I was driving down the highway the other day (don't all good "help, I've fallen and can't get up threads start this way?) and it sounded like I drove over something small but hard- but figured I'd hit it with a tire and it (whatever it was) got flung up into the undercarriage and then nothing really happened. BUT... My spidey senses were going off- and things started to smell a bit funny... I was writing most of my concerns off to a probably air bubble in my cooling system (that's supposed to get dealt with this week). I just had a power steering cooler installed when I got my tranny cooler replaced and given all that has happened I'm a bit on the "yikes" side of things.

I popped the hood when I got home because something didn't feel right. Things overall looked OKAY... but I'm pretty sure my coolant overflowed because there was a stain near my radiator cap that wasn't there before. I knew this could happen because of the air bubble... so kind of wrote off my concern to that.

That was Thursday afternoon...

Today I went to get into the car (I was competing in GP over the weekend and just got back) and couldn't turn the wheel. I looked under the car and there was a pretty decent stain on the ground- still moist... with redish fluid. It was still kind of dripping out from that skid plate between the test pipes. I checked my levels and they were well below "cool min" in the steering fluid reservoire. I figured that was what it was because I saw them refilling it at the shop after swapping out the tranny cooler / steering fluid cooler.

Anyway guys- I've done some searches and while I've seen a few items that looked similar... they don't really answer my question. The leak is steady at about a drip every 20-30 seconds or so. I have included a few pics of the area- but frankly I'm not able to get great access to it so I can't get in too close. If you get the general idea of what may have happened from the photos- what I'd like to know is:

a) Looking at what I have so far, could I likely top off the power steering fluid and make my way to a shop directly
b) They were priming the power steering pump somehow... would I need to do that or just top off the fluid and go?
c) Am I an idiot for even asking and I should be getting a flat deck out to bring my car over to MNR (where it was likely going to end up in the next couple days anyway?

 

I had a power steering leak with my car as well. I had the hard line replaced with rubber line and all is fixed.The hard line rubs on the turbo. If its going to MNR have a look at passenger turbo. Thats where it should be rubbing. Get them to replace it with a rubber high pressure rubber hose.

Also all you need to do is add fluid and turn the steering wheel either side to get the air out. Thats all you have to do.

 

Thanks Dustin... got a couple photos of the turbo side as well- reached in there aways and you can kind of see it there.

I saw them go through the bleeding off routine- lock to lock. I've talked to MNR and Shawn agreed that's a great idea (high pressure rubber instead of hardline) and said it would be no problem. He mentioned that normally if he sees a clearance issue- even if it's close- he'll just fix it... so there's a chance that wasn't what caused this one but again if that worked for you then it'll undoubtedly work for me in the longer run.

The car is coming to Alberta on Friday... and will be in Edmonton for the Combat Challenge there. Maybe I'll see you over the weekend?

 

Well Got It in the hoist at mnr and as Dustin suggested it is exactly what he said. Low pressure line was rubbing against the compressor housing (something like that) and wore through. Took 2000 or so kms but that's what it was.

Anyway thanks again Dustin.

 

Yeah mine was about the same. Glad i could help.