E34 Power steering leak fixed!

[632 Regal]

Well I finally pulled the engine and replaced the steering box. The V8 makes things horrifically difficult, you cant even see the box from the top side.

Not!

I changed the old looking reddish gray fluid with CHF 202 a while back and had to refill it every 4 days or so. Getting down to the bottom of the can so I ordered 2 more cans that arrived yesterday. Then it dawns on me, when was the last time I had to fill it up? Look under the car and it is dry.

So that's the fix, order way too much fluid and the leak will stop.

I'm not sure if I should flush it again or just leave things be. Fluid isn't bad looking or anything just a bit discolored...

Think I'll just forget about it for a while.

[632 Regal]

Not too bad, started leaking again pretty bad, refill every 2 weeks. Today was warmer and I checked the hose clamps I tightened and 1 of 4 was snug. Other 3 were totally not tight. I got new hose but hope to wait til warm to replace. I wonder if the clamps can loosen by themselves?

[shogun]

It is probably caused by colder temperatures, let's go into the classroom..
www.physicsclassroom.com/reasoning/thermalphysics/src20.pdf
Linear Expansion of Materials. As the temperature of a material increases, it begins to expand.

I have similar problems, what is tight in summer temperatures, starts to leak in cold winter.

[Rustam]

Well I finally pulled the engine and replaced the steering box. The V8 makes things horrifically difficult, you cant even see the box from the top side.

Not!

I changed the old looking reddish gray fluid with CHF 202 a while back and had to refill it every 4 days or so. Getting down to the bottom of the can so I ordered 2 more cans that arrived yesterday. Then it dawns on me, when was the last time I had to fill it up? Look under the car and it is dry.

So that's the fix, order way too much fluid and the leak will stop.

I'm not sure if I should flush it again or just leave things be. Fluid isn't bad looking or anything just a bit discolored...

Think I'll just forget about it for a while.

Jeff, Happy New Year. I had a good experience with Lucas anti leak fluid for the PS. Stopped the leak right away, and never came back.
Also, 4 months ago, I took everything apart, pump included thinking I'd get seal kit for it. Seal kit was not available, so I used thread locking compound very accurately tracing the 2 seals inside. No leaks.

[632 Regal]

Thread locking compound, never thought of this. The hose clamp tightening seems to have worked so far, level looks the same. I also checked out the reviews on the Lucas PS sealer, thinking I would try this if leaks continue but this car takes the Pentison hydraulic juice not trans juice so I would look into the hydraulic sealer instead.

[632 Regal]

Well were going to try some of the Lucas hydraulic stop leak stuff. After reading way too much the steering stop leak is red and the hydraulic is clear. Power steering is a hydraulic system and on my particular car you can't dump regular ATF into it. I mean you can but sure you know what I mean.

Replaced one hose and cut the other shorter with new clamps and no leak from the hoses or reservoir. Still leaking from a mystery spot that you can't see. Damned V8 in the way. If I had a six I would just spend the time replacing the unit but really not an option with this big thing hovering over it like a cloud of bees.

Will update after.

[genphreak]

Well were going to try.... If I had a six I would just spend the time replacing the unit but really not an option with this big thing hovering over it like a cloud of bees. ROFL!

Too true!

What a PITA they can be. Lucky she isn't running self-levelling, then you could spend >25% of your driving pleasure underneath getting pentosin in your eyes...

IMHE in-obvious leaks can be from the reservoir itself, I buy a new ZF one on all my cars ($25). They are moulded in the middle and over time (or from boof-heads tightening the body-locator strap too much) dust and fluid just appears around, porbably due to thermal changes.

I reckon they have a half-life of 10 years, a bit like most other plastic parts on cars have only 2-5 these days...

[632 Regal]

We replaced 1 hose and redid the other and wiped everything down, no leaks upstairs and the reservoir is also dry. I was really hoping an easy fix. Wherever it's leaking is hidden.

[632 Regal]

Got the Lucas Hydraulic Booster & Stop Leak delivered, doesn't smell much and is in fact RED. Seems to be much thicker than CHF 202 or 11S. Bottle states to only use 5-10% and up to 20% if necessary. At room temperature I would guess its as thick as rear end dope. Hate to add red but perhaps thickening it up will slow this leak issue down.

Also says it is 100% petroleum. Can't understand the MSDS much so I will top it off tomorrow and see what fortune it brings us.

[632 Regal]

Jeff, Happy New Year. I had a good experience with Lucas anti leak fluid for the PS. Stopped the leak right away, and never came back.
Also, 4 months ago, I took everything apart, pump included thinking I'd get seal kit for it. Seal kit was not available, so I used thread locking compound very accurately tracing the 2 seals inside. No leaks.

Rustam, does your car take ATF or the other CHF style? And did you use the power steering stuff or hydraulic booster & stop leak?

[632 Regal]

Things are leaking faster...

8238

[632 Regal]

I see at least 4 hose clamps in the picture that I can't see under the hood. I'll bet ya... Need to get a little more serious here.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/n/s/3.png

[632 Regal]

3 of 4 that go to the cooler were loose, 1 real loose. Definitely was dribbling about there too.

The only thing left is the box itself and cant see enough of it to see if it is leaking. Fluid is everywhere... Wiped some of it down in hopes of finding the location if it continues to leak.

[shogun]

If you want to make it cheap and good, replace the low pressure lines (1 side crimped, 1 side, usually at the reservoir with hose clamp) with high pressure hoses with hose clamps. Remove the crimp sleeves, re-use the special pipe connections and use the new hose with good hose clamps. I have done that on my E36 M3, and now also on my E32 750. Both lines between pump/steering gear and the reservoir, here is for example a instruction
http://njbmwcca.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/NJBMWCCA_E36_POWER_STEERING_HOSE_Rev0.pdf
more pics here
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/1193648