Soaknfused

this is my first "new topic" Just got my 15 posts in so I can ask this question :-D anyhow, i have a 92 Maxima GXE that I just got 2 days ago, great condition, loaded, low miles etc etc... anyhow, I noticed some fluid inside the engine bay that pools kinda high on the body, basically on the passenger side, at the corner where the fender meets the firewall, the engine appears dry but there is some wetness on the hoses and stuff in that general area. It drips down and lands on the ground just ahead of the passenger side tire. I have inspected the drops, they are very clear and very clean. the oil in the car is not that clean. I am guessing it is power steering fluid.. oil is brown, trans fluid is red PS fluid is clear correct??? Is there anyone who has any ideas as to what the sounce of this fluid could be, is there any known items in the rear passenger side of the engine bay that are common for causing a leak of this nature? Engine oil levels are staying up, only thing that seems to be low is the PS fluid.. any guidance or help on this will be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance

wutsup

check the hose, check the power steering pump.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

Does your car have ABS?
brake fluid is clear and that corner has the ABS unit on cars so equipped

Soaknfused

I just added about a half pint to the power steering. I'm going to have to clean everything off to see where it it coming from, judging by how high up it is all wet, im guessing.. or hoping its a hose.. all the other fluids are full so it has to be the power steering. To elaborate a little.. the entire back corner of the passenger side of the engine bay is wet, the hoses, the anodized looking hose/connector thingy on the top with the hose connected to it (i know, great part naming) the firewall, the little spot about half way down on the side where it can pool, has pooled.. anyone have any idea of a worse case scenario on the $ it can take to fix this?? if its just a hose, hoses or the pump.. I however don't see any signs of the pump itself leaking, so I am hoping its just a hose, or hoses.. anyhow, I'm rambling :-D OH, one more thing.. the "dip stick" on the cap for the power steering fill is broken off, any rough idea how full its supposed to be, i dont want to over fill it.. says several places in the manual not to do that.. im guessing the car will spontaniously combust if its over filled??? and yes, I will be locating a replacement cap asap :-) thanks in advance

wolfpack_5150

iTrader: (3)

its your high pressure power steering hose........Very very common issue, with a simple fix. Well, u do have to fight to get to 1 of the bolts but it isnt that bad.

VEvolution

Just go to your nearest junkyard and pick one up ASAP(cap). These cars are permanent residents there. Your car won't spontaniously combust if you overfill lol, but you shouldn't. Just get the cap. Proper fluid level should be somewhere around the middle(between hot and cold) when the car is cold, but will rise a bit higher when the car warms up. Im too lazy to look in my FSM, so if Im a bit off with my PS level explanation, correct me please.

Soaknfused

Yes, i was guessing it was that.. i dried everything off (as best I could) started it up, turned the wheels from left to right a few times then looked for the leak, it's on what appears to be a high pressure hose (judging by the fittings and how its built) that is basically in the uppermost rear passenger side of the engine bay (right in front of the wiper motor), it goes into some weird fitting that has a senson or some type on it. I know, I need a FSM :-) Where can I get my hands on one?? so, i guess its off to find one of these hoses I go. anyone have any lil tidbits of advice for me? such as any specific tools or lil tricks to make this as easy as changing a pair of socks?? even a week old pair of socks? thanks in advance everyone.

Soaknfused

oh, as for the part... new?? used?? dealership or parts store?? thanks :-)

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Get it from http://www.internetautomart.com/

Our resident parts *****...

vansskaterfreek

iTrader: (14)

i think i have an extra power steering resivoir for the VG..... PM me if you are interseted...that ounds like what it is.... take pics if you dont know what it is and post them on here

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
We've created a monster...

Soaknfused

OK, looking at the pictures its the PS pressure hose.. not bad, 35-40 bucks, just gotta go look at it to make sure I order the right one.. any advice, this a do it on the ground deal, or jack stands or havta have a floor hoist kinda job? :-) I'm very mechanically inclined, just my first time working on a Max.. of which, I am sure I will have many more times. anyone know where I can get a FSM? (hint hint hint)

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

Well, I bought this hose from AutoZone for $15, and I think you need to remove a 24mm banjo bolt or two to get it off. If you pull the passenger side tire, you should be able to get to the bottom connection...and BTW, don't make the mistake I did....our Power Steering systems take ATF, NOT PS fluid.

vansskaterfreek

iTrader: (14)

our power steering pumps take transmission fluid?????

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

Yep...I made this thread:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=442127

And someone suggested there, and then when I rebuilt the pump here:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=444873

I verified it, and my FSM that you see in the pictures, next to the Crown Royal, says so.


In fact, I had the same leak this guy had a couple of years ago, and I replaced the hose (after several months of just re-filling it), and in the following months I had to replace the axle, the tie-rod boot, AND a tire that had a broken valve stem, ALL due to PS fluid that ate the rubber.

Soaknfused

yep, after adding a half pint of power steering fluid, i was looking in the my owners manual and there is was... use ATF.. oops, hope mixing a lil wont hurt it. I won't do that again. Anyhow, i dont think its been leaking for too long, i asked the guy I got the car from and he said it had just started not too long ago... of course, that is a relative term so I guess time will tell. He never mentioned the other things I found on the car when I got it either lol.. I'm sure we all know how that goes. I'll be tackling this next weekend probably. anyone know where I can download a FSM? that would come in really handy I am sure :-)

SoulDaddy

Very interesting.

(one of 15 posts required by noob before I can load this forum with SPAM FROM HELL! Not really.)

Thank you.

wolfpack_5150

iTrader: (3)

Best advice I could give is to donate if u can, and use the search feature. It helps allot instead of waiting for answers, especially over weekends or holidays when ppl are outta town and not posting.

Soaknfused

yeah, I think I am going to do that now.. not just to gain access to the added features, but to support what has fast became my favorite little corner on the internet (after my own site of course) :-D

Soaknfused

poof, done :-) donating member now :-p

wolfpack_5150

iTrader: (3)

timmmmmaaaaaayyyyyy

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

I guess we can pay the org electric bill now...

Soaknfused

wow, thank god.. hard to read in here with the lights off.. oh, does that mean I can plug in my car here now??? it's gonna be a cold winter :-)

slickblack94

iTrader: (5)

Hi, I recently replaced my high pressure hose and filled with power steering fluid. Its been about 2 months now and i get a whining sound from the pump.
Did i screw up the pump? Can I drain and refill with trannny fluid? Any suggestions would help. ty

kblast523

Pump was probably hurt by lack of fluid. That will be about $150 for another one at AutoZone, or the parts ripoff artist of your choice. I put about 2 oz of Lucas Oil additive in mine, it only protests when temp is under 5 degrees and then not for very long. Otherwise may have an air bubble in the pump or line itself, another cause for the cursed growl.

Soaknfused

When you replaced the pressure hose, did you make sure you lined up the bolts correctly? They have holes in them and most definitely need to be oriented correctly upon reassembly. I have read other posts that mentioned if the lines aren't lined up correctly, both on top and on the pump itself that it will restrict the flow of fluid, resulting in the "whine" you are refering to.

vansskaterfreek

iTrader: (14)

i just had this problem with my 1992 SE... the pump growled and the wheel was "choppy"....so i kept adding fluid until it topped..... it took almost a while bottle... and as a buddy og mine was adding the fluid.. i would turn the wheel back and forth.... and we started to see air coming up through the fluid... then i drove it and it stopped whining.... good thing it didnut hurt my pump

gfnk357

I had my power steering hose fixed when it split a couple years ago on my 93 gxe. The mesh filter was clogged so it said it had fluid when it didn't. I got a whine like yours after it was fixed, it wasn't there before and it never went away. I had it looked at by another shop and they said there was a rough spot on the rack and it wouldn't be worth it to fix it and the steering was fine. Hope your problem isn't the same as mine.