2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Power steering fluid leak

[BryceC]

I have a 2002 2500. This morning it had a puddle of power steering fluid underneath it. The fluid had puked out the cap. It did this once before last summer. I had talked to the dealer about it before and they suggested that the wheel was turned while the truck wasn't running. I am pretty certain tha this did not happen and if it did I think the wheel lock would have caught the wheel before it could build up that kind of pressure. One of the other techs at the dealership said they had seen a valve stick inside the steering box and it caused the same thing, he said that it happens from time to time.



Any suggestions?



Thanks,

Bryce

 

[DavidC]

If it indeed come from the cap my suggestion would be to flush the system and refill with synthetic. The valve thing the mechanic spoke of could be varnish buildup making it stick. Walmart use to carry valvoline SynPower. I do not know if they still do but I imagine you can find it somewhere. As for the flushing several people including me have done it several ways. My way was a turkey baster over a period of several days of removing fluid and refilling with SynPower. I believe others have actually removed one of the hoses and turned the wheel to pump out the fluid.



Good luck

Dave

 

[BryceC]

If it indeed come from the cap my suggestion would be to flush the system and refill with synthetic. The valve thing the mechanic spoke of could be varnish buildup making it stick. Walmart use to carry valvoline SynPower. I do not know if they still do but I imagine you can find it somewhere. As for the flushing several people including me have done it several ways. My way was a turkey baster over a period of several days of removing fluid and refilling with SynPower. I believe others have actually removed one of the hoses and turned the wheel to pump out the fluid.



Good luck

Dave

I thought about flushing it, but the fluid still looks pretty good. I bought the truck with 40k miles on it and now it's about 55k. I'm pretty certain it is still the factory fluid though.



When I left with it today it had no power steering and the brakes were soft. When I pulled forward just a bit and turned the wheel the power steering and brakes came back. I had to top the fluid off, but now everything seems ok.

 

[jrobinson2]

One of the common problems is a blown nitrogen accumulator (the round blue thing) on the brake booster, when it fails it fills the power steering fluid with nitrogen bubbles and overflows the reservoir. To check the accumulator press the brakes a few times with the engine running then again with the engine off, you should have power brakes for a few pumps with the engine off, if the pedal is hard the first pump with the engine off the accumulator is bad.



Jared