Where is my PS fluid going?

[TurboRA28]

Hi all, got a question for my 80 series landcruiser.

Was out in the bush a awhile ago playing silly buggers, lots of lock to lock donuts and I think I overheated the PS a bit.

Anyway got very noisy and was low on fluid so I filled it up and was all good for a week, quiet and felt good.

Then got noisy again, checked it and it was low again. Thought maybe I didn't fill it correctly the first time around so filled it up again.

Another week later, down on fluid again.. Been ongoing for 2 months now.

But what is odd is there is NO leak. I park on concrete driveway each night, no drips. PS pump looks dry, steering box is dry.

I cant figure where the fluid is going.. Any ideas?

[MR22ZZ]

Do a complete system flush to see if there are any air pockets in the system.

though that wouldn't explain why it keeps on going down after so many refills, I would have thought that is it was air in the system that it would eventually slow down the need to top up. hmmm.

how much fluid have you put into the system in total, and what is its capacity?

[Hiro]

Leak that only occurs when under pressure? So you don't see it when parked?

Try doing lock-to-lock with engine running over a tarp or something (to avoid stains)

[Tweak]

Does the ps have lines that run into the radiator ( like a trans cooler). If so your fluid may be going in there.

Fill it up then have some one go lock to lock and give the engine a rev load the wheels up. eg turn em into a gutter

[Officer Doofy]

^ That would suck but have had it happen with a tranny cooler before

[ra_28]

Is it a 1hz diesel? if so the power steering pump is mounted in the front timing cover, inline with the vacuum pump. It's common for them to leak past the front seal into the sump. This is happening to me at the moment. Sometimes replacing the seal can work but if the shaft has and wear in it you will need to replace the shaft aswell.

Not too expensive cost me $50 for the shaft and $25 for the seal kit.

Cheers
Alex

[CrUZida]

Some PS pumps have vac lines going to them, to idle up when ever the power steering is activated. I've heard rumours of this vac sensor/switch leaking and the engine sucking PS fluid up.

However, a) just rumours b) not even sure if your motor has this.

[Smokey228]

On a mates car, the seals on the rack ends were gone, and it was empting fluid into the boots, while the car was running, they'd blow up like balloons, and then once off, the oil would either run back into the reservoir or sit...

I think if it was staying in the boots, that it'd slowly leak or piss out while travelling..?

Cheers,
Jase

[Dale]

On a mates car, the seals on the rack ends were gone, and it was empting fluid into the boots, while the car was running, they'd blow up like balloons, and then once off, the oil would either run back into the reservoir or sit...

I think if it was staying in the boots, that it'd slowly leak or piss out while travelling..?

Cheers,
Jase

What sort of car was it? I've never seen rack ends with fluid running into them

[Smokey228]

LOL not the rack ends, the ends of the rack*

Cheers,
Jase

P.s. was a vl

[ra_28]

lol cruisers don't have rack steering

Cheers
Alex

[TurboRA28]

Its a 1fz engine, 4.5ltr petrol.
No vac lines on the pump.. Also it doesn't go via the radiator or a cooler, the lines between pump and box just do some loops at the front of the car for cooling.

So far i've put close to 1ltr in over the 2 months, maybe 800ml. Reasonable amount anyway..

Maybe it is just leaking under pressure and im not seeing any drips.. Might try the gutter test.

[CrUZida]

Surely if it was leaking under pressure you'd see something on the underside of the car ?
The chances of it squirting directly down and not splashing anything else would have to be pretty slim.

Could it be dripping on to the exhaust and burning ?

[MR22ZZ]

800mL to 1L is not that much when you consider how long the lines are and how much volume is in there. Next time you top it up, have the engine running at temperature and turn the wheels lock to lock a few times to get it all flowing through the system and check for bubbles from the return line (if the reservior is one of the clear-opaque style ones that allows you to do this).

Check the simple things first...

[IN 05 NT]

all the dirt/dust/mud under the car is probably containing the leak so that it doesnt drip.....