Power Steering Leak

[mechjames]

I'm losing what's in my reservoir about every 1.5 weeks.

Looked back there, and it seems to be dripping onto my cat, and then it burns off. It never leaves a mark on the ground, but you really start to smell it through the HVAC when the motor gets warm.

Return line is nice and tight and nothing leaking at the reservoir. I can't seem to see the rest of the lines back there (might have to pull the intake to get at the pump)

Is there common leak points on the SHO's? How many PS fluid lines are there? We have coolers too, right?

I don't have a service manual for my car yet.

I'd like to get this fixed soon (it seems like gates still makes a high pressure hose), but was wondering what else it could be. I've had the car 8 months and with the leak, I don't have to worry about dirty fluid in my system. Power steering and pump are nice and quiet. Just gotta be careful. Someday on a long trip I might run it too low

 

[sbsho]

I had a leak from the same area. On mine the metal line off the rack rubbed up on the rear manifold an it melted a small hole in mine. It was burning off onto my cats as well. I got back there, cut off the end on the metal tube, slide the rubber hose down over the metal line and hose clamped it. I had the cleanest power steering fluid ever. Mine got bad where I had to top it off everyday. Kept a gallon in the trunk, haha.

 

[rubydist]

on the pump, there are 3 common leak points - the shaft seal, the pressure line fitting, and the return line fitting. I've seen leaks at all 3, and often (while serious leaks) the oil runs down the pump, to the support bracket and then onto the cats, so its hard to pinpoint where the actual leak source is.