Ah, the joy of the 3.4 DOHC - PS problems.

[GnatGoSplat]

Just a little over 1-1/2 weeks since I got the car all put back together to fix the intake manifold leak, it seems I have a power steering leak.

 

I noticed during the weekend the car was dripping this stinky reddish brown oil. I thought it was tranny fluid. Apparently it was not, because the PS pump was making all kinds of racket today... moaning, groaning. I went to Pep Boys and checked the fluid level in the pump. Nothing in there but brownish foam at the bottom. So somehow it had run dry. I go into Pep Boys and buy some PS fluid (it was clear but claims to meet GM spec) and fill it up. It's much quieter, but still a little noisy...

 

Anyway, it MUST be leaking out all over the place. PS fluid doesn't just disappear, and I KNOW a few weeks ago when I checked it, it was fine.

 

I haven't taken a good look and crawled under the car, but I'm gonna bet it's the high pressure hose. I hear it goes out frequently on the 3.4 DOHC. BAH! What's the easiest way to change this?

 

Also, what makes it so likely to go out on the 3.4 DOHC? I've never had to change this on any 2.8 or 3.1L. Is it a different pipe?

[LukeZ34]

I dunno what makes it go out.. I think it may be heat related? Who knows with that motor, lol.

I had the same thing happen in the lumina, but it pissed the fluid all over the exhaust manifold.. that was a smokey mess that cost me $250 to have fixed..

[gtr252]

Apperantly, my car had a PS leak before I bought it, the one in there right now was much cleaner than the rest of the engine, and it had been painted blue. This leads me to think it was an aftermarket pump. Unfortunately, it seems like the damn thing is leaking AGAIN! First it's a transmission dropping out, then it's the a/c compressor leaking, then it's the lower radiator hose, now I've got a power steering leak and an oil leak. Who knows what happened before I bought the car, I'd almost hate to ask.

[gpse3200]

Just a little over 1-1/2 weeks since I got the car all put back together to fix the intake manifold leak, it seems I have a power steering leak.

 

I noticed during the weekend the car was dripping this stinky reddish brown oil. I thought it was tranny fluid. Apparently it was not, because the PS pump was making all kinds of racket today... moaning, groaning. I went to Pep Boys and checked the fluid level in the pump. Nothing in there but brownish foam at the bottom. So somehow it had run dry. I go into Pep Boys and buy some PS fluid (it was clear but claims to meet GM spec) and fill it up. It's much quieter, but still a little noisy...

 

Anyway, it MUST be leaking out all over the place. PS fluid doesn't just disappear, and I KNOW a few weeks ago when I checked it, it was fine.

 

I haven't taken a good look and crawled under the car, but I'm gonna bet it's the high pressure hose. I hear it goes out frequently on the 3.4 DOHC. BAH! What's the easiest way to change this?

 

Also, what makes it so likely to go out on the 3.4 DOHC? I've never had to change this on any 2.8 or 3.1L. Is it a different pipe?

 

 

Shawn if it's stil not quiet enough I can tell you its the pump. You might not know where it's comming from but its the pump thats doing it. My car did the same thing, same pump as hers. If you are going to get a pump from pepboys, get one that has the reservior already attached if you can, not because it saves you the time of flip floping reservoirs but because I think they are made better. I had to return mine and exchange it for one with a reservoir. Don't forget the the LISLE tool for removing the pullys, I think you can rent it from pepboys too. Beleive me when I say you'll go under the car and you'll see the line and the line will look fine. Anytime that pump is making noise it's gonna be because something inside of it crapped out. And it has to either be a seal or a thrust surface or a combination of both, unless the pump is drawing in air from somewher which would mean a fast leak, you'd be filling it up everyday. For all we know it might just seepout at any time and then clean up fast since it's in that area of fast rotation.

[GnatGoSplat]

Yeah, turns out the pump is bad too.

There's a dark spot on the underhood mat above the pump, and below the pump pulley on the timing belt access cover is some greasiness.

 

BUT it also looks like the high pressure hose is leaking too. The whole thing is greasy. The loom on the pressure hose is completely greasy, the return hose is also greasy, but looks like the pressure hose just dripped on it. There appears to be greasiness on top of the alternator and greasiness on the boot covering the 8GA red wire going to the back of the alt (that's all I can see). The rear subframe crossmember has some greasy fluid dripping off it, more on the right side.

 

I'm thinking they're both bad... hose and pump.

BTW, is the clear power steering fluid (Pyroil is what I got) at Pep Boys really OK? I know the factory stuff is red, and I had picked up some PS fluid once that was also red. I remember the last time I filled my Cutlass 2.8 with clear PS fluid, the pump blew up shortly after. And when I say blew up, I mean it literally blew up spray PS fluid all over the place.

[gpse3200]

OH MY GOD I HATE GREASE!! LINGERING GREASE THAT MUST BE DEALT WITH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Umm Pyroil? I think it's ok, I use the sythetic Valvoline myself. I know we've used pyroil before without a problem. But maybe some othe more expensive brand would be better.

[Brian P]

I use whatever p/s fluid I can find for my pepboys reman...90k still doing fine...