94 4runner pwr steering/trans. question

[hi_way30]

My 94 4runner is loosing power steering fluid but it is not leaking onto the ground. i have to top it off every three or four days (20-30 miles) but I cannot see where the fluid is going. I have had this problem for the past 6 months and last month i had the power steering pump and belt replaced, but no luck.

In the owner's manual it says to use trans. fluid in the power steering. I was wondering if somehow the fluid is leaking into some part of the tansmission system (tranny/lines/cooler). If the fluid is not going into the transmission where is it going, because it is not leaking onto the driveway?

[Brian R.]

No chance it is leaking into the transmission. It is probably getting blown back onto the engine while you are driving and getting spread around.

How much fluid do you add when you "top it off" every three or four days? It is probably a leaking hose or fitting.

Park the truck over newspapers and move the steering stop-to-stop a few times (don't force the wheel against the stop). Let it sit and see if you get some drips. I bet you will.

If you can't find a specific leaking spot, torque down the fittings for the pressure hose, check the connections for the return hose for any wetness. Since replacing the pump had no effect, it is probably not the connections at the pump.

If all else fails, replace the pressure hose.

[Erndog1369]

Any smoke from the engine? I've had one 4Runner that had a bad check valve in the pump, actually I think that it was installed wrong previously, and it was enabling fluid to be sucked into the intake through one on the vacuum lines to the pump. Most likely you have a leak, but if not, it might be the pump check valve.
You might want to take the truck somewhere and have them add some flourescent dye to the p/s fluid, and then they can check for a leak using a black light. It's a fantastic way to find any leak, be it oil, trans fluid, coolant, refrigerant, or p/s fluid.
Good luck.