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Performance Upgrades - Maintenance - Modifications - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street Trucks. Covering the Explorer, ST, Sport, Lincoln Aviator, Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Aerostar. Featuring H.I. - Human Intelligence.
I'm pretty sure it's from the power steering rack but I can't seem to pinpoint it, I started the engine and had someone turn the wheel back and forth and still couldnt find it. Has anyone here seen this before?
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what fluids are low? if it is your rack then how is the fluid level? should be low. i would check all your fluids but especially check your trany fluid. Also, make sure you check around the trany cooler like stated above, make sure its not a bad connection or hose rotting out, check the connections running from the trans to the radiator, make sure those aren't leaking.
the leak looks like its coming from in front instead of above.
It's a manual so I don't think there is a trans cooler (or am i wrong? lol) it's def atf but that's used in the power steering as well; i havent' checked the tranny fluid level but I know the power steering is low and I keep refilling it. What throws me off is it looks like it's spraying because of how spread out it is but like i said, i started it and there wasnt any spraying or dripping that I could see. thanks for the help so far.
I would say based on the look of the lower power steering cooler hose that it is the source or near the source as it is pretty clean but wet. For power steering problems, unless there are visible holes, you are going to need to turn your steering while your truck is running not just let the motor run and look underneath. The pressure built up by a turn especially a hard or complete turn is severe and will force fluid out of the smallest of pin holes / cracks that won't be visible under non-pressure conditions.
For power steering problems, unless there are visible holes, you are going to need to turn your steering while your truck is running not just let the motor run and look underneath. The pressure built up by a turn especially a hard or complete turn is severe and will force fluid out of the smallest of pin holes / cracks that won't be visible under non-pressure conditions.
which also might cause spay like that. if it only leaks when air is moving around your car, it will produce a leak that looks jsut like that, rather than just a soild drip or stream.
That is all great info and i would try it all but to start off why dont you get a can of gunk and clean the area first. It might help you. Also you stated it looks like it is spraying it might just be leaking little at a time but when you drive the wind is going to push the leaking fluids all over the place. It might be a smaller issue then what you think. Maybe just tightening some of the clamps would resolve it. Just a few ideas.
I had a power steering leak on my Supercoupe, so I went to Napa and bought a small bottle of dye to put in the fluid. I started the engine and within a minute I found the leak using a black light. It will glow green where the leak is.
If I remember correctly, the dye can be used in power steering fluid, transmission fluid, engine oil, and radiators.
Unless it's a blown hose, most power steering systems won't leak until pressure is applied, which if you aren't turning the wheel, there's little pressure on the system, as you turn the wheel, upwards of 1200 psi at the stops is possible! the return side(hose that goes to the ps pump resevoir) is under almost no pressure at all.
To me, looks like the lower hose of the power steering cooler is the likely suspect, maybe the clamp is turning loose.
im having the same problem except my powerstearing fluid level barely changes and its going up not down. im finding a little patch of fluid on my hood and a little on the top of my power stearing cap but i cant tell were its coming from i have also tried to turn the wheels and nothing happens so i dont know what to think
My '98 has had the same issue since I bought it new. I even had the rack changed under warranty back years ago, both have leaked a little bit, but it takes a very long time before I need to add fluid, like once every 18 months to 2 years. I've always figured mine was due to the high RPM's I run pretty frequently. You do appear to have some bad pitting on your frame and rack, do you do lots of snow and/or mud driving? Never mind, I see you are from Connecticut. I don't have any pitting at all.
pulley and pump is dry, the leak is definetely coming from one of those hoses on the rack or the rack itself. thanks for all the help so far, I plan on cleaning it up today and trying to find that leak, once again.........
check your front diff!!! last week mine was leaking in almost the same spot (little more toward the left/pass side) my powersteering lines and cooler/rack were all covered so i figured PS leak. took to garage and it was the front diff. somehow it builds up pressure inside and just blowes out vent tube. local ford garage said he has done about 20 explorer/rangers with same problem they put on a nice new expensive diff cover with the vent tube incorperated into the diff cover with a baffle, all is good now just something to check, is your power steering level low? if not check this and save burning up the front end lol good luck
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didn't get much done today as I spent the better part of the day cleaning and washing the truck and by the time i finished it started raining. Ranger, u bring up a good point, but fortunately for me i have both leaking!! (how i got this lucky i dunno lol) better yet, i already took the diff out to reseal it because it was leaking and it was good for a week until it started leaking again :roll: not only that, my TC is leaking too (which was rebuilt two years ago by jasper) so i figure im going to work my way front to back lol
