1G power steering fluid leak.

[AlphaAssault]

Yesterday I had all the air intake stuff apart (see pics in previous post) and now I have an oil leak coming from somewhere on the drivers side of the engine bay, more towards the front. I do not know if my tinkering with all those hoses has anything to do with it, but i am positive it was not doing this before yesterday. i check under my car for leaks religiously, every time I park it for an extended amount of time. Anyways, I have not located the leak yet, but this is what I have done to try and figure out what is causing it and where its coming from:

1) it leaks only after I drive it for longer than 15 minutes or so. It doesnt leak while im moving, or while the engine is on and at operating temp. Also, I have noticed no smoke. After driving for 15 minutes or so, the car cools, and thats when it leaks oil; a silver dollar sized puddle is how much it leaks before it stops. So far, all the puddles have been about this size.

2) I went outside and idled the car for about 5 minutes, let it warm up some, then let it cool for about half an hour, and so far it hasnt leaked a drop. When it idled though, i never let the turbo spool up.

A loose line on the turbo is what i *suspect* is the problem since I was messing with all that yesterday. Any other ideas.

 

[xdxoxuxgx]

Take off your timing belt covers and wipe that side of the engine down with brake cleaner, drive it around for a little and check under the timing belt covers to see if you notice where the leak is coming from. Most likely it's a loose bolt on that side under the timing belt covers.

 

[AlphaAssault]

I cant get out there now, too cold. Is it more likely a loose bolt or an oil line to the turbo? If it was a bolt, shouldnt it have leaked when I idled my car for a bit? Also, I need an opinion here. Do you guys think it would be easier to try and locate/fix the leak myself, or should I take it to a good shop? I ask because I really have no way of getting under my car, and I hear oil leaks are difficult to locate. So, Shop or not?

Should I be worried? Because I really am...

 

[BUCK]

EVERY DSM owner needs a good set of Car Ramps - Take back another Christmas gift & come back home with a set - Our AWD's just crawl right up on thse things VERY easily - & Brake Cleaner is good but VERY flammable so have an extinguisher handy just in case a puddle doesn;t evaporate & torches off... I've started a few blazes in my day~!

 

[AlphaAssault]

Im beginning to see your point

 

[Defiant]

Finest kind:
RhinoRamps

 

[xdxoxuxgx]

I would think that the leak would be because of a loose bolt under the timing belt covers rather than an oil line from the turbo because you said it was on the driver's side (timing belt side) of the engine, and I don't recall any oil lines from the turbo going to the timing belt side. The only other thing I could think of is if it is from a turbo line that is dripping down and finding its way over to the timing belt side somehow.

 

[AlphaAssault]

Well, I dont know exactly where the leak is. I edited my post to say the drivers side of the engine *bay*. ive got some newspaper under there now to try and pinpoint where the oil is coming from, but im betting it wont leak since i havnt driven it anywhere. Like I said before, it only leaks after ive driven it for 10 minutes or so. it did NOT leak when I went out earlier and idled it until it reached about 1/3 of the way up the temp gauge. Then I threw sum newspaper under it, and nothing so far. Ideas?

 

[vernvision]

Oil pump shaft seal is located behind the timing belt cover. It can start leaking slowly after driving for a while and then it will get worse. I am not sure about loose bolts though. Other than the oil pump housing itself oil pan or oil filter bracket. There are a lot of place on that side where you can have oil leaks mainly shaft seals are the culprit.

1. rocker cover
2. cam seals
3. oil filter housing bracket
4. Oil pump housing
5 Oil pump shaft seal
6. oil pan
7. crank seal

You should remove the top cover of your timing belt and make sure that it isn't getting oil soaked and if it is you need to deal with you oil issue right away or you will be looking for a new motor if that belt slips or breaks. I have seen belts melt from engine oil soaking them. Be carefull snugging down your oil pump housing if it appears to be leaking as they are extremely easy to crack.

Just my 2 1/2 cents worth that cost me $1000's and many hours of my time.

 

[AlphaAssault]

Heres an update: I went out there this morning, took off the timing belt cover, and inspected. The timing belt itself appears dry. However, I looked at the inside of the cover, and theres a thin line of oil along the inside. it did end up leaking last night after i idled, but instead of leaking a silver dollar sized puddle, this one was only the size of a nickel. Also, it only leaks while it is cooling, it doesnt leak while running, it doesnt leak immediately after shutting off the engine, and it doesnt leak after the engine has fully cooled; also the leak is proportional to how long the car was running.

The spot of oil on the newspaper is too far back to have been caused by a leak at the oil filter. It appears to be coming from somewhere at or above the drivers side of the oil pan, but I cant seem to locate exactly where. Think its time to take it to a shop? How much am I looking at to get this fixed?

 

[1G90AWDTsi]

I had the exact same problem...car would "only leak" after 15-20 minutes of operation (idle, driving...didn't matter) and it was the same amount leaked too. I had to take my car to several shops with NO Luck until I met up with a fellow dsmer on this forum who owns an eclipse just like my talon. He took off the timing belt cover and started the engine up to find the leak. It was a bad crank seal and front oil pump seal. I think you should have the mech. do the same thing. Take the cover off and then start and let it run (my mech. said it didn't leak until about 15 minutes of running).

 

[AlphaAssault]

Well, I guess I know what the problem is now. Was it a difficult/expensive fix? And how long did it take?

 

[1G90AWDTsi]

I left the car overnight at the mechanic's garage cause I got it there too late for him to work on it that day. The next day he found it real quick and fixed it the same day. He also did a boost leak test and found my throttle body seals were leaky and he replaced the timing belt. He did all that for a couple hundred bucks...it was an awesome deal that I'm sure will be hard to get somewhere else unfortunately.

I strongly suggest you tell the mechanic who's working on your car to take of the timing belt cover so he can easily see exactly where the oil is coming from. My mechanic did that and spotted it in no time. Past mechanics who worked on my car (besides the dsm mech who kicked A$$) had no clue and ultimately said they couldn't do anything or made my car worse by trying to fix it. A DSM- Mechanic with experience really pays off.

 

[AlphaAssault]

Yea, the guys I go to seem pretty good. When I go in tomorrow (not open today) im just going to strait up tell them theres an oil leak under the timing cover, and that they will need to take the cover(s) off. Just telling the mech that your car is leaking oil, and you think it might be coming from the under the timing cover gives them far too much leeway. I have learned that the mechanics in my area cant do sh*t with these cars unless I pinpoint the problem exactly then tell them what to do. Thats assuming, of course, that I cant fix the problem myself.

 

[1G90AWDTsi]

I had tons of problems with mechanics with no dsm experience...even the mitsu guys at the dealership sucked. Try to find a fellow dsmer maybe in your area.

 

[vernvision]

If it is the oil pump shaft seal or the crank seal then you are looking at pulling the timing belt. If that is the case then yes it can be expensive if hiring a shop to do it because it is basically doing a full belt job. If doing it yourself then you can score a factory belt for around $70 and oil seals run $14-25 each.

It only appears to leak while it is sitting but if you look under your car it will be smeared back all over the under side. It drips when it sits because the oil is able to saturate and flow to the lowest section of the car.
You might be getting to much crankcase pressure from worn rings or pluged PCV sytem. At idle you are not producing enough pressure to blow the oil out of the seals. When driving and if especially turbocharged it will put positive flow it you crankcase. When your seals epecially shaft seal get old the spring ring inside aren't able to hold the seal as tifght because they get hard and will start seaping then leaking and even gushing when they fully blow. Check the return pipe for the turbo. These are a common leaking spot. They will leak through the bolts. I use black ATV gasket material all orund this to stop the bolts from getting loose and screwing up the seal.

A DSM- Mechanic with experience really pays off. This is probably the best advice that I have seen on this forum!!!

 

[BUCK]

Finest kind:
RhinoRamps

& I'm actually gonna DIFFER with DEFIANT for the first time in 2007~! - There's an older metal set out there with these small Plastic Ramps that dowel onto the main Metal Ramp that's the same config as the Rhino - With LOWER cars, or even a STOCK DSM they allow you to get up on the Ramp without the 'drama" involved in hoping you don't clip anything - I have BOTH kinds & HAVE to use the older set on my Stock Mark VIII & prefer them on the DSM, if you had ANY kinda low profile Tires or Spoiler or God forbid a Lowering Kit the Rhinos AINT the hot set up, the Rhinos are great on my Expedition.

& man it could very well be just a Fitting on your OFH so don't Freak out - YET.

 

[AlphaAssault]

Shop says they cant find an oil leak, but they did find a fairly substantial power-steering leak. Could this be just a power steering leak? Or is it certailny displaying the symptoms of an oil leak?

 

[Splitpi]

PS fluid could be consfused as an oil leak.

 

[tqmx1]

Well right in that corner you have a feed line, pressure line and two return lines along with the pump and resevoir. plenty of spots for a leak.

Nice thing about it all the parts are interchangeable for all 1G 4G63 installs.

 

[1G90AWDTsi]

Man, it's like re-living the same problems I had. I also had a PS leak too after I had the oil leak issue.

I was using the DOT 3 stuff which apparently isn't good because I read in the manual you're supposed to use the dexron III stuff which is red. The Dot 3 is yellow and absolutely LOOKS like an oil leak! After using the red dexron III, I noticed my leak was red and so it wasn't oil.

Also, if you pull the timing belt cover (lower section) and see oil or residue in there, clean it off perfectly and put it back on...then start your car and drive it for 20 minutes. Try to get on a highway (a quick on and off) and then let it cool totally. Pull the cover back off, if it's wet and/or your timing belt is wet then you definitely have an oil leak. Every mechanic I took mine to said I had NO oil leak also...only the dsm mechanic found it.

 

[vernvision]

Yes could be PS box. Mine has leaked for years on and off. I add a stop leak now and again which stops it for a while. This has been going on for 13 years. My other dsms had the same issue. I thought it was an egine leak too originally.
If you are using a synthetic PS fluid like redline it will make it leak worse. Lucas oils has a fluid/stop leak product that work fairly well as well as there are other products out there that work too. You might try that before going through the hassle of replaceing it. If you replace the PS box you shoul replace all the soft llines and pump or you might have other issues.

 

[Defiant]

I may have wound up with the "longer" Rhinos- no touch at all.
However, on my old ramps, a couple pieces of 1X4 did away with any threat.

 

[AlphaAssault]

Ok, the mechanics said that there is no oil leak, that it is a power steering leak instead. The PS pump is leaking, and they cant find a replacement. The only place that has OE pumps is the dealer, who wants $600 for the damn thing. Do you guys know of any place where I can get a PS pump for less than $600? Theres a local junk yard that has a turbo eclipse, how much would they charge for the PS pump, do you think?

 

[Splitpi]

jnz tuning. junk yards, dsm grave yard to name just a few. Call and ask them. They may have it laying around. Also trying the classified section on this site.

600 is absurd and rip off ... no more than 250 new. And the PS pump is easy to replace no more than an hour of work if you are slow... don't even need to jack the car up... though I would so I don't have to slouch so low over the engine bay