JamesC Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 My power steering seemed louder than normal the other day so i thought id check the fluid level, which seemed a tad low. I went to the shop and got some fluid to top it up, followed by running the car with the cap off whilst turning the wheel left to right to get any air out the system (but only did it once as i was outside the shop). I then headed back to work and the power steerig sounded normal again but i thought i would try and remove any more air from the system by doing the same routine as before (left to right with the cap off). When trying it this time the fluid started coming out from the reservoir as if there was air pushing it out. I checked the level again to make sure i hadn’t over-filled it, but it seems fine. The steering sounds, and feels normal but when i take the cap off this keeps happening. Is this air in the system or something else? I haven’t noticed any fluid anywhere so there doesn’t appear to be a fluid leak. Is there anything i can do to check for air leaks or should i just hand my hard earned over to the garage? Thanks P.s is power steering fluid like brake fluid in that it will strip paint? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I'm not sure if PS fluid will strip paint or not, but I do suspect that the small filter in the bottom of the reservoir may be partially blocked and needs cleaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Do you think this could have something to do with the problem i'm having? Is it easy to get at and will i end up with PS fluid all over? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 When the filter is partially blocked, fluid can't easily be drawn into the system but the return is still retuning fluid into the reservoir. That's why it can overflow. I took the reservoir off my car and cleaned it out with some petrol and gently used a small paint brush on the filter. Once the reservoir was dry, I put it back on, refilled with fluid, bled the system and it was sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Ahh, cheers mate sounds good. So is the filter just at the bottom, here: If so, how do i get the reservoir off and how much fluid will come out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 The filter is inside the reservoir itself. You can see it through the black cap opening - when there's no fluid inside. There's three bolts as I recall to get the reservoir off. You could try and get some of the fluid out first with a big syringe first, then pack old cloths around the area to catch any fluid that drips out. BTW, that's a clean looking engine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Thanks for your help mate i'll give it a go! Cheers, I think i'd just cleaned it before taking that pic, it was a while ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 HELP! I've cleaned the filter as Steve said, and looked at the advice given in the old post below, but the fluid is still coming out the top, and also foaming now. The pump is also (sometimes) noisier, although is has been quiet too! I've tried it with the top on/off, engine on/off running it while standing on my head and allsorts but no success. Anyone have any ideas on this before it goes to the garage tomorrow where they can rip my eyes out. Most likely that your PAS reservoir filter is plugged with gunk. This happens frequently to most Supras (and Toyotas in general). There is a small screen at the bottom of the reservoir. When it gets clogged it causes the PS pump to starve for fluid and usually causes a lot of noise from the pump (cavitation) and juttering in the steering. To fix: Drain the fluid out of the reservoir, remove hoses and unbolt the three bolts holding the reservoir to the body. Plug the outlet (large pipe) and fill with engine flush up to the level of the inlet pipe (helps to take a small brush and work the top of the filter to disolve the gunk). Leave it sitting for a couple of hours then drain the engine flush out of the reservoir. Blow back through the outlet pipe with an air hose (or water hose) to clear any remaining debris. (Let it dry completely if you used water.) Reattach reservoir to body and connect hoses then refill with new dextron II. Bleed the air out of the system by jacking up the front so both wheels are off the ground and work the steering back and forth lock to lock with engine running. It will be noisy for the first 10-15 minutes and reservoir fluid will foam but it will clear up eventually. Fixed. Worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 It's well f$%ed now. Dropped it back on to the floor to move it 3ft back into the garage and the steering is heavy and noisy. It does quieten down when you take the cap off but then then it's loosing all the fluid. I tried replacing the fluid a few times after it spat it all out but then it's just back to square one. I knew i shouldn't have messed lol. I'll call the AA tomorrow see what they say and maby get it towed to the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Very sorry to hear that your efforts in cleaning the filter didn't pay off. Mine had just the same symptoms - intermittent noise and over-flowing fluid. I can only think of two options - assuming you're not losing fluid elsewhere: the filter is still blocked, or the PS pump is knackered, i.e., it's pressurising the system but not drawing fluid in from the reservoir - if that's possible. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me will be able to shine some light on the problem. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Yeah, it was definately worth a try Steve. I haven't got a clue what it could be. I'll see if anyone on here has any ideas or let the garage have a look. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I'm having the exact same problem now. The fluid is topped up, but very heavy steering, and noisy. With the cap off, the fluid is bubbling over when I turn the wheel, but when I put the cap back on, it worked briefly, then gradually the noise, etc came back. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 The fluid WILL and SHOULD overflow if you move the steering side to side with the cap off. Just fill the reservoir to the full mark, put the cap on and very slowly turn the wheel side to side three times. Stop the engine, come back in a few hours and top it up. Do the same rocking with cap on again. leave overnight. Top up with engine idling and steering left untouched. put cap back on and should be fine. Once you have foamed up the fluid it takes hours for it to percolate out. It's similar to leaving a bottle of pop uncorked and waiting for it to go flat. Patience is needed, if you rush it and it foams the wait starts again from scratch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Thank you Chris. I forgot to mention that the fluid is bubbling out just on idle too, without moving the steering wheel. When it first happened, when I was driving, it just kinda popped, and then went very stiff, but no apparent loss of fluid, as it was completely topped up when I first checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Give the rack end gaiters a feely squeezey with your hand too, that's where the fluid gathers without showing a leak if the rack seals are beginning to fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 And clean out the resservoir with saypetrol to get the gauze as clean as you can. Pay very careful attention that there are no leaks at all on the suction side of the pump up to the reservoir. It's far easier to suck air than oil, so a leak there will cause the pump to be noisy and the oil to foam up. Look at the hose condition, the clamps and the O ring under the pump fitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 All the pipework was intact before it bubbled over, and there's no foaming, just fluid as far as I can see. I'm just trying to reasonably pinpoint the problem to either try to get a second hand something, rather than the expensive new replacement, if possible. I'm going to try to get it to my local garage on monday, as long as it's possible or driveable. Not good when I need it next weekend for a journey to brum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 (edited) Maybe you will need to change your user title to "An Aerotop Towing" Moderator. Edited April 2, 2011 by David P (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Is the fluid a nice clear red, or browny / black and stinking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Is the fluid a nice clear red, or browny / black and stinking? Brown and just oily smelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Maybe you will need to change your user title to "An Aerotop Towing" Moderator. Oh, and har har de har! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Brown and just oily smelling. Look out, if Chris's got the date wrong, he will be asking you what it tastes like next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Now this has taken an interesting turn. The steering rack is fine, the pump, which was stripped down and checked is fine, the reservoir is fine, and so is the pipework and fluid, but the steering is still packing up every once in a while. I've been told it could be the progressive steering switch that could be faulty. Does this sound likely, or anything else that someone could suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H7ERO Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 check the small mesh screen in the bottom of the solenoid on the steering rack if you search LS400 power steering it should come up and explain with pics etc its a comonish problem most big toyotas have the same solenoid set up on the rack and can suffer the same problem its a small screen circa 4mm high 15mm dia i checked my supe one earlier this year as a precaution there was some dirt build up your fluid buy your description sounds pretty old and manky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.