Power steering part time leak

[ws23rt]

I pulled my C500 in the garage a few weeks back and the next morning I found a puddle of PS fluid on the floor. The pump housing was wet with fluid but the steering gear was not. The fluid level was way low. I cleaned everything up that day and filled the pump.---A Saginaw pump--

Today I started the car and  set about locating the leak.--- I found no leak  Any ideas about how this could happen?

[MAC]

I'm no expert on this but I have the same problem going on with my power steering unit on my 440.
It doesn't leak until the car is idle. I believe it is seeping by the seal & bearing behind the pulley after it's been driven and the unit is hot allowing the unit to leak.
I have found a used one I hope to replace it with this weekend. My pump is the TRW which isn't made any longer and I am replacing it with a different model (Saginaw I believe) come equipped with identical brackets and pulley for mounting.
I have been told that there is a rebuild kit for the Saginaw's which isn't very difficult to install. Someone with a lot more knowledge than I should advise you better.
Once I get mine off I will confirm if my theory is correct about where she's leaking from and let you know.
Sorry I couldn't help you better.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Saginaws are a peice of cake to reseal. Its most likely just the resevoir oring.

[Pete in NH]

I had a power steering leak that turned out to be a pin hole in the pressure hose. Every time you turned the wheel lock to lock the pressure would build and a fine spray of fluid would spray out of the hose. It drove me crazy for a while finding it. And yes, Saginaw pumps are very easy to reseal.

[ws23rt]

Thanks all  I'll give the reseal a try. 

[John_Kunkel]

Lucas stop-leak has always worked for me, cheaper and beats gettin' dirty.

http://lucasoil.com/products/problem-solvers-utility/lucas-power-steering-stop-leak

[ws23rt]

Lucas stop-leak has always worked for me, cheaper and beats gettin' dirty.

http://lucasoil.com/products/problem-solvers-utility/lucas-power-steering-stop-leak

I do like that advice as my next step. Especially since I have no leaks at the moment. I bought a bottle and will add it when and if the level drops again. --I am so done with getting dirty these days

What is it about adding new things that is fun but when something is broken it's not so fun to fix??

[John_Kunkel]

I always use a suction gun to remove as much fluid as possible from the reservoir and top it off with Lucas. Get a headstart on it.

[MAC]

I pulled my leaking power steering pump off yesterday, it is a TRW or federal which ever you care to call it, it's the one that isn't made anymore if I'm not mistake. To the point like the coonhunter mentioned my seal around the canister seems to be the culprit, I'll hit a industrial parts store in the morning and have them make me an ''O'' ring for it.
Hopefully wRt this is your problem too....seems to be a common problem. I have 3 Saginaw pumps but don't have the brackets to mount it on the 440.

[ws23rt]

I pulled my leaking power steering pump off yesterday, it is a TRW or federal which ever you care to call it, it's the one that isn't made anymore if I'm not mistake. To the point like the coonhunter mentioned my seal around the canister seems to be the culprit, I'll hit a industrial parts store in the morning and have them make me an ''O'' ring for it.
Hopefully wRt this is your problem too....seems to be a common problem. I have 3 Saginaw pumps but don't have the brackets to mount it on the 440.

I have a TRW/federal pump on my hemi coronet and went through it as I did with the federal on my C500 (the part time leaker).
The shaft seal on both of these pumps could very well be a "part time leaker" as well.   A clue for me is my leak stopped at the shaft level.

The o ring for the housing you mentioned is a good bet to leak also especially if it is original.

BTW I know that tossing stuff is a two edged sword.  I need to do it like most of us.   --Last year I tossed several federal pump housings and parts.---So now I hear they are the ones that are hard to find.

[MAC]

Check out eBay for the federal pumps, you probably could buy gold cheaper....lol
My ''O'' fix debacle didn't solve my problem, it still leaked at the bottom of the canister    so an old mopar friend of mine gave me another one from his stash, came off a Chrysler imperial 10 years ago....damn thing leaks too  ... who would have thought it  . I even filled the reservoir up with 2 bottles of the Lucas power steering stop leak in and yes it still leaked. Twenty buck wasted!!!!
Went back to my ole mopar buddy and gave him the good news and he told me that car Quest auto parts will send them to their contacts and rebuild my original and return it to me for 60 bucks plus shipping in a 3 week turn around. I think tomorrow I'll drain mine package it up and give em a try.... Lucky for me I have the experience and know how to pull these pumps off a 440 in less than 40 minutes now If this doesn't work I have 3 Saginaw pumps I'll convert with the help of 440 source for the brackets and be done with this whole fiasco.

[ws23rt]

This is a kinda old thread but old stuff seems to be the only thing I deal with anymore.

So I had/have a power steering pump that only leaked part time.--At home after driving.  It would sometimes dump it all. (but not always)

I suspected the shaft seal -  Tried "Lucas" power steering leak sealer. ---One time the car sat for days without a leak and then it did it again.

Today I pulled out an old Saginaw pump  (the style I'm working with) from my pile of stuff. I got a seal kit from auto parts store and just got this pump back together.--Btw not a tough task--

So my questioned about where these can leak from is answered.--Shaft seal, two bolt connections to the can, one pressure relief connection to the can, and the big o ring seal to the can.---That is five possible places to leak.

BTW the seal kit I bought was $15.  Time invested to clean and reassemble the pump was six hours at my elderly pace

So now I will just swap pumps and all will be well.