PS pump leaking

[wrcsixeight]

About 18 months ago, I replaced my Steering gear because it was leaking badly. I had put off the job for a couple years, mostly because Lucas PS stop leak actually worked for a long while, except after a really long drive.

When I replaced the gear, I flushed the pump with 2 quarts of PSF, ran it closed loop with a cheap fuel filter, drained it again and made use of a magnefine filter on the return line.

Now I am noticing it is dripping slowly from the pump body, but have not yet determined where from. Is this a case of the Lucas swelling the seals in the pump, and now that I am not running the stop leak formulation, they have contracted and have started leaking?

Since I still have a pint of Lucas Left over, I am thinking of doing the turkey baster thing and replacing some fluid with Lucas PS stop leak. Bad Idea?

I also have not been able to find a new PS pump online, only Reman, and I have not heard anything good about reman PS pumps. I see the rebuild kits cost about the same as a reman pump. Are specialty tools required to install the rebuild kit?

Thanks

 

[Steve S]

The reservoir can be removed and the o ring can be replaced it that is where it is coming from. Remove the pump and unscrew the fittings and any nuts or bolts on the back of the reservoir and the pump should come apart. I did a 67 GTO pump last summer. I am not sure of replacing the pump shaft seals though.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Okay. My service manual has a couple pages on the internals. I'll determine the source of the leak before adding a fluid with the possibly evil seal swellers in it.

 

[unDummy]

There are no evil seal swellers to worry about.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I was wiping everything down today so I can try to see where the PSF is leaking from.

The wettest part seemed to be the Magnafine Filter on the return line. It is also the lowest part, but the lines above it seemed dry. Previously I have seen a drip hanging off the bottom of the pump, but today it was dry, just a little dirty.

The Magnafine sticker is swollen. Don't they unscrew where the sticker is?

 

[NYSteve]

I'm currently dealing with the same issue with my AT. From my searching here, it *seems* like you can run into issues with the types of clamps you use with the magnefine. I used junky home depot so shame on me. I'm going to try Gates Powergrip, which are a one time use, constant torque, shrinkwrap type clamp. Also seems like fuel injector clamps work well. FYI, rockauto was the best price on the Gates.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I cannot tell for sure, yet, but I think the magnefine is leaking from under the sticker, at the seam. I was not able to wetten the white napkin when wiping the hose clamps I used on either side of the Magnefine, but the ridges on the magnefine itself were wet.

I might tape a paper towel around the filter to aid diagnosis.

Thanks for the info on the clamps, I was unaware of such a product.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I had a brass 3/8 inch double ended barbed fitting in hand. I was pretty sure the magnafine was leaking at the seam. I as going to remove it, open it up, take a bunch of macro photos and post them here.

But instead I wrapped the seam with a paper towel and covered that with electrical tape. Today, a week later, I removed it, it was dry.

I did the turkey baster thing and replaced 4oz of fluid with some Lucas PS stop leak I had left over from my leaky gear, where it proved effective for a few years.

Hopefully I can put off replacing/ rebuilding the pump for as long.