By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 01:26 pm: Edit

I checked the archives and performed a search, but here I am...so please don't flame me.

Walked out into the garage this morning, and there's a nice little puddle of ATF fluid forming on the floor (leaking from the power steering reservoir, hoses, and/or pump itself). I popped the hood to see what was up, and discovered that my power steering fluid reservoir has been flopping around the engine compartment! The metal bar that acts as the "arm" to which the reservoir is mounted (with a round metal clamp) broke clean off near the welds. Ever seen this happen? I couldn't really tell if fluid was leaking out of the reservoir top (because it was laying on it's side) or if it's leaking from the hoses or pump.

At any rate, I added more ATF fluid and made a comfy bed for the reservoir out of an old towel (to keep it relatively upright and to keep it from jumping around). I just went out into the office parking lot to make sure the reservoir hadn't run away, and there is a nice puddle of ATF forming on the parking lot.

My plan is to clean off all the components tomorrow (everything down there is coated with either motor oil, ATF fluid, or mud) and source the hemorrhaging. The last major leak-fest was traced to lame hose clamps.

Lookin for a little advice from the BTDT crowd...what could I be looking at here? Blown seals/o-rings on the pump? I found Hadaz's advice about pulling the pump and draining fluids, and I've heard some past mumbo jumbo about o-ring replacement kits, and I've heard that LR puts rebuilds in for repairs. I think I'll swing by the dealer on the way home to give me a little DIY motivation for tomorrow.

Thanks.

By MTB on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 01:59 pm: Edit

Blue Gill what was more heart breaking knowing you have PS leak or having ATF fluid on that very clean garage floor that you show off once and a while with your pics.

Michael B

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 02:09 pm: Edit

I wept for the garage floor.
Then I swept a little more.
My anal-retentiveness is no joke,
but my power steering is still broke.
A little help is all I need,
guess I'll go home and smoke some...cigarettes.

By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 02:10 pm: Edit

I'm a bit confused. It sounds like it's all leaking from the reservoir and the hose. If that's it, where's the drama? Or are you sure the pump is leaking too?

Don't get too worked up until you know what you have on your hands. If it is the pump, Meridian in San Diego appears to be the folks to go to for a new one (better then OEM).

Meridian Auto Parts
10211 Pacific Mesa Blvd # 404
San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 587-8777

Jeff

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 02:21 pm: Edit

>"I'm a bit confused. It sounds like it's all leaking from the reservoir and the hose. If that's it, where's the drama? Or are you sure the pump is leaking too?"

That's the problem - I've already replaced the clamps (they appear to still be holding tight), and the reservoir is now upright but it's still leaking. Therefore I'm afraid its the pump. I won't really know until I clean it all up tomorrow and see where it's leaking from. Just looking for a little before-hand advice.

By MTB on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 02:23 pm: Edit

If you are trying to find where it is leaking from you can clean everything really good and spray some white foot powder on it. Make a mess but should be able to help. mine leaked and it was at the hose clamp at the reservoir sorry can't be any more help.

Michael B

By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 02:27 pm: Edit

Sorry, I haven't had to go that far. My leak was reservoir and hose related. Knock on wood, the pump is OK.

I guess all you can do is clean it all out, lay down some newspaper below it, and see what happens after you've got it all cleaned up.

Good luck.

By Mike W. on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 03:40 pm: Edit

i once read that ATF (fluid) in it self is reacts with the rubber in power steering hoses and can cause them to breakdown over time. clamping may not be enough. if its a hose, replace it. uh but i am not expert.

By Mike Cox on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 04:30 pm: Edit

Just went through the "Leaky" phase myself. Put a rebuilt Meridan Steering box in, then I started having leaks from everywhere (Seemed Like). It appears that when I moved the hoses out of the way to R&R the Steering box, it messed with their sealing tightly on the metal flanges. I took the original hoses off and went to a local hydrolics place to make me new ones. (Didn't like British Atlantic prices, and I was thinking how cool stainless braided lines would look} they told me they could make them, but why waste the money. there is nothing special about the hoses. He told me to cut the clamps off and replace them with ring style. He did warn me that the rubber could have a "memory" that may interfere with getting a good seal, so be prepaired to replace the rubber. Finally got all the clamps replaced and haven't leaked since (Knock-knock}. Not saying it couldn't happen, but leaks from the pump wouldn't be that common.

Good Luck!

Mike

By hadaz on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 07:11 pm: Edit

Bill sorry to hear about your problems. Been there and done that. Let me know if oyu need any help.

Allen

By Scott H on Saturday, September 08, 2001 - 08:04 pm: Edit

I actually had the reservoir crack on the bottom between the two connectors (its been awhile, but I think there are 2) Anyway, the thing was leaking down to my PS pump and I thought I needed to replace the pump. Just replaced the res and I was fine. You may want to check that out too...and make sure and replace those stock hose clamps they really, really suck....

Scott H

By Reed Cotton on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - 08:48 am: Edit

I have had a PS leak on my '96 Disco for some time now. Luckily it does not look like it is the pump. I did find out however that when I park, If I have to turn the steering wheel to lock it, the fluid leaks out really fast. Where if I park it with the wheels, (at least the steering wheel) straight, I can go weeks without having to replace any fluid.

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - 09:31 am: Edit

sounds like higher-than-normal operating pressure in your PS system (contaminants in system?) or bad seal somewhere. When your steering wheel is locked to one side or the other, that pump is really cookin to provide the power. Try not to ever turn all the way to the lock.

My prob was simply leaking hose clamp. A while back, I replaced the leaking hose clamps at the reservoir end and all was well. The metal arm holding the reservoir in place recently cracked, and the reservoir was flopping around for a few days before I noticed. Floppage caused one of the other ends of the hoses (the ends I didn't replace clamps on) to come loose. $0.69 clamp did the trick. The major work was cleaning off all the PS fluid-saturated mud to trace the leak. Also had to attach a splint to resecure the reservoir.

By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Wednesday, September 12, 2001 - 05:30 pm: Edit

Glad to hear it was the lesser of evils.

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 06:31 am: Edit

this time, leak was end of hose at steering box end:


also had to re-secure the reservoir:

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, September 14, 2001 - 06:33 am: Edit

p.s. dates on photos are wrong