Power steering leak 97 4Runner (1 Viewer)

[zetasig]

Throwing this out there, I have noticed a leak from the power steering and wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

1997 4runner 157K, Midwest car.

As best I can tell the the leak is not coming from the res.. It is I think either coming from the hose or the box down near the driver side. I have searched the net and have not found anything.
Im wondering if its either the box itself, or the hose/connection going into the box. The leak was bad enough that all the fluid has leaked out. Its possible that the connection on the hose has corroded over time and road salt. But wondering if anyone has had this issue before I start pulling parts and replacing things. It is dry all the way up from the hose connection into the box up, but down from there its completely wet with fluid.

Im not sure if its common to leak from the box, or from the lower hose. Which I think is the high pressure hose?

Other than that, when I get the leak fixed, Is there a procedure to bleed out the system?

Thanks I would post photos but the fluid is all over the rack and pinion now and probably would not help..

 

[Jacket]

Could be the high pressure hose has a leak in it, or it could be at the o-ring seal where the hose connects to the PS pump. Or even a low pressure line.

I know you said its a mess down there, but the best troubleshooting would be to clean up the dirt and fluid as best you can, and then look at it a day later and see if the source becomes more evident. That said, if one of the hoses or seals is giving up, then it's likely that most of the rubber parts are aging and need to be replaced.

 

[zetasig]

Jacket, Thanks,

I will see about shooting some brake cleaner there to dry it out a bit. I have no doubt the salt demons have struck, again as the hard coolant lines to the rear heater under the passengers side are toasted, so those need to go as well.

I was a bit shocked to see how much the high pressure hoses were on line.... I might be contacting a hydraulic shop here to have some made up.

I know its not leaking high up. But centralized to where the high pressure line feeds into the steering box.

At least the skid plate will come off easy as I removed it last year (broke all the bolts) and re tapped the holes. I love road salt...

 

[raydouble]

Other than that, when I get the leak fixed, Is there a procedure to bleed out the system?

Lift the front tires off the ground and turn the steering wheel back and forth without hitting the lock on either side.
The air bubbles will work there way to the top more easily that way.

 

[zetasig]

Thanks Ray, thats what I need to know, never had to do this before.

Will have some time in the next few weeks to run it down. With gas here at 4.20, the civic will be called back into action.

 

[zetasig]

Turned out at this point I think, it was the fitting on the return line where it plugs into the rack and pinion. Dealer only fitting 30 bucks, should be here in a few days.

I just touched it and it started leaking all over, road salt made swiss cheese out of the metal. 2 days and 58 tools later to get the fitting out of the rack itself. Ended up removing both tie rod ends, sway bar. and pretty much the entire rack to get enough clearance to put a "bolt out" on it and back it out. PITA for sure.

Hopefully that was the souce of the leak, the pressure line fitting was just as rusty, but it would not budge. Figured I would leave well enough alone at this point.

 

[TXLX100]

I know this is old post, but posting for posterity.

I have a leak on the high side input line at the rack, I believe. It was leaking a little and tightened it and think the o-ring in the fitting tore, now it's leaking a lot. I'll post back when I get a new o-ring and see if that fixes it.