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Power Steering Fluid Leak

4K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  biglovemp 
#1 ·
So I have always had a slight leak through one of the hoses and had to top off every month or two... I know i should have changed it before but never did...

So today on my way to work, once I got out of the highway i noticed that the steering was VERY tight and a weird bubbling noise coming from the engine bay. When I got a chance to pull over and park i checked the reservoir tank and it was COMPLETELY dry... I had a quart of fluid in my trunk so i topped it off, then turned on the car and spun the steering wheel 2-3 times and it went back down to about 1/4 tank. i finished the bottle i had and it only went up to about 3/4 full. On my way back home the SAME exact thing happened and it emptied out.

I pulled into a parking and when i got out i had left a puddle of fluid on the ground. I obviously have a very bad leak. I didnt bother topping off again cause it will leak right out...

I am HOPING that its just the hoses and i plan on getting it fixed tomorrow. I am gonna do some searching now to see if i find a DIY and if it easy enough i will try to knock it out myself, or if not i will take it to the mechanic in the morning...

Thoughts or quick links to a thread that has a DIY will be appreciated....:D
 
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#2 ·
It's pretty difficult to diagnose like this.

It's either one or more of the hoses, the reservoir, the pump or the rack.

You may have to clean it all up, refill and look for leaks to figure out which.

Reservoir and hoses are relatively cheap (except the high pressure hose). If it's the pump, you need to determine if you have an LF20 or LF30. If it's the rack, you can get a rebuilt one from Rack Doctor ($199 plus $100 core charge (refundable) plus $18 prepaid return shipping), best deal I found.

Make sure that you get new crush washers, o-rings and clamps for the various hoses.

Good luck.
 
#3 ·
Ok so I changed the hoses and after changing it I realized that I am leaking fluid thru the Rack and Pinion BOOTS. I am on my way to buy the boots to change them.

I saw the boot broken but I figured that was just oil. I didn't know that the ATF fluid flows through those boots as well?

Can someone confirm???


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#8 ·
Stated earlier:
Those boots are just to keep dirt out of the rack. Sounds like the rack end seals are leaking.
If the seals on the rack are leaking, the fluid moves past the seals and is contained by the boots, until the boots can't hold the volume.
 
#6 ·
At least changing the boots will give you a bit more experience with the system when you change the rack next week! (You're wasting your time with the boots. As Caryalon said, you need a rack.)
http://shop.rackdoctor.net/530-SERIES_c78.htm was mentioned above.
 
#7 ·
So I changed the broken boot and everything seemed fine. I took it for a spin and once I'm pulling up home the same noise came back on and as I am pulling my car in to my drive way I left behind ALL the ATF Fluid in the street.

I looked under the car and the clamp that holds the OTHER boot from the other side broke off and it's dangling there.

I could simply add a clamp but something made that clamp break off? Maybe too much pressure. Idk but there has to be another problem.

Thoughts? I am now stuck and fresh out of ideas


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#11 ·
biglovemp, be sure to fill us in as to what direction you chose to fix the leaking rack. I think this is what mine is also doing as it has a small drip from both boots sometimes.
TomK
 
#13 ·
I will do. I think I am going the reman Rack route and install it this weekend...

Good news is that the German pumps run good dry, they don't fry like other pumps

Bad news is you have a bad leak .. Clean it add some look and igure out where it's leaking

Or have no ps . Which won't hurt
I know where the leak is coming from and its from the boots. That is whats weird! The driver side boot was broken and the leak was thru there so i replaced it and after taking it for a quick spin the "CLAMP" on the "Passenger" side boot broke off and the leak is now coming from that side.

This leads me to believe that the leak is coming from the actual rack where it is filling the boot with so much liquid causing it to burst and break the boot giving the liquid somewhere to leak from (since there is only so much liquid one boot could actually take)

I was hoping to be able to just change the rings but apparently the kit is not easily accessible to us in the US. The reman place is charging 199 for a rack and pinion with lifetime warranty.
 
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