ps leak....

[dmjensen]

I bought an e30 about a month or two ago and it's the most enjoyable car I've owned. but it's leaking ps fluid at the boot on the drivers side right next to the rack, anyone know if it's just a bad seal or...?

[jlevie]

A leak there could be a hose. At least that would be the first thing to check.

[dmjensen]

I checked and it looks like it's coming out of the boot

[Philo]

That usually means an inner seal has failed within the rack. Purchasing a used rack from a board member in your area is the most inexpensive means of fixing the problem. Most people will simply give away stock E30 racks.

Try the regional sub-forum or the WTB section.

G/L

[blefevre]

Yep, it is the seals inside the rack. Either a new rack or no PS is your only option if you don't want to keep filling it up with fluid.

[george graves]

Yep, it is the seals inside the rack. Either a new rack or no PS is your only option if you don't want to keep filling it up with fluid.

WRONG.

I had exactly the same leak, coming out of the boot. It would fill up in the boot, and get forced out when I turned.

I kept putting off a rack swap, and started putting in cheaper and cheaper fluid. That's the first problem. There is a huge difference in AFT fluids.

What you want to do is not top off your PS fluid. Eventually the rack will start "moaning" like it's a 2 dollar hooker. That's fine, you can drive a good long time with it - so don't' sweat it.

But before you let it run dry, puck up to bottles of this stuff. Then, fill up, keep topping off. You'll go through one (some will leak) and by the time the second one is in, your leak will have stopped.

I did this with my 250k rack. Hasn't leaked a single drop since.

[Philo]

I like to actually fix things. <3 U GG.

[george graves]

I know - I'm not a fan of fixes in a bottle either. I usually laugh at them on TV. It's rare to find one that works so well - I guess that why I tell people about it.

[dmjensen]

alright i'll try to find one cause im not a fan of ps deletes, if worst comes to worst ill take it apart and replace the seal

[CabrioPunk]

I like to actually fix things. <3 U GG.

How does this not fix it? It no longer leaks and functions as design. It has to involve removing a rack, rebuilding it? Seems like GG has found a fix; one that could work for you.

[george graves]

alright i'll try to find one cause im not a fan of ps deletes, if worst comes to worst ill take it apart and replace the seal

It's a waist of time and money to rebuild a old, 4 turn lock-to-lock rack IMHO.

Am I crazy, or is that how you should look at the situation? Why invest time and money into something that is shit to begin with?

[dmjensen]

just went out and bought 2 quarts of the tranny leak stop, hope it works..
thanks for the tipz

[george graves]

awesome.

[Philo]

It's a waist of time and money to rebuild a old, 4 turn lock-to-lock rack IMHO.

Am I crazy, or is that how you should look at the situation? Why invest time and money into something that is shit to begin with?

You did see my post. . .right? :) If your suggestion doesn't work, then I think my suggestion sounds fairly reasonable.

And the the guy who said that stop-leak is a 'fix', it's not in my book. It's more of a band-aid. It doesn't replace the broken part or repair it, just clogs it up with a thicker fluid. Nothing wrong with band-aids (I use them all the time) it's just not 'fixing' the situation.

[george graves]

You want to come look at my power steering and tell me it's not fixed?

You want to come look at it and tell me it's clogged?