Rep Power: 0

civic is parked for winter, and has been for about a month now (just to make sure winter beater is good to go, had some work to do..) i start it at least once a week, and just the other day, power steering started whining. so i popped hood and filled, and it leaks out to empty in about 15 mins of running. can't really see the leak, and haven't had it on a hoist or jacked up yet. just wondering if anyone knows a common problem for my year civic. thanks
btw my car is 94 civic ex coupe, name says it all right?

 
Rep Power: 812

if it is leaking that fast, prolly no hope of a simple fix. you could take the pump off and try to rebuild it if you have the proper tools and a service manual. or just replace it. usually whining means the pump is bad.

 
Rep Power: 285

If it's dumping power steering fluid that quickly a hose is probably loose, imo.

 
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crossing my fingers it's just a hose.. i've never messed with power steering at all, no clue on rebuilding.. how much for a new pump? good place to buy one? and gearbox, you say that whining usually means the pump is bad, imo it means that the fluid is just low. when I fill it, it stops making noise and sounds fine. thanks guys

 
Rep Power: 812

it could just be low fluid, which is also hard on the pump. try and keep it full til you can fix it. sounded like you were losing fluid but didnt know where it was going. or maybe you meant there was fluid everywhere and couldnt tell the source. its a pressurized system so its possible the leak is small and spraying all over the place.

 
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dude i can't see the leak anywhere, and with it leaking that fast its like a magician is under my hood.. i filled it and started it, then let it run for about 10 mins, looked under the whole time and saw absolutely no drips or leaks, but within 10 mins, its almost empty.. weird.. fixing a timing chain gasket on my bros 2000 ford ranger right now, (geeez i hate fords...) then i will pull it in and take a look. thanks

 
Rep Power: 812

um is there fluid on the ground? has to be going somewhere.

 
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i'm tellin ya man, magician.. lol but ya, there is a sport where it has leaked out covering the ground, you can tell the fluid has darkened that spot. but i couldn't see it leaking on the ground AT ALL when it was running.. although it went down from full to almost empty in 10 mins.. weird. i feel like a moron, but really i cant see it. soon enough it will be in the garage in the air to figure it out. thanks

 
Rep Power: 812

well if the lines and pump are all clean, i bet its coming from the rack

 
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no good.. thanks for the advice, but DANG IT!!! i didn't wunna hear that!!!! but i see the leak on the ground right under the driver front corner, so it looks like it's coming straight down from the pump, keepin' my fingers crossed.. oh ya, and i have some pics i need to post, i get to it asap.. end of semester is no fun..

 
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thanks for this dedicated post, 94civicd16z6 . . . similar problem here . . . the boys at honda-dealership been telling me that i got engine-oil-pan-leak . . . but, what it sounds like (in my opinion), is a power-steering-leak . . . gotten really bad the last 10,000 miles (horrendous whining while turning steering-wheel).

gearbox . . . "coming from the rack" . . . that sounds so-o-o-o expensive. would this entail major hardware needs to be replaced ($700+) ? if, just the ps-pump needs to be replaced, would that be expensive ($370+) ?

dipped handle of my tooth-brush into ps-reservoir . . . got 3.5cm (⅜") showing in chamber . . . fluid is remarkably clear in nature. bad news is that it definitely feels "spongy" . . . dipping the handle into the reservoir . . . as though sediment has been 'accruing' in bottom of reservoir since birth.

my 2002-civic-lx has 320k miles (highway) . . . only thing i ever changed is my engine-oil.

 
Rep Power: 518

DO NOT DO THAT!
You can see the fluid level through the side of the reservoir. Wipe it off and hold a light against it or shine it inside from the top.

What you felt with your toothbrush is the filter screen inside the reservoir. Hope you didn't poke a hole in it.


Is your fluid full?
Is it low?
Does it leak?
If the fluid is disappearing into the rack, the bellows will be holding the fluid (until enough has leaked to fill them and barf out).

If the reservoir is full and still howling: Is the fluid full of bubbles when the pump is howling (aerated fluid)?
Does it puke fluid up out of the top of the reservoir? Fluid residue on the inner fender under the reservoir?
(The inlet fitting O ring might be leaking air in, they can be bad in the cold.... part #20 on this http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...PUMP+-+BRACKET.)


Make SURE you are using HONDA POWER STEERING FLUID.
It is NOT ATF.
I hear ATF ruins stuff in the steering.

HTH

 
Rep Power: 812

great, i just did that today actually when changing the fluid. poked at the bottom with a turkey baster wondering why its soft lol. maybe its time for a new reservoir.

 
Rep Power: 518

Dump it upside down or pull a hose (empty it) and look at the screen. Did you poke a hole in it?
Also while it is empty, marvel at how much (or how little) debris has been caught in the screen over the years.

 
Rep Power: 812

yeah i sucked out the fluid again and the screen was fine (flashlight works great). its the same idea as the brake fluid filter except this one covers the whole bottom. pretty tough but i noticed quite a good amount of debris, like maybe 50 or so tiny sand or dirt specs. its not bad enough to clog, but you can tell its gotten old after 100k miles. i change the fluid fairly often too.

 
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The drivers side seal on my rack and pinion is bad and it leaks power steering fluid into the boot around the tie rod ends. They are called bellows boots and there is a line that goes from each boot to the other to vent air. The fluid leaks out of the rack into the boots then goes through the line between the boots and fills both of them but leaks out of the boots very slowly. That could explain why you dont see the fluid right away but it still drains from reservoir....

 
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I have a 94 ex too btw

 
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thread from the dead.. sorry i never posted an update on what i found it was..

anyway, upon further inspection i found the leak. who guessed it? nobody! it is the power steering cooler line! ok, so i was exaggerating when i said 10 mins, it seems to last about a week and a half until it starts to whine.. have i changed it? no.. lol i'm about to get a new one though and fix it asap though, although this started leaking a loong time ago as this thread is. looks like it will take a couple minutes to change; possibly removing the front bumper or maybe i can just take the fan/radiator out and get to it. either way, just wanted to follow up finally

oh ya and here's a pic of what i'm talking about. not off my car but this is the line. mine's rusted out plenty; salty winters...

 
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Glad to hear it was not a major expense