2 problems in 1: Unresolved coolant leak/ power steering fluid leak

[NuBlackCavy]

(1998 4 door 2.4L DOHC, 73K miles of which 10K are my miles)
I recently had a waterpump replaced back in late June of this year. My "low coolant" lamp lit two days ago so I took it back to the shop. They put stop leak into the engine and told me to drive for 100 miles. I had noticed something leaking on the ground and had a friend of mine make some visual observations. It appears that I've got a massive power steering fluid leak near where the pressurized steel hoses head towards the rack and pinion box as well. Needless to say I'm "tapped out" from the waterpump job that ran me close to $1000.00 to have done which is still in question because the cooling system has STILL FAILED A PRESSURE TEST but not in the same area of the engine where the work was done. That tells me that it wasn't done properly since I don't consider the repair COMPLETE unless that means that I should NOT have to be concerned with ANY LEAKS COMING FROM THE COOLING SYSTEM since that is the reason I brought them the car to fix in the first place. So in the space of 2 months I'm back to square one wit the coolant problem, only to be compounded by the power steering leak problem. I'm hoping that the "run of the mill" Power Steering fluid with stop leak might help seal up that leak if the bearing seal is going. It may take me 2 months before I can address the possibility of a rack and pinion box repair/ replacement. Thanks for any suggestions as to the seriousness of the power steering issue. I'm hoping that I have a case of INCOMPETANT WORKMANSHIP with the cooling system repair job.

[roggin323]

Hi, I feel your pain. Igot my cavy with 52000 miles on it after about 3000 miles i put on it the coolant light came on. needless to say 40000 miles later still on and i took it to 5 different machanics and all are dumbfounded by it. Some cheap advise, SELL IT, and sell it now!!!

[Chekmate]

Ok... coolant leak... you said it failed a pressure test... failed where... is it leaking out onto the ground? If not you may have a blown head gasket that's letting coolant get into your cylinders and blown out the tailpipe as steam.

BTW a cheap alternative to stop leak for radiators is Black Pepper...
just dump a box of Black Pepper in. I actually think it works better too.


Ok... power steering... your post made it sound like it was leaking from one of the hoses itself. They are fairly simple to change, and not all that expensive, usually 20-30 bucks.

[NuBlackCavy]

Thanks on both suggestions. I took the car on a 200 mile spin from Akron to near Columbus OH to "cook" the stop leak in the coolant. So far so good in that department. I'll take it to the mechanic to do another pressure test tomorrow. As for the power steering leak, it's still leaking but so far I'm still maintaining proper fluid level. Hopefully I didn't blow a bearing in the rack and pinion box. The steering is fine whether parking or manuevering at highway speeds; no problem either way knock wood. Looks like I'm getting about 29 miles per gallon with a semi lead foot. I CAN'T sell it not that I would want to because my digital odometer is TOAST! dimly lit with every other digit indicating at 90 second intervals. "MILEAGE UNKNOWN" even though I see about 73K on it.