Power Steering Overflow

[03cobra#2]

Good morning, I'm a little confused on this one. I last drove the car a few days ago. Ran perfect, parked the car, have not touched it since. Woke up this morning to power steering all over the floor. I have not gotten under the car yet, but it looks like it was over flowing out of the power steering resivoir. Any ideas here?

 

[03cobra#2]

I did a quick start with the cap off, fluid level dropped to about half way, power steering sounded / seemed fine. Pressed the brake pedal a couple of times and didn't see the power steering fluid come up any. Very strange.

 

[Murderedsvt]

Make sure it isn’t cracked.

 

[03cobra#2]

After reading a bit sounds like there could be a leak where it's sucking air into the system, compressing, then expelling out the top when the engine is off. Anyone hear if this before lol

 

[01yellercobra]

Can't say I have. But at this point in the hobby I've stopped saying "that can't happen".

 

[03cobra#2]

Got under the car and see no apparent leaks. I had my daughter clock the steering wheel left to right while I peeked into the power steering resevoir. Sure enough I saw air bubbles come up. So there is air getting into the system somehow. So would this be a suction / low pressure side leak? Where is a good starting point? Is there a way I can pressurize the low side and see if fluid is coming out anywhere?

 

[03cobra#2]

Next step is to apply pressure to the power steering system through the resivoire to see if there is a leak on the low pressure side somewhere. I ordered one of these kits from Amazon, that arrives tomorrow.

 

[wckdvnm]

So my car hasn’t been on the road or really running in about two years. About a year after I drained all the gas out the car did exactly what yours did.

I was just as confused as you were. Hopefully you get an idea of what caused it as mine drained the whole tank.


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[03cobra#2]

OK, so I got the bleeding kit today. Had to cut down one of the rubber stoppers a bit but everything fits good. I have the system pressure through the top of the resivoire at about 12-14 psi. So far I can see no leaks. So I'm thinking either the steering rack is sucking air somewhere like behind the boots, or there is a leak on the pressure side somewhere. What I do know is there is a very good amount of air coming into the system.

If all else fails there is a local shop that works on older / higher end cars with very good Google reviews I can take it to.

 

[01yellercobra]

I have heard of people having a mystery power steering leak that they couldn't find. Then removed the bellows for some reason and found a bunch of fluid.

 

[03cobra#2]

That would be my next step. I also see a bit of wetness at the union where the high pressure line goes into the pump. I was able to apply 10-15lbs of pressure through the cap and found no evidence of a leak in any of the low pressure hoses.

I think I'll take it to a shop next week and see what they say.

 

[03cobra#2]

That would be my next step. I also see a bit of wetness at the union where the high pressure line goes into the pump. I was able to apply 10-15lbs of pressure through the cap and found no evidence of a leak in any of the low pressure hoses.

I think I'll take it to a shop next week and see what they say.

We're about to find out. Dropped it off at the shop this morning.

 

[03cobra#2]

And they found nothing....nothing leaking. If anything a bit of wetness around the pump but that was it. They threw die in it and I'll drive it a bit then take it back up.

I guess it's possible there was air locking in the system that finally worked it's way out, but I never had the power steering apart.

 

[01yellercobra]

When you had your daughter move the wheel, was the engine running? Any chance one of the kids was pretending to drive it?

 

[03cobra#2]

When you had your daughter move the wheel, was the engine running? Any chance one of the kids was pretending to drive it?

It was not. I did drive it home, parked for a couple days and nothing over flowing or leaking. I'll be crawling under the car tonight to check for Leaks.

 

[01yellercobra]

I've learned if the engine isn't running and you crank the wheel it'll expel fluid (guess how I learned that...). So I wouldn't count what you saw with your daughter's help as an issue. I have heard of the teflon washers for the hard lines giving up the ghost randomly. So maybe that's what happened here.

 

[03cobra#2]

I've learned if the engine isn't running and you crank the wheel it'll expel fluid (guess how I learned that...). So I wouldn't count what you saw with your daughter's help as an issue. I have heard of the teflon washers for the hard lines giving up the ghost randomly. So maybe that's what happened here.

Let me clarify. It expelled fluid while the car was sitting in the garage over night.

With the engine off clocking the steering wheel, no fluid came out, but I saw tiny air bubbles coming up in the resivoire....so there is air in the system. After taking it the the shop they saw no problems. No noisy pump, no fluid leaking. So I'm going to chalk it up to the system having a air pocket in it that finally worked it's way out after all these years.

If there is any type of drip on the garage floor I'll take it to the shop and they can pin point with the uv light. It's just crazy that power steering would puke overnight for no reason whatsoever.

 

[Fastback]

Not a mustang, but had this problem on a Honda. The o-rings in the high and low pressure tend to go, and let air get sucked in and cause overflowing. Just something to gander at.

 

[03cobra#2]

Little update. Car puked fluid again. Totally random during the night. Took it back to the shop this morning. Again no visable leaks, but obviously sucking air in somewhere. Plan is to replace some of the low pressure side rubber hoses and go from there. Fingers crossed.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Little update. Car puked fluid again. Totally random during the night. Took it back to the shop this morning. Again no visable leaks, but obviously sucking air in somewhere. Plan is to replace some of the low pressure side rubber hoses and go from there. Fingers crossed.

Take a hard look at the pump supply line. That would make the most sense.

The low pressure side is all sent straight to the reservoir. I'd assume the air would escape there before the fluid is drawn back into the pump.