1997 cavi 2.4 RS Convertable power steering issue?!?!?

[chevygirl03]

1997 Cavalier 2.4 LS Convertable 133000 miles I have a problem with me power steering fluid leaking. it only leaks when the tires are all the way left or right and it is dripping off the oil pan underneath. I cannot see where its leaking from because i cant fit under the car my boobs are too big. could this be the pump or is it the return hose? if the wheels arent fully turned to left or right there is no leak. fluid levels stay full. could making a u turn make the line come loose? it started to grind a little in a u turn then started to leak. or is it the pump going bad? the other morning (cold night in FL not freezing) when it started had no power steering but then after a sec to warm up it started to work again? but have had no other problems

[J-Ri]

If I remember correctly, you can see the entire P/S system looking under the hood, or at least the majority of it. If the level stays full, why do you think it's leaking?

[chevygirl03]

no you cannot see the system from under the hood. It leaks only when you turn the wheel all the way to the left or right but normal driving it doesn't leak. when it does leak it is a very little.

[J-Ri]

Mine had a manual trans, I bet that's why I could see it (fuzzy memories that far back ). You really do need to see where the leak is coming from to know what to replace... plus if you can't even see it you have no chance of replacing it. I'd go out and buy a set of jack stands and a good floor jack, otherwise take it to a shop.

And I just re-read your original post, making a u-turn would not cause a hose to come loose, BUT holding the steering wheel at full-lock could cause a failing o-ring or hose to start leaking a bit. Also, check the condition of the fluid and compare it to new fluid. Power steering fluid is unfiltered and subjected to the highest temperatures in the car... why don't we change it? Because the people who write the books work for the people who'll sell you a new one when it breaks. Change that fluid. Most of the time nothing will leak ever if the fluids are changed. I have an old '86 truck with 170,000 miles on it, and it's bone dry underneath. I also just read that it started to grind on the u-turn... definately not good and would suggest the pump is bad, although if that's leaking you can see it from above the car.

[GregFD]

Originally Posted by chevygirl03

no you cannot see the system from under the hood. It leaks only when you turn the wheel all the way to the left or right but normal driving it doesn't leak. when it does leak it is a very little.

I have a 99 Cav and had a leak issue. For some reason, instead of routing the return line directly from the rack to the reservoir, the geniuses at GM decided to route the line down under the car, make a little foot shape in the steel line and then route it back up under the hood against the firewall to the rack. Its crazy. Anyway, this little foot has obviously had leak issues in the past as GM put in an aftermarket fix consisting of a split piece of rubber hose to keep the foot from rubbing on the body.

Still, since the little foot is underneath the car, it gets rusty from salt and whatever else might be on the road and develops a tiny pinhole over time, like mine did. Its also near the transmission.

I wouldn't reccommend this redneck fix, but its worked well, so far: I cut the foot out, unclamped the Norma clamp, removed it and ran the engine for a few seconds to clear out any metal kerf. I sanded and cleaned the metal line, slathered it with aircraft Permatex, put a couple of 5/16 drive clamps on the hose with the worm gears on opposite sides of each other and slipped the hose on and tightened it down. I let the permatex cure, filled her back up, bled off the air and she's good to go.

[J-Ri]

Welcome to AF. Please look at the date of the last post before replying.

The reason for that "foot" is to cool the power steering fluid a bit before it returns to the pump. It doesn't do much, but it does drop the temp a bit and makes the fluid last longer.

Stop driving your car now. Before you drive it again, remove your "patch" and flare both lines with a bubble flaring tool. That hose will pull off one side or the other, which will run the pump dry, and will destroy the pump and send metal fragments throughout the system.