Power steering pump leaking

[zyewdall]

I'm wondering if anyone has ever had the power steering pump suddenly start leaking badly. It went from full, to barely working, and howling like crazy on turns like it will just before it's empty, in about 80 miles. And you can see it dripping on the ground underneath -- at first I thought I was losing engine oil through the oil pump based on where the drips were, but no, it was power steering fluid.

 

I've had the racks and hoses and such leak, but this seems to be somewhere right in the pump this time... Maybe time to pull the pump of the parts car and put it on there?

 

'87 GL wagon with 1991 Loyale SPFI engine.

 

Zeke

[Qman]

The front seal is replaceable. If you have a used one available that will work just the same. But, you may end up in the same boat with that one eventually as well.

[msteel]

Also check the bolts that mount the reservoir to the pump. Mine got loose once and dumped fluid like crazy.

[zyewdall]

Update: I replaced the pump with the ones from the parts engine, and it's fine. But guess what was leaking (I found out after replacing it). The pressure line that screws into the body of the pump was loose. This short piece of line that screws into the pump body on the lower end, and to the hard line going off to the left side of the engine at the other end, was missing the tab that holds it to the resevoir on the PS pump assembly. When I reconnected the top connection after swapping the engines, I bumped it since it wasn't anchored, and unscrewed the connection down on the pump a little. Oooooooooppps.