area--no sign of rocks or impact or deformation in any metal surfaces at all. There's no way I can tell for sure, but it doesn't seem like the leaked fluid was the total capacity of the cooler--that is to say, I think the cooler didn't leak it's full load and it's certainly not leaking anymore.
1) Does this make sense?
2) Can I drive the car to a repair facility about 20 miles away if I top off the power steering reservoir or does the car have to be towed?
3) OR should I just replace the small "radiator"?
Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.
Thank you, All !
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 239
From: Missi'ppi... no mo' MO for me!!
It was garaged, but there's no insulation. It stayed at between -14 to -19* for three days, a record I think. At least, in the previous 4 years I've lived here I don't think it ever dropped below 6* above zero.
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