fluid leak, power steering pump or transmission cooler pipe please?

[slowandlow]

hello. im just hoping someone can pass some advice on a leak i have. on the ground, each night, i get about a tennis ball sized leak on the ground of transmission fluid. it drips directly under the power steering pump, im finding fluid on the transmission cooler pipes directly below the power steering pump, and on one of the pipes, right up to the rubber hose at the radiator. the advice i have heard so far is that the power steering pump would be leaking, but i cant see any fluid loss in the reservior, cant find much in the way of fluid, feeling around the rear of the pump (yes i DO have small HANDS), and it seems strange to me that there is fluid on the transmission cooler pipe nearest the radiator, because its in front of the power steering pump, and i dont really think laws of gravity and wind resistance would make it possible to be coming from the p/s pump to the transmission pipe at that location. the fluid is definately the freshest and most concentrated on that transmission pipe. the things making me undecided are: i can never catch the leak physically dripping (i can only notice leaking if parked overnight), and the floor stain is directly under the power steering pump, not where i can feel freshest fluid. any feedback would be much appreciated. fortunately the leak isnt bad enough to need immediate action, its more annying than anything. cheers people!

[slowandlow]

sorry, i didnt mention, its a vt v6. thanks

[mummbles]

Yeah I've had this a couple of times now. Holden keep wanting to replace or overhaul the pwr steer pump.
I tracked it down to the reservoir itself. The two halves of the reservoir are press fit together, and with all the heat from the radiator over time the join loosens and allows a small amount of fluid to seep out the join.
It runs down the hoses and appears to the eye to be coming fomr somewhere much lower.
To check give the reservoir and hose coming from it a good clean up and keep an eye on it.
From memory a new reservoir was around $15 odd.

[slowandlow]

thanks mumbles. ill check those hoses out too. ive tied tissues around a couple of places on the lower pipes at this stage. hopefully that will help me locate, ill clean and do the same with the reservior hoses. i hadnt looked at those or really even considered that possibility yet, so thanks for the feedback. ill post when i find for others reference.

[mummbles]

it wasn't the hoses that were leaking, it was the erservoir itself, right around the horizontal join it has. It jsut leaked down the hose.

[slowandlow]

found it. it was the power steering. it didnt want to leak until it had been sitting for a while though which is why i think i had a few problems finding it. it was right at the rear of the pump, in close to the motor. the reservoir was actually ok. those hoses where totally dry and clean. its funny though, there does seem to be some transmission fluid residue on the reservoir. it must stick to that plastic for ages, as i have tried to wipe it. anyway......
thanks for your feedback.
i have something fun to do over christmas now

[mummbles]

well done. Good luck

[TheSly1]

I had a power steering leak in my VT, i used the power steering stop leak stuff, guaranteed to work or you money back, cant go wrong. and it stopped it.. you just syringe out some existing fluid in the resivour and fill it up with the stop leak stuff, it is desinged to swell the seals back up to stop the leak.

[slowandlow]

i've considered using that stuff, but mine is leaking from the end plate. i dont think theres any seals there, i could be wrong. anyway, i have time over christmas to do such a job, so might as well do it properly. it doesnt sound very hard to change the pump, so ill give it a go i think. im just hoping the pulley comes off easily

[slowandlow]

im just halfway through it now, the pulley came off easy as without a puller. a baby could take it off after the bolts are out (not reccommended ). mind you the bolts where a little tricky. ill have to pay attention to putting them on tight again when i finish.