Leak?

[enjoiandroid]

I have a leak pretty sure it's oil, I have no idea where it's coming from though. It's on the boot ( left front of the car)

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll208/AceOnline/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsc5f5200f.jpg (http://s289.photobucket.com/user/AceOnline/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsc5f5200f.jpg.html)

[hobbs]

Your power steering rack uses oil to operate, the boot is all wet with oil, it's safe to assume that your rack is blown.

[Kingtal0n]

Your power steering rack uses oil to operate, the boot is all wet with oil, it's safe to assume that your rack is blown.

Is it engine oil, or power steering oil (or ATF).

IF it is actual engine oil, it could be the front main seal or oil pan gaskets. front main is very common on KA24DE engines regardless of mileage, that seal will leak because of age alone.

[mechanicalmoron]

While the leak is fresh, go stick your fingers in it, smell it, feel it, look at it, etc.

Check it against your power steering fluid, and check if your fluid is low. It's usually red, so if the leaked oil is red (or any color that your motor oil is not) that's a safe assumption.

If you're not positive, you can get UV dyed power steering fluid, and use a blacklight, to see if that's the problem.

Unfortunately, pretty much everything ends up leaking down off the rack, gravity's a bitch. Oil being there doesn't mean it came from there.

The sooner you get further under there, the more likely you are to be able to see where it's coming from - once it's been leaking a while, the whole motor will be filthy, and good luck seeing anything.

All that said, that's either a clean ring where the boot slipped back, or a ring of fluid on your tie rod - I bet it is your rack. If it bothers you, you might see about re-sealing yours, as another will just have seals of the same age, which won't be far behind.

[acslater9]

Your power steering rack uses oil to operate, the boot is all wet with oil, it's safe to assume that your rack is blown.

^ This.


I had the same exact leak. Also when replacing the rack have the tools ready! I learned the hard way.

[enjoiandroid]

Is it engine oil, or power steering oil (or ATF).

IF it is actual engine oil, it could be the front main seal or oil pan gaskets. front main is very common on KA24DE engines regardless of mileage, that seal will leak because of age alone.

Sadly it's engine oil, front main seal as in... Which gasket would I be replacing? I was planning on replacing valve stems and seals anyway and replacing valve cover gasket, head gasket, etc

[Kingtal0n]

The front main is behind the crankshaft pulley
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/draglarry/front_main/th_P1160813_zpsfb9cfc55.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/draglarry/media/front_main/P1160813_zpsfb9cfc55.jpg.html)

If the front of your engine looks like this:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/draglarry/front_main/th_P1160795_zpse6b1f3bb.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/draglarry/media/front_main/P1160795_zpse6b1f3bb.jpg.html)

Then the front main is shot. The oil leaks out and the spinning pulley slings it all over the place.


When you get the pulley off, you can see it
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/draglarry/front_main/th_P1160796_zpsb4ac5d47.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/draglarry/media/front_main/P1160796_zpsb4ac5d47.jpg.html)

You just pry it out with a pick or screwdriver. it will probably break into pieces. it is old.

Once it is out, you clean the surface where it rests.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b378/draglarry/front_main/th_P1160803_zps89920820.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/draglarry/media/front_main/P1160803_zps89920820.jpg.html)

De-burr it with a very fine file if necessary. You do not want the new seal going in to get cut.

The new seal just gets pressed in. make sure to use EVEN force and gentle tapping. If this is your first time, or you are a novice working on cars in general, you should probably have 2 brand new front main seals handy so that when you destroy the first one "learning how to put it in" you can put the 2nd one in nicely.

[hobbs]

Judging by how droopy your rack boot is I'm willing to bet that it's your rack like I said before.

Front main seal won't leak anywhere near there with both a KA or SR nor would the rear main. Only thing that would leak near there and get oil on the boot would be a very leaky valve cover gasket.

[Mntsmith]

If it does end up being the front seal instead of getting just the seal for around $8 get the set Tcs45903 it comes with the seal, a tube of RTV (always handy) and some o-rings for the timing cover. Costs about $13



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[Kingtal0n]

If it does end up being the front seal instead of getting just the seal for around $8 get the set Tcs45903 it comes with the seal, a tube of RTV (always handy) and some o-rings for the timing cover. Costs about $13



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You dont need to remove the timing cover or mess with the timing cover to do a front main. As in my pictures above, you just pop out the old seal and press in a new one.

You also dont use any RTV on the front main seal.

[Mntsmith]

I agree completely but having a $10 tube of the good RTV around for an extra $5 is just a good deal. All you need is the seal


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