Power Steering Leak

[blazer304]

The other day I went out and started my blazer.. a 98 4x4.. and left it run for about 15 minutes, it was about 15 degrees out. When I got in it and pulled back, I realized I had no power steering. I got out of the car, and relized there was a massive puddle where I was parked, and the blazer had dumped out almost all the power steering fluid. After looking around, I saw no leaks in any of the hoses, pump, or the rack itsself. Rather, It was leaking from the front driver side from a small gap, which was just in front of the airbag sensor and near the oil filter. It seems like once the two steering lines under the intake enter the area around the headlight, there must be something back there that is leaking the fluid.

Has anyone had this problem, and if so, what did you do to solve it? Any help would be greatly appreciated before I start tearing things apart to figure it out.

[Chris Stewart]

The 97 manual shows some tubing in front of the radiator that they refer to as the Power Steering Fluid Cooler. I guess yours sprung a leak. It looks like it's on the return line so there shouldn't be much pressure. The Power Steering cooler wasn't on all cars, there's a mention "if equipped with a cooler"....my '70 GMC 3/4 ton 4WD truck drove just fine without one for 28 years.

[blazer304]

Thanks, I'll have to get in there and check it out