Power Steering leak (1 Viewer)

[badmuthatrucka]

Okay, it looks like I am leaking from both the reservoir and the gear housing. How common are each of these, and what will it cost to get the parts? I'm going to call CDan tomorrow, since I wasn't able to get back to him today (stupid college classes). Also, I can't find anything on playing with the reservoir at all in the FSM. Is it strictly just a "replace" item?

 

[OGBeno]

Gear box runs about $2700 from Toyota....

There is a rebuild kit from Toyota available...IIRC, about $95 or so....

 

[badmuthatrucka]

Dang Beno, you just gave me a heart attack! I'll take the rebuild kit, thank you. What about the reservoir?

 

[OGBeno]

Dang Beno, you just gave me a heart attack! I'll take the rebuild kit, thank you. What about the reservoir?

I'm estimating on the gear box price--I know it is well over $2000 for it.

The reservoir is probably not too expensive. You could probably find one used for cheap from one of the vendors....

-o-

 

[cptmud]

iv found power steering kits over here for around AU $35. The reservior might just be leaking from air being pushed back up the line from the leaking box.

 

[RescueU]

Got pics of the actual leak locations?

 

[Cledis McCoy]

i have the same problem how difficult is the rebuild

 

[badmuthatrucka]

If I had money for a digital camera I would post up some pics. Maybe I can steal one from someone else. It seems to be leaking from the exit shaft side, toward the front of the vehicle. But I need to wipe it off again and check after that.

 

[Romer]

I had to clean mine off at a car wash and check it later to verify the spot of the leak.

 

[AppleTech]

I agree with cptmud - my truck's reservoir appeared to be leaking but it was just the fluid foaming up because of air bubbles and it was expanding and blowing the valve at the top (what it's supposed to do to prevent it from damaging something expensive like a hose). The fluid got everywhere in the engine bay, including all over the gear housing, so make sure you bleed the system and get it in proper working order before you do anything too expensive - it could just be the fluid overflowing and getting all over everything. There should be no moaning or grinding when you turn (except when at full lock) - if you do it means you have air in the system, which is bad for the pump and gear. If this is the case you first want to troubleshoot this to get rid of the moaning.

Once I got rid of the air in my system, it stopped overflowing and "leaking" all over the engine compartment.

Here's the advice I gave someone else when troubleshooting my power steering. (not all of this applies to you but I'm too lazy to edit it - maybe I will tomorrow ) - nevermind I did edit it

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to bleed, do this: fill the system to proper capacity, jack up the front end, slowly turn wheel from lock to lock about 10 times (engine off). Watch the fluid level to make sure you don't suck in more air. Put the lid back on lightly and let it sit for an hour or so. Repeat this process like 3 times. Have a friend watch and once you get to the point where there are no air bubbles coming up in the reservoir and the fluid level remains constant, you can be pretty sure you've bled it properly. It should be OK to drop it and start the engine now. Turn the wheel lock to lock a couple times and listen for moaning.

 

[badmuthatrucka]

Thanks AppleTech, I'll give that a try soon. This is an interesting way to go about bleeding the system. I've always bled hydraulics with the engine on, what does having the engine off help with? Keeping air out, or getting it out faster?

 

[AppleTech]

This is an interesting way to go about bleeding the system. I've always bled hydraulics with the engine on, what does having the engine off help with? Keeping air out, or getting it out faster?

In this instance you want to do it with the engine off because of the fact that with the engine on, the pump will continue taking in air and foaming up the fluid, which mixes the air with the fluid so it doesn't come out when you bleed it. In this instance, you really need to do it with the engine off. Think of the vanes of the pump as little knives that cut up and air bubble into thousands of smaller bubbles and infuse them into the oil - now you can see why you don't want to do it with the engine on. This will still happen when you do it manually but nowheres near the same rate, so you can keep on top of it by letting the fluid sit and the air bubble to the top.

Take your time and be patient with this procedure. Let it sit for a while between bleeds just to make sure to keep the fluid foaming to a minimum - it it starts to foam up you want to wait until it completely dissipates again. If there is air in the system you will have to add fluid - keep an eye on the level every couple turns so you don't take in more air from the reservoir being low.

Also to clarify - when I say "foam up" I'm not talking like sudzy soap - what you will see is air bubbles in the fluid, it will be all speckled and sorta have the consistency of Pepsi instead of oil.

 

[badmuthatrucka]

Oh, ToothFairy can attest that I know what the foam looks like. I lost the return hose while running Chinaman Gulch last summer. The PS system hasn't really been the same since.

Good info on the whys and wherefores!