I was going up and down some semi-steep inclines today, and when I got home I noticed power steering fluid was all over the engine compartment. Do you all think it was from the resevoir cap? Does flipping the gasket over really help? Can I buy a new gasket? I ask because my cap doesn't fit snug whastsoever, is it supposed to?
the cap is definetely supposed to fit snug - was it replaced at some point?
if the leak was from the cap - and the cap is the right one, flipping the gasket does help - you can also buy a new one.
As bigbrown points out - often the leak is not from the cap but from the pulley - theory is that years of torque from the belt does this.
You don't want a leaky PS pump if you still have a smog pump - multiple threads about leaky PS pump causing the smog pump to seize. (and I can confirm with first hand experience)
Buy yourself a roll of that cork make your own gasket at any auto parts store.
Pull the gasket off the cap, trace it on the cork, cut it out, put it under the old gasket and your cap will be very snug.
Thanks y'all, I'll try to flip the gasket, and if not good enough, cork it. I'm sure that the PS is all messed up, anyone here fixed the o-rings on the pump? How hard is it?
I rebuilt mine once. Got the kit from NAPA, 20 bucks. Wasn't overly hard, depends on your skills and PATIENCE.
The two halves can be hard to get apart. They fit tightly. When you get one half off and pull the inner shaft be ready. These are slipper pumps. There are like eight??? little plates with small springs and another plate that sit in the slots of the inner shaft. When you pull it they can fly everywhere. Make a special note when you take it apart of which way the outside plates go and which way the notch was pointed. The diagram with the rebuild kit was ass backwards of right. I thought my pump was put together wrong to begin with, so I put them back in like the picture showed. It produces no pressure that way. The seal at the pulley is easy. There are also some orings in the bypass valve thing on the side. Getting the slipper plates back in can be tough. And in my case doing it twice was really a pain, but I would do it again. So far no leaks, and pump is fine.
Unless your pump is totally trashed, there is very little to actually wear inside. The shaft rides on a good old bronze bearing that is lubricated by the fluid within, just like the spindle bearings in the front end.
About a month ago I had a leaky seal where the pulley enters the pump. I tried to pop it out and the metal around it just cracked and I could bend the metal with my hand . So I got on here and bought a used one from one of the members and replaced my old one and it works fine now. My cap is still a little loose, but if I turn it just the right way it fits tight.
ssgoods - I have a brand new seal for where the pulley enters the pump if you need it, cause I don't anymore...it only cost me a few bucks, so if you need it I'll just send it to ya for free. Let me know.
My smog pump took a crap due to the ps pump leaking all over it. Trust me you dont want this. If it's leaking at the cap you've got it easy, make a gasket, flip it, or buy a new one. Mine was leaking because the hoses were old and worn, as well as the fancy little triangle shaped hoseclamps. I just cut about 1 inch off each end and re-clamped. You may as well do it while you are there, it's easy, and IME, when you tighten up one leak, another one never ceases to spring up if you take no precaution. Also, check all your coolant hoses, air pump hoses, belts, and vacuum lines that got hosed in the process, ps fluid is destructive.
. So I got on here and bought a used one from one of the members and replaced my old one and it works fine now. My cap is still a little loose, but if I turn it just the right way it fits tight.
