Power Steering Leak
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Power Steering Leak
I have a power steering leak coming out of the cap on the resivior. It seems to be ok when driving normally, but when I have my small trailer in tow and I max out the steering one way or the other it spits fluid out. What could be causing the pressure to build so much that it spews out?
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Joined: Dec 2011
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From: Midwest. Aiming about mid-chest
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Re: Power Steering Leak
Leak in the suction side. Usually is fixed with a new O ring for the inlet on the pump.
Item #20 is the O ring, goes under inlet fitting #3
HTH
Item #20 is the O ring, goes under inlet fitting #3
HTH
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 32,017
Likes: 256
From: Midwest. Aiming about mid-chest
Rep Power: 519 Re: Power Steering Leak
If the fluid inside the reservoir gets foamy then yes it's a suction leak.
Any pinhole leak between the reservoir and pump will do it, and the O ring I mentioned is the most common.
Pinhole leaks may let air in but not have fluid leak out.
Foamy fluid can cause pump noise along with overflowing the reservoir.
It's common when they age, the rubber seals harden and shrink.
There's a bulletin about this too for some of the cars.
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But if you overfilled the reservoir, then it might not have enough room for fluid expansion as it heats up. The fluid would not be foamy if this were the case.
If you used the wrong fluid, all bets are off.
Any pinhole leak between the reservoir and pump will do it, and the O ring I mentioned is the most common.
Pinhole leaks may let air in but not have fluid leak out.
Foamy fluid can cause pump noise along with overflowing the reservoir.
It's common when they age, the rubber seals harden and shrink.
There's a bulletin about this too for some of the cars.
--------
But if you overfilled the reservoir, then it might not have enough room for fluid expansion as it heats up. The fluid would not be foamy if this were the case.
If you used the wrong fluid, all bets are off.
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 32,017
Likes: 256
From: Midwest. Aiming about mid-chest
Rep Power: 519 Thread Starter
Registered!!
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22
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From: Connecicut
Rep Power: 0 Re: Power Steering Leak
I honestly had no idea. I was just asking about the o ring so that I could learn more about why its doing it instead of just taking someones word for it. Your second post explained why you came to the o ring determination, and thats what I wanted to hear. I wanted to just get more info.
When you said foaming, that tells me you are most defiantly correct since the fluid was foamy.
When you said foaming, that tells me you are most defiantly correct since the fluid was foamy.
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