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VX Power steering fluid all over engine bay

bfhoon

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Hi

Went for a rural drive today along a crappy bumpy as heck good old nsw country road. My power steering reservoir decided to dislodge itself and flap around in the engine bay near the fan belt. Thought it was a bit strange doing 100klm per hour around some tight bends and the car just didn't seem to keen to get into the corner. Looked back in my mirror and I could see white smoke.... Pulled over at next town popped the bonnet and the infeed hose is split and the reservoir is empty as. Nothing open today and needing to get home I quickly turned around and drove 90klm home with tight as steering and no fluid in the reservoir.

Do you think I would have done any damage to the system at all When I pulled it all apart the pump still had fluid in it, the steering was tight as like worse than manual steering Im guessing It was like this due to no pressure in system?

Also should I just replace the 2 hoses going from the reservoir top it all up and that's it or do I need to bleed the system etc etc. Not to keen on doing this as I don't have my car ramps and need to fix this tomorrow. Also is there a drain plug for the power steering?

Also degreased and gurnied the engine bay as im guessing power steer fluid is going to eat paint and also is it ok on the fan belt and radiator hoses ?
 

edals

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The Steering Rack should Be fine, Like you said just very very heavy steering. I would replace the pump as having no fluid pumping through it id say it has got very hot and may have damaged bearings inside the pump. They are cheap to buy brand new, Mine was $140 New. It may have had fluid in the pump still but would not have been coating it all.
As for Filling it up. Just Fill the Tank up, Give it a few quick cranks but not starting it, top up and repeat a few times. Note the Fluid will foam due to air in the system, Just turn the car over every 20 mins for a few seconds till the fluid level stops dropping. The foaming should reduce each 20 mins you crank it over. You may also Jack the front wheels off the ground and turn the wheel side to side with the engine off to help bleed the system.
 

bfhoon

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The Steering Rack should Be fine, Like you said just very very heavy steering. I would replace the pump as having no fluid pumping through it id say it has got very hot and may have damaged bearings inside the pump. They are cheap to buy brand new, Mine was $140 New. It may have had fluid in the pump still but would not have been coating it all.
As for Filling it up. Just Fill the Tank up, Give it a few quick cranks but not starting it, top up and repeat a few times. Note the Fluid will foam due to air in the system, Just turn the car over every 20 mins for a few seconds till the fluid level stops dropping. The foaming should reduce each 20 mins you crank it over. You may also Jack the front wheels off the ground and turn the wheel side to side with the engine off to help bleed the system.

Well I wont be able to get a pump tomorrow so I will do as you said and just replace the hose and top it up. Im hoping the pump is good as it looked like it was full of fluid but who knows I did hear some slight knocking in the last 5 minutes before I got home. I guess I will just run it till the pump lets go. Also what type of fluid should I use. Any tips for the putting the hoses back on cant believe they are just held in with hose clamps and they don't leak, though it would all be high pressure fittings with O-rings etc.
 

edals

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You need Dex III Transmission Oil. Yes they use this for Both the transmission and Power Steering. The 2 Hoses are just low pressure back to the Reserve tank. The High Pressure line goes from the back of the Pump to the steering Rack :)
 

bfhoon

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You need Dex III Transmission Oil. Yes they use this for Both the transmission and Power Steering. The 2 Hoses are just low pressure back to the Reserve tank. The High Pressure line goes from the back of the Pump to the steering Rack :)

I finished it today as well as replacing most of the radiator hoses. However I could not get the smaller hose for the return line back to the power steer fluid reservoir., however its not completely split yet so no leaks as of yet. Looks like the pump is ok as well no real noise except first couple of start it made a terrible noise I really though it was shot but then it came good. Does anyone know where to get this hose or the part number repco and supercheap auto had no idea, they sold me some oil cooling hose but its not high temp or fuel safe which the factory hose looks like it is so I havenot bothered replacing it.
.
 

K-BAGZ

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Power steering return hose is 3/8".

Just buy a length of 3/8" power steering hose. Most places only sell by the metre though.
 
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