Can anyone explain this leak? Pictures included

Big Montana · **Posted:** Tue Jun 25, 2013 12:29 pm

I have oil (It seems like engine oil, but I'm trying to figure out if it's power steering fluid) dripping down off of the passenger side boot of my power steering arm. I can't figure out where it is coming from!

I don't see a source from above!

I don't see anything coming off of the front axle shaft!

I don't see any holes in the boot or indications it's coming from inside

Can the piston leak power steering fluid into the boot? I've never seen anything like that. The other side isn't leaking, but I did have to refill the power steering fluid a few months ago.

thermorex · **Posted:** Tue Jun 25, 2013 4:34 pm

I can only think of brake fluid from that side... definitely not power steering, the PS reservoir is on the passenger side and lines go towards front of the car. You said it isn't water, so I can only think there may be a leak of brake fluid (color also looks like brake fluid), did you have your pads replaced? I'm thinking the brake fluid was pushed back with the new pads and escaped through the reservoir cap. Or you have a loose line. Or there is battery acid, but that would have had some corrosion shown.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Tue Jun 25, 2013 4:42 pm

thermorex wrote:

I can only think of brake fluid from that side... definitely not power steering, the PS reservoir is on the passenger side and lines go towards front of the car. You said it isn't water, so I can only think there may be a leak of brake fluid (color also looks like brake fluid), did you have your pads replaced? I'm thinking the brake fluid was pushed back with the new pads and escaped through the reservoir cap. Or you have a loose line. Or there is battery acid, but that would have had some corrosion shown.

This IS the passenger side and it's directly under the air box. I hadn't thought of brake fluid though. It would have to be coming from a line going to the passenger side front tire. I'll go check it out.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:00 pm

Passenger side thoughts:
1. BAD=turbo high pressure supply line.
2. turbo low pressure return line just pressed into rubber gasket in block
3. brake fluid
4. oil cooler "radiator" on block low and forward of turbo.
5. valve cover.
6. torn airbox to turbo hose just in front of turbo drips CCV oil down.

Given how air blows stuff everywhere you might want to do some degreasing before you do more looking.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:08 pm

I checked the brake lines, and there are no signs of leakage. There are no signs of drips from high up on the fender either. This part of the plastic boot sticks out on the OUTSIDE of the plastic inner fender. Anything coming from the engine bay would drip farther up the plastic boot, and that isn't happening. I followed the hose coming off of the power steering bottle, and it looks dry all the way down. (I also noticed that my serpentine belt tentioner is jumping all over the place. Perhaps it's time to replace the original alternator after all.)

The fluid seems to originate on the bottom of the passenger side plastic boot for the steering piston. I am really thinking that I have a blown seal on the piston shaft and the boot is filling with fluid. In the dead of winter after cold starts in the work parking lot, I used to have no power steering until I got going. I wonder of this was a symptom of a problem.

As to the fluid's color. It certainly isn't a bright red like the ATF 4 fluid in the trans and the PS bottle, but it could just be dirty. I really can't tell. It doesn't smell like gear oil from the front diff, and if anything it smells a bit like motor oil. I was thinking turbo or boost hoses or airbox line to the turbo, but there is no sign of oil on anything BETWEEN the collected fluid on the boot and those possible sources.

thermorex · **Posted:** Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:44 pm

I would wipe that fluid clean, clean that rubber cover for the tie rod, and see what you end up getting there later. In theory could be coolant, engine oil, power steering oil or transmission oil, theoretically, all of them can get at that spot. Transmission fluid can be because, more likely, the lines have leaks on the rubber hose/radiator, and I doubt it will get on the tie rod and not on something else. BTW, probably if you take the engine shield/guard out, you'd be able to see more.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Thu Jun 27, 2013 4:09 pm

Well I've cleaned the whole area of dirt and grease and it is now coming off of the boot pretty red. It matched the power steering fluid. I guess I need to look into a new rack and pinion.

Has anyone rebuilt their with seals, or is it better to replace the whole unit...

Does it even sound like the right track? I've never messed with Rack and Pinion before. Will the seals leak out of the piston? I guess I could try leak preventer first.

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 27, 2013 7:14 pm

There are rebuild kits out there for these but if your going to take the time to pull it you might as well just replace it. Because believe me it isn't a fun job on a CRD.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Thu Jun 27, 2013 11:50 pm

That looks like a power steering fluid leak out of your steering rack. Clean it off and if it looks cleaner red then its gotta be a steering rack.

You might think about replacing that sometime in the next 50k miles or so.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Fri Jun 28, 2013 1:05 am

Of all the things that could have failed on my Jeep, I would never have guessed the rack and pinion.

Ludi Neethling · **Joined:** Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:04 am **Posts:** 87

Good day.

I know this is a very late reply, but I had a similar experience. The rubber hose that feeds fluid from the power steering reservoir had a leak at the bottom where it connects to the power steering pump. I replaced the hose as well as the clamps and my problem was solved.

Greeting from South Africa.

Regards,

Ludi Neethling

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:03 am

Yup, that looks like a classic power steering rack leak. This is the first one I have seen on a CRD/KJ. Has anyone else seen this on their KJ's yet? Just curious.

racertracer · **Posted:** Wed Oct 16, 2013 12:57 pm

This stuff stopped my power steering fluid leak that derived from the same area.

http://www.lucasoil.com/products/displa ... 9&loc=show

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:21 pm

Nothing at all wrong with dumping a full bottle of Lucas bear snot into the power steering reservoir - it might just plug the leak for you. The PS system doesn't hold that much juice, and if you aren't dumping quarts of juice into it, then it is a VERY small leak.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:56 pm

I put it in the other day and it seems to have worked. Thanks guys. Now for the motor mounts! I've been clunking for weeks.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Oct 16, 2013 9:59 pm

Enjoy the big ol' bowl of suck that the driver's side lower bolt is. I don't know who designed that location... But they need to spend the rest of their life counting trees in their underwear, in the Aleutian Islands.

dieseldoesit · **Posted:** Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:14 pm

geordi wrote:

Enjoy the big ol' bowl of suck that the driver's side lower bolt is. I don't know who designed that location... But they need to spend the rest of their life counting trees in their underwear, in the Aleutian Islands.

That doesn't sound so bad, I don't think there are any trees in the Aleutian Islands!

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:38 pm

Then they can stay outdoors looking until they find some. Then count them... And start looking more.

Can anyone explain this leak? Pictures included

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