8675309

iTrader: (3)

Well for some reason my car is losing power steering fluid. I dont know where it goes because it doesn't leak. Anyways when I open up the reservoir it is a light chocolaty brown color. And it seems to be hot and a little steamy so i guess the fluid could be burning. The pump only whines when it gets low but then when I refill it the whining goes away. But whats causing this? Do I need a new power steering pump maybe?

waldershrek

iTrader: (1)

Seems it's mixing with your coolant. You must have a power steering cooler?

8675309

iTrader: (3)

no not that I know of. Every once in a while though I will find a drop of coolant on the ground.

waldershrek

iTrader: (1)

Well that fluid would only turn chocolaty brown if it's mixing with water or coolant. So either you have a power steering cooler and it's leaking in with the coolant or maybe your cap isn't on tight and you got water in there when cleaning the engine bay. That wouldn't explain where your fluid is going though. The leak would.

Check your coolant, is it oily or discolored? Check in the radiator and the overflow jug.

8675309

iTrader: (3)

Yeah I checked the coolant and it is oily and discolored. What could I do to fix it? And how bad it is to keep it like it is.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Do you have a PS fluid cooler or not?

Do you know where it is?

Its the metal 10-inch long piece that is incorporated into the upper radiator hose. Its right in front of the PS fluid reservoir.

Go look.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

You need to replace the PS cooler and then power flush your coolant system to get all the crud out. (If you have mung on your coolant dipstick, you may have to replace that also. - ITs near impossible to get the crud off of that thing.)

8675309

iTrader: (3)

I do have a power steering cooler. So I guess I'm going to try to replace that and then flush the coolant and see where I am. Do I need to do this immediately, or would it be alright if I waited like a month to do it?

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Its no problem at all to drive around like that, mine was leaking for 6 months into my coolant.

You should just get an aftermarket cooler and install it yourself. Mine waas about $40 for everything and like 20 minutes to install it. Much better and no more PS fluid can get into my coolant again.

Or just buy the rubber hose that goes from the radiator to the water pump and connect the two PS lines and run without the cooler. Its not needed.

7901 WS6

iTrader: (6)

My car has this issue, I thought it may been leaking in the Rack and Pinion somewhere like the dust boots, but this makes more sense

8675309

iTrader: (3)

is their any tricks to installing it? or just slip it on?

sscamaro22

same problem...where can I get the aftermarket cooler?

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

I wrote this in another thread.

Take that horrible design for a PS cooler off and run a straight rubber hose. Then go to Advance Auto and buy a tranny cooler and put it on.

$40-$45 dollars for the cooler, rubber hose, clamps, 3 foot of 3/8" heater hose, 2 bottles of PS fluid. Plus about 30 minutes to do it.

ALSO....the coolers that came from the factory are not REALLY coolers. They are PS fluid HEATERS. If you put your hand on the factory cooler after the engine is at operating temp, you will get a third degree burn. If I put my hand on my aftermarket cooler that you see in the pictures after a hard core drive through the city after my engine was already hot, I can keep my hand on it no porblem, its just warm. The factory coolers are HEATERS, they do not work. Hot as hell 200+ degree coolant heating that thing up makes the PS fluid hotter.

Do this:






FOR AIR FLOW OVER THE COOLER while moving, cut that strip out of the air dam: