Power Steering Leak

[bmaguire36]

I have a power steering pump that is leaking. The leak is small and drips a nickel size spot a day. I have cleaned the area and can see that it is the pump.

A new (remanufactured) pump is $500 plus labor at the a mechanic or dealership. I can get the pump at a local parts store for $210. I'd change it myself but it is buried deep on the side of the engine.

The guy at the local parts store suggested that I use the $10 "Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak". I drained the reservoir and filled it with the Lucas. It has been a week and still leaks.

The question is: How long will it take the contents of the reservoir to work it's way around into the power steering system?

I am in a hurry to have the leak stop or at least be unnoticeable for the next year.

Thanks!

[SKperformance]

you now need to flush your power steering system to get rid of all of it as you use tranny fluid in the power steering system not power steering fluid .

you should have used tranny stop leak not that

there is a gasket kit which i did mine withwhen i changed mine last year

get it out asap

[bmaguire36]

skperformance,

I really appreciate your reply but your english is not too good. Can you try again? I really do want your opinion but you made some contradictory statements in your reply so I can't determine what you are trying to say to me.

I did use Lucas "Power Steering" Stop Leak not tranny stop leak.

Thanks! ;)

[monarch]

bmaguire36, in your owners manual it says to use Dexron Automatic Transmission Fluid in the power steering system.

Auto parts stores carry "power steering fluid" but it is forumulated mostly for the power steering systems of American cars. It is NOT suitable for use in Toyotas or most Asian cars.

[mburnickas]

I only use ATF in my PS fluid; however, from what I have read PS and ATF are pretty close in fluid properties and would be ok to use in PS fluid apps only.

[amf1932]

Refer to your car's owner's manual for specific recommendations on the type of power steering fluid to use. Fluids need to be compatible with hoses and seals and in some cases the recommended fluid may be automatic transmission fluids such as Type F or Dexron

Lexus wants you to use automatic transmission fluid.......NOT power steering fluid!

[bmaguire36]

Thanks guys for all the clear and to the point replies.

[SKperformance]

I reply to a few hundred posts a day ,i don't check spelling . It is free info i thow out with out asking anything in return. I only speak English but type fast........................

same point is your owners manual is in English read it next time it might be useful.

[bdonkersgoed]

Whoa . . . a little harsh on the poor guy SK :P I don't think he was trying to insult you . . . I think he was just trying to tell you that he didn't understand what you wrote . . . Oh well.

I was stupid when I had my leak and went into Canadian Tire without my Owner's Manual. Because I am lazy and didn't want to go back to my car, I asked the stupid people at Canadian Tire what I should use, and they recommended the Power Steering Fluid leak stopper. I'm not sure if it is due to the fluid or not, but my small leak got HUGE to the point where it completely drained itself each day! What a hassel!

I ended up buying a used pump for $125CAN, but it cost $350CAN to install because I had some seized bolts that gave the mechanic grief :(

Regards,

Bryan

[steviej]

same point is your owners manual is in English read it next time it might be useful.

sk, if your wife was sitting next to you, she would have kicked you 3 times in the shin for that one.

could you ease up on the newbies a bit? We want people to feel welcome here, not alienated. Not everyone knows your quirks.

steviej

[bmaguire36]

SK, you got me good! Great comeback.

RTFM applies here.

[SKperformance]

SK, you got me good! Great comeback.

RTFM applies here.

lol

what is rtfm?

[bmaguire36]

Means Read The F****ing Manual

Since you reply to 400 emails a day, to save time you can just say RTFM to bozos like me who don't read their owners manual.

[SKperformance]

lol

your not a bozo

just never heard the kiss rule

which is "keep it simple stupid" my techer in college told me that , it basically means read the manual and check the simple stuff before going crazy fixing all sorts of things

to me what i orignally posted it made sesne and still does ,which part is contridicting?

[bdonkersgoed]

you now need to flush your power steering system to get rid of all of it as you use tranny fluid in the power steering system not power steering fluid .

you should have used tranny stop leak not that

there is a gasket kit which i did mine withwhen i changed mine last year

get it out asap

Allow me to translate:

You are not supposed to put power steering fluid in your ES300. Power steering fluid is most often used in North American cars.

Because you put power steering fluid in your car rather than Transmission Fluid, you need to have this power steering fluid removed from your car to prevent damage to your power steering. Instead of using POWER STEERING stop leak, you should have use TRANSMISSION stop leak.

There is a gasket kit for the power steering pump that I used to fix my pump when it leaked last year.

Be sure to get the power steering stop leak out of your car as soon as possible.

I think this is a pretty good interpretation :P

Regards,

Bryan

[SKperformance]

dead on ,except for the japanese and north american car thing, as alot still use ps fluid

[dcfish]

You guys are too much !!!! flush the power steering unit and replace the fluid with automatic transmission fluid as soon as is possible . WELL SAID HUH ? B)

[bdonkersgoed]

I fixed my translation SK :P

DCFish, that is well said. I could have said it really concisely too, but I wanted to interpret what SK said line by line to avoid any confusion :P

regards,

Bryan

[dcfish]

For me there are too many but's and too many maybe's and too many I should haves , Just do the right thing the first time and move on !!!!! Some conversation is boring and stale , NEXT TOPIC !!!!