P/s Pump

[patruga]

My P/S Pump is starting to leak. About once a week I top off the reservoir. Question: 1) can this lead to other problems? I saw a post about an alternator needing to be replaced as a result of the leak. Is that fact or fiction? 2) Any advantage to buying a Delco Reman versus a Maval reman, or any other mfr for that matter?

This is for a 94 ls400. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[RAguda]

Any leaks from top side of engine should be repaired for the following reasons:

--Oil and rubber don't go well together...the rubber belts will not only deteriorate faster, but oil will cause them to slip.

--Oil or any other fluids should not be allowed into any electrical component including alternator...may cause shorts or unpredicatable wear on components

[VBdenny]

It might not be a bad idea to go ahead and change out the power steering pump and the hose. If you take it to the dealer, they will probably also tell you you need a new steering rack. They quoted me about $1700 to replace all that stuff and they generally estimate low. I was really busy at the time making money so I had a Japanese auto repair place do the pump and hose to the tune of about $1000. The reason is was so much was because they told me they had to go to Lexus and buy the parts from the dealer. The dealer is expensive (I paid $75 for rear brake pads two days ago) which I probably the only reason people don't buy a Lexus.

If your pump is leaking enough to require topping off, you are already leaking oil into your alternator because it is right underneath. You can do the job yourself, ask people on here to tell you how. I wish I had done mine as it would have saved me three or four hundred bucks. After the fact I found on on car-parts.com a lot cheaper.

Final thought, Call your dealer and get the price on a new alternator. Whew!

Good luck, Denny

[LSCINFAMOUS]

I had same leaking problem recently.

I visiually checked and found the leak was at rack side.

In this case the concern of alternator is out of scope.

My 91 LS400 has 200k mi on it and the rack looks expensive.

Added leak-stop liquid($4) and it worked after 200 miles.

I am not sure how long it will last.

There was another weird thing I would like to share.

Whenever I start the engine, the exhaust gas was really blue.

Believe it or not, this began with leak and gone with leak stop.

Exactly same time.

Hope any one has answer to this.

good days

[Rodders]

I had a similar problem on my GS, but the same may apply to a LS.

the leak turned out to be in the rack, as someone else said. Although mine couldn't be repaired and cost nearly 2000 bucks to fix, there was a seal kit available for LOADS cheaper which might have worked.

You might want to check out whether you can get a seal kit before your part with the cost of a new rack.

[Rich Sweitzer]

I've got a '91 LS-400 that had a power steering pump leak. I ignored it for a while and soon lost the alternator (the alternator sits directly under the power steering pump so that's where the leaking fluid ends up going first) so it's a good idea to deal with the problem soon.

As to the pump leak, the most likely place for the leak is around the shaft seal. Easy to tell by checking for fluid on the front of the pump around the shaft (you need to pull the drive pulley to get a good look though). By the way, my pump's seal area was dry. The leak turned out to be a cracked rubber "O" ring between the fluid reservior and the pump. I had already purchased a rebuilt pump so I replaced the pump anyway.

[chromiez]

same with my 1991 ls400, the mecahnic told me the ps was leaking into the engine because there was a bad tube or somethin? something like that i forgot already, he told me he could fix it but it would cost me $140 for a new ps pump, but he also said the the ps pump wasant the problem and it was something with the tubing which he couldve repair by replacing it for $8. that mustve sound confusing, but my memory was fuzzy

[patruga]

Great big thanks to all for your responses. I plan to replace the pump within the next week. I am just a bit teed off at my mechanic as he had determined that it was the hose that was the problem and replaced it. When it continued to leak he added a liquid to the reservoir that shows up leaks under black light, then determined it was the pump that was leaking :chairshot:

Couple questions: any online auto store you would recommend?

Do Reman hold up fairly well? Delco Vs Maval etc.. any difference between then...quality wise?

Again, thanks for your thoughts.

[LS400Convert]

I just replaced mine this weekend and it is not bad if you have a few tools and a little patience. About 3 hrs for an amateur (me). $200 for pump @ O'reilly's. I think the rebuilder is Cardone or something like that. I saw the pump online for around $150 but I didn't want to wait for the part. You have to remove your air intake cowling (including air filter and mass air flow sensor up to the rubber hose going into the intake plenum), also drain the radiator and remove the hose that runs in front of the pump, You can try to pump the fluid out of the resevoir but remember their is a straining screen about halfway down and you will poke a hole in to with a suction tube of any sort. Then you have to remove 3 - 14 mm (I think) bolts (two side of block, one front) next remover the nut off of the stud which is on the front of the engine and the pump will be loose. Then you have to remove the pressure side line 17 mm, the return line (hose clamps) and also a small vacuum device of some sort (17 mm) off the bottom of the pump (probably for speed sensitive steering) Keep track of which vacuum hose goes to which side of the sensor. Finally, use your best Rubiks Cube logic to get it out of the tiny little spot between the anti-lock brake controller and the engine and you are there! The only special tool I needed was a 12" long 3/8 drive ratched with a swivel head. It allowed me to easily get to, and break loose the two bolts going into the side of the block. Good luck!

[thewzdoc]

There was another weird thing I would like to share.

Whenever I start the engine, the exhaust gas was really blue.

Wow....this usually means that you are burning oil.

Blue = oil

White = coolant

Black/Gray = fuel (too rich).

[patruga]

LS400Convert, Thanks for the info on the PS replacement. It doesn't sound too bad.

[kbconv]

I recently saw on a forum that our ps pumps have something attached to them that goes bad and allows ps fluid into the intake through a vacuum connection. Can't find the site now, will look later. Think it was an OZ site.

[jzz30]

that valve is very hard to get at but what it does is keeps a constant ps pressure even when the engine revs are really high. and it does go bad sometimes

[Lextreme]

You can also just buy the repair kit. The seal kit runs about $120. Lexus OEM product. If you P/S pump is out, you should hear noise when u do quick turns.

[ToddLS400]

You can also just buy the repair kit. The seal kit runs about $120. Lexus OEM product. If you P/S pump is out, you should hear noise when u do quick turns.

How do you replace the seals? Is it easy? I need to do this.