Anyone else have leaking power steering fluid?

[TomGolden]

Howdy all,



just this week I have noticed, two nights in a row, a leak of power steering fluid from somewhere, I can't tell where just yet. It only happenes when I have been turing very, very tightly to get past a friends car in my driveway to park in my garage. It only leaks when I begin the tight manuvering just as I'm backing into the garage, and there are a large number of fresh drops of fluid in the driveway, and the steering gearbox is coated with fresh PS fluid.



This has never happened before, and I see absolutely no drips anywhere else, anytime else, it seems to be only as I get in the garage and am turning all the way to the stops. I haven't had a chance in daylight to really diagnose where it is coming from, hopefully just a loose hose... ...



Just wondering if anyone else may have experienced anything like this.



Thanks,

Tom

 

[Partyat33]

PS Leak

I got the power steering leak BAD. On mine it is coming from the hydralic assist connected to the steering rod. The cap on the top of the unit has 4 bolts and three were only finger tight. Bad thing is I tightend it as much as I could and they came loose again. Those bolts are a pain to get to. I bought a long extension and a swivel and I am going to try to get to them from the top. Or Locktite.



Good luck



Dennis

 

[Dieselnerd]

Mine was leaking from the cap when the truck was new. I noticed when checking the fluid level cold, it was above the cold full mark. I took a little out to get it right on the full line and the leak stopped. You might check your level with a cold engine and if it's a little high that may be your problem. I think with all the weight we have in the front with the Cummins, the steering works pretty hard and probably gets quite hot which really expands the fluid.

 

[Turbo Thom]

TomG:

Mine has been leaking for about 2 years. It will leak in tight turning, up hill, down hill, level ground, and I haven't turn over yet but my bet is it will do it then too. . A new pump is $79 and I guess that what I'll have to do. I also had a bad leak from the timing gear cover buit found a few lose bolts and that stopped a lot of it. I've been told a lot of things about the pump but I'm not sure what the proper fix is.

Good luck.

Preston

 

[BC]

A question about power steering fluid: How often should it be changed?



Bill Cook

 

[Deezul1]

The reason your leaks is worse at tight turns is the pump pressure goes wayyyy up at full lock which will make a leak at a marginal joint that wont leak otherwise.

 

[DNelson]

Yeah, I've been putting up with that annoying leak too. As DieselNerd said, it seems to be worse when the fluid is a bit above the full mark. Checked with my dealer, and they said the leak was "normal", even though it was all over my front suspension components. Huh - never thought that PS fluid leaking was normal...



Don