Power Steering Leak but nothing on the ground?
10-13-2009, 12:59 PM
#1
Staging Lane
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Power Steering Leak but nothing on the ground? I find myself putting about a pint of P/S fluid in about every month, the problem is there's no oil spots on the ground! My manifolds are too far back to get dripped on by it. So where is it ending up?!
10-13-2009, 06:21 PM
#3
Staging Lane
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Checked coolant dipstick and its orange and watery like it was when I bought it... These cars are equipped with P/S coolers?! if so would P/S fluid damge the cooling system or my engine if it stays in it so long?
if so would P/S fluid damge the cooling system or my engine if it stays in it so long?
10-13-2009, 06:47 PM
#4
See the picture below, if you have that silver aluminum pipe in your upper radiator hose...you have the cooler (heater).
You need to get rid of it, spend $40 in parts and 30 minutes of your time and put a real cooler that actually works on there.
First pic is the factory cooler. Second pic is the aftermarket cooler I put on. Then you just buy a straight rubber upper radiator hose.
Last edited by LS6427; 10-13-2009 at 06:58 PM.
10-13-2009, 07:54 PM
#5
But... it sounds like your coolant is clear! (If you had PS fluid in there, you'd know. Its horrible.) Maybe your hoses are leaking only when the system is up to pressure. Have you looked at the hoses when you are at idle or revving the engine? Are the connectors at the end of the hoses wet?
10-13-2009, 09:14 PM
#6
Staging Lane
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I have not checked to see if the lines are wet or if it leaks under pressure but i did find that it has a p/s cooler lines. where can i find the aftermarket p/s coolers? since it sounds like a worthwhile upgrade to do anyways cuz who wants hot p/s fluid? 
10-13-2009, 09:40 PM
#7
Simply cut those hoses where they connect to the factory cooler, real close to the cooler.
Then simply attach them to the new cooler down below and clamp them on.
You probably don't need to buy a 3 foot piece 3/8" heater hose. I only bought that because I wanted to replace the line going from the bottom of the PS fluid reservoir down to the cooler. If you don't need it, skip it, the stock lines should both be long enough. BUT DOUBLE CHECK FIRST because I didn't bother measuring since I replaced that one line. I'd hate for you to get half way through and then realize it won't reach down below to the new cooler.
When I drive my car in 95* heat down here for 1 hour I can put my hand on that cooler at any time and its just warm/hot. You put your hand on that stupid factory cooler and you'll be going to the hospital with 3rd degree burns. This cooler does get hotter with a ton of constant city driving....but absolutely NOTHING as hot as that factory cooler pipe.
Plus...if you cut that strip out of the lower air dam...you will do wonders for your PS pump and extend its life.
Lastly.....if your power steering fluid has been going into the cooling system.....you should do a coolant system flush right after you install the new cooler. When I did this I watched the dirty coolant coming out....and every 20-30 seconds or so a big chunk of black **** would fly out. The power steering fluid collects in the block and somehow stays there. I did have it floating in my coolant and I could easily see it by taking my radiator cap off, it was right there every time. But there was a friggin ton in that block.
Best/easiest way to flush and get every drop of old coolant out.
-Cold engine.
-Remove radiator fill cap.
-Remove the t-stat from the housing. Leave the housing attached to the rubber radiator hose, just remove the 2 housing bolts (2-3 minute job).
-Put t-stat housing back on. (1 minute) Just put one bolt in, no need to put them both in, there’s no pressure in the system during the flush.
-Take the entire radiator drain valve (petcock) "off" and let it drain, don't just open it. It'll drain faster with it off and that’s what you want. ((Buy a new petcock valve, sometimes they break when you remove them all the way, they're like $2.00))
-Take a hose and stick it in the radiator fill cap, running medium to high.
-Start the engine.
-Let it run for about 15-20 minutes or until the water is running out the drain CLEAR.
-When it does your entire system is clean.
-Put the t-stat back in.
-Put the drain valve back in. Use the new one, what the hell.
-Put half a jug of Dexcool in the radiator. (Or if you live in very cold places, 1 to 1 ½ jugs of Dexcool)
-Fill the rest with water.
you do not need to use distilled water, clean hose water is just fine, just make sure your city water is clean and not total crap quality.
**Bleeding the system of air:
Start it up and let it run and warm up till the t-stat opens, you’ll see it flow in the radiator fill neck, once it starts to flow the level should drop down, immediately top it off with coolant/water. Then the flow will stop. Wait one more time for the t-stat to open again and start to flow, if it drops down again top it off again. Do it a 3rd time if you want to make sure. I always massage the upper and lower hoses while its warming up to help move the air bubble by the t-stat on the engine side of the t-stat. Squeeze it rapidly and fully like 20 times each until it starts to flow. Always works like a charm. Just keep checking your temp gauge until the t-stat opens to make sure it’s not overheating from a trapped bubble. May take 10-15 minutes for the t-stat to open the first time.
If you do start to get hot while sitting there and the t-stat will not open…..you have an air bubble on the engine side of the t-stat. Shut the engine off and rapidly squeeze those hoses again. Then start the engine again and see if the t-stat will open.
Last edited by LS6427; 10-13-2009 at 09:45 PM.
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10-14-2009, 09:04 PM
#8
Staging Lane
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Thanks for the write up man! very informative! 
I will pursue this when the weather starts to warm up. do you run any coolant additive/protectant? and if so wht do you run?
I will pursue this when the weather starts to warm up. do you run any coolant additive/protectant? and if so wht do you run?
10-14-2009, 09:40 PM
#9
But I'm in south Florida so I never have to worry about cold temps....but I like a little Dexcool in there for lubricant.
.
10-14-2009, 09:52 PM
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Well im from Iowa so i need a lil more dex cool than that 
But in the Truck& Diesel Buisness I make sure every truck gets an additive package on top of the 50/50 mix of coolant so further lubricate it and protect the metals from corrosion. Are there products like this for our cars or is that something thats not nessacary?
But in the Truck& Diesel Buisness I make sure every truck gets an additive package on top of the 50/50 mix of coolant so further lubricate it and protect the metals from corrosion. Are there products like this for our cars or is that something thats not nessacary? 
10-14-2009, 11:20 PM
#12
Well im from Iowa so i need a lil more dex cool than that But in the Truck& Diesel Buisness I make sure every truck gets an additive package on top of the 50/50 mix of coolant so further lubricate it and protect the metals from corrosion. Are there products like this for our cars or is that something thats not nessacary?
But in the Truck& Diesel Buisness I make sure every truck gets an additive package on top of the 50/50 mix of coolant so further lubricate it and protect the metals from corrosion. Are there products like this for our cars or is that something thats not nessacary?And yeah, did you check the outer boots like "huggerorange" mentioned. That stuff is going somewhere and it should be pretty easy and fast to find because its all external engine. Unless it is going into the coolant of course.
.
04-30-2010, 01:01 AM
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But is a power steering cooler necessary...? If it functions just fine with a 'cooler' that actually makes it hotter, wouldn't deleting it be an upgrade...? And cheap/free...?
05-03-2010, 05:49 PM
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so that's what it is, for the longest time i been asking my self where is that nasty oil coming from. its really nasty cleaning it off the radiator and then the reservoir. I will definitely now purchase a power steering oil cooler and thus letting my coolant water be clean free of oil. And i always have to keep adding power steering fluid every now and then.
05-15-2010, 01:20 AM
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You see that cooler in my pictures.....I got it at Advance Auto for like $24.00, its a tranny fluid cooler. I then bought an upper radiator hose for non-PS cooler equipped cars, a couple hose clamps and a 3 foot piece of new 3/8" heater hose. It was all around $40.00. Make sure the cooler is just a 4 line cooler or it won't fit very well where I put mine. That thing was almost meant to fit right there, its perfect.
Simply cut those hoses where they connect to the factory cooler, real close to the cooler.
Then simply attach them to the new cooler down below and clamp them on.
You probably don't need to buy a 3 foot piece 3/8" heater hose. I only bought that because I wanted to replace the line going from the bottom of the PS fluid reservoir down to the cooler. If you don't need it, skip it, the stock lines should both be long enough. BUT DOUBLE CHECK FIRST because I didn't bother measuring since I replaced that one line. I'd hate for you to get half way through and then realize it won't reach down below to the new cooler.
When I drive my car in 95* heat down here for 1 hour I can put my hand on that cooler at any time and its just warm/hot. You put your hand on that stupid factory cooler and you'll be going to the hospital with 3rd degree burns. This cooler does get hotter with a ton of constant city driving....but absolutely NOTHING as hot as that factory cooler pipe.
Plus...if you cut that strip out of the lower air dam...you will do wonders for your PS pump and extend its life.
Lastly.....if your power steering fluid has been going into the cooling system.....you should do a coolant system flush right after you install the new cooler. When I did this I watched the dirty coolant coming out....and every 20-30 seconds or so a big chunk of black **** would fly out. The power steering fluid collects in the block and somehow stays there. I did have it floating in my coolant and I could easily see it by taking my radiator cap off, it was right there every time. But there was a friggin ton in that block.
Best/easiest way to flush and get every drop of old coolant out.
-Cold engine.
-Remove radiator fill cap.
-Remove the t-stat from the housing. Leave the housing attached to the rubber radiator hose, just remove the 2 housing bolts (2-3 minute job).
-Put t-stat housing back on. (1 minute) Just put one bolt in, no need to put them both in, there’s no pressure in the system during the flush.
-Take the entire radiator drain valve (petcock) "off" and let it drain, don't just open it. It'll drain faster with it off and that’s what you want. ((Buy a new petcock valve, sometimes they break when you remove them all the way, they're like $2.00))
-Take a hose and stick it in the radiator fill cap, running medium to high.
-Start the engine.
-Let it run for about 15-20 minutes or until the water is running out the drain CLEAR.
-When it does your entire system is clean.
-Put the t-stat back in.
-Put the drain valve back in. Use the new one, what the hell.
-Put half a jug of Dexcool in the radiator. (Or if you live in very cold places, 1 to 1 ½ jugs of Dexcool)
-Fill the rest with water.
you do not need to use distilled water, clean hose water is just fine, just make sure your city water is clean and not total crap quality.
**Bleeding the system of air:
Start it up and let it run and warm up till the t-stat opens, you’ll see it flow in the radiator fill neck, once it starts to flow the level should drop down, immediately top it off with coolant/water. Then the flow will stop. Wait one more time for the t-stat to open again and start to flow, if it drops down again top it off again. Do it a 3rd time if you want to make sure. I always massage the upper and lower hoses while its warming up to help move the air bubble by the t-stat on the engine side of the t-stat. Squeeze it rapidly and fully like 20 times each until it starts to flow. Always works like a charm. Just keep checking your temp gauge until the t-stat opens to make sure it’s not overheating from a trapped bubble. May take 10-15 minutes for the t-stat to open the first time.
If you do start to get hot while sitting there and the t-stat will not open…..you have an air bubble on the engine side of the t-stat. Shut the engine off and rapidly squeeze those hoses again. Then start the engine again and see if the t-stat will open.
Simply cut those hoses where they connect to the factory cooler, real close to the cooler.
Then simply attach them to the new cooler down below and clamp them on.
You probably don't need to buy a 3 foot piece 3/8" heater hose. I only bought that because I wanted to replace the line going from the bottom of the PS fluid reservoir down to the cooler. If you don't need it, skip it, the stock lines should both be long enough. BUT DOUBLE CHECK FIRST because I didn't bother measuring since I replaced that one line. I'd hate for you to get half way through and then realize it won't reach down below to the new cooler.
When I drive my car in 95* heat down here for 1 hour I can put my hand on that cooler at any time and its just warm/hot. You put your hand on that stupid factory cooler and you'll be going to the hospital with 3rd degree burns. This cooler does get hotter with a ton of constant city driving....but absolutely NOTHING as hot as that factory cooler pipe.
Plus...if you cut that strip out of the lower air dam...you will do wonders for your PS pump and extend its life.
Lastly.....if your power steering fluid has been going into the cooling system.....you should do a coolant system flush right after you install the new cooler. When I did this I watched the dirty coolant coming out....and every 20-30 seconds or so a big chunk of black **** would fly out. The power steering fluid collects in the block and somehow stays there. I did have it floating in my coolant and I could easily see it by taking my radiator cap off, it was right there every time. But there was a friggin ton in that block.
Best/easiest way to flush and get every drop of old coolant out.
-Cold engine.
-Remove radiator fill cap.
-Remove the t-stat from the housing. Leave the housing attached to the rubber radiator hose, just remove the 2 housing bolts (2-3 minute job).
-Put t-stat housing back on. (1 minute) Just put one bolt in, no need to put them both in, there’s no pressure in the system during the flush.
-Take the entire radiator drain valve (petcock) "off" and let it drain, don't just open it. It'll drain faster with it off and that’s what you want. ((Buy a new petcock valve, sometimes they break when you remove them all the way, they're like $2.00))
-Take a hose and stick it in the radiator fill cap, running medium to high.
-Start the engine.
-Let it run for about 15-20 minutes or until the water is running out the drain CLEAR.
-When it does your entire system is clean.
-Put the t-stat back in.
-Put the drain valve back in. Use the new one, what the hell.
-Put half a jug of Dexcool in the radiator. (Or if you live in very cold places, 1 to 1 ½ jugs of Dexcool)
-Fill the rest with water.
you do not need to use distilled water, clean hose water is just fine, just make sure your city water is clean and not total crap quality.
**Bleeding the system of air:
Start it up and let it run and warm up till the t-stat opens, you’ll see it flow in the radiator fill neck, once it starts to flow the level should drop down, immediately top it off with coolant/water. Then the flow will stop. Wait one more time for the t-stat to open again and start to flow, if it drops down again top it off again. Do it a 3rd time if you want to make sure. I always massage the upper and lower hoses while its warming up to help move the air bubble by the t-stat on the engine side of the t-stat. Squeeze it rapidly and fully like 20 times each until it starts to flow. Always works like a charm. Just keep checking your temp gauge until the t-stat opens to make sure it’s not overheating from a trapped bubble. May take 10-15 minutes for the t-stat to open the first time.
If you do start to get hot while sitting there and the t-stat will not open…..you have an air bubble on the engine side of the t-stat. Shut the engine off and rapidly squeeze those hoses again. Then start the engine again and see if the t-stat will open.
did it a while back, had your same problem, have not had it again since
09-03-2010, 09:15 AM
#20
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Ok i have this same problem. My power steering pump went out so I replaced it and now its going out again. I looked in the pump and theres a milkshake looking fluid in there. I have the old style power steering cooler. Since there is water/coolant in my pump, would it make the rack go bad? what all do I need to replaced?