| Author | Message | ||
| Tony Rian (Rianrts)
Registered Member Username: Rianrts Post Number: 43 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 74.60.29.39 Rating: N/A |
Hi All Been awhile since last post but my 1979 RTS 8v71 keeps running dry on power steering fluid and I can't find the leak any thoughts; can I put the front wheel's in the air and move the wheel or the lack of wt on the wheels not built up enough pressure this leak has to be in the back because no other spots under the bus. | ||
| Don Evans (Doninwa)
Registered Member Username: Doninwa Post Number: 185 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 208.81.157.90  Rating: N/A |
Is it an engine driven pump? Is your engine oil level increasing or not using as much as normal? Possible seal leak into the crankcase? Good luck Don 4107 | ||
| Tony Rian (Rianrts)
Registered Member Username: Rianrts Post Number: 44 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 74.60.29.39 Rating: N/A |
I'm pretty sure it's engine driven but have no clue where the pump is on my engine not using any more or less engine oil then normal. still learning this beast after several years for the most part its always has had a power steering fluid leak just have always added fluid at every stop. but thats really getting old for the most part i shouldn't use fluid at all? Is all of that system under pressure or is it just one way and lower pressure returning to the engine? I've lookied all over up front after a 3hr trip not a drop up front or anywhere else except in the engine compartment ive looked with no results when the motor is running do i need to have someone turning the wheel up front and look for a high pressure leak? | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1263 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.69.188 Rating: N/A |
Tony, your steering pump ought to be bolted to the back of the bell housing. I agree with Don; you may have had a leak for quite a while and not known that you were running power steering oil in the crankcase. It would be easy to mistake the oil on the engine dipstick for motor oil, partly because the recommended oil for some systems is motor oil. Good luck running down your leak. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska | ||
| Clint Hunter (Truthhunter)
Registered Member Username: Truthhunter Post Number: 49 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 24.129.235.190 Rating: N/A |
If it is a leaking at the pump seal into the crankcase (assuming it's driven off the flywheel); if you ad compatible fluorescent or ultra violet dye into you power steering it will show up in the engine oil. Might take a large amount to be detectable; experiment with a smaller sample of both. Just follow the lines from the reservoir/filter and you will find the pump. Leaks generally only get bigger with time, and cavitation (if air is getting in after leak down) can do of damage over time. | ||
| Mel La Plante (Mel_4104)
Registered Member Username: Mel_4104 Post Number: 112 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 64.180.203.2 Rating: N/A |
Tony as stated go to the resivoir and you will see 2 hoses, one will be larger than the other. the high pressure line will be the small one and the return line is bigger as to offer less resistance to the oil on return to the res. go to the back of your bus and find the res. now follow the short line to the engine and you will find the hyd. pump or as call the power steering pump from it follow the smaller line out of it to the firewall where it will come close to the other line going to the res. now that you know which are the power steering hoses take a piece of white paper towel and very carefully wipe the base of the res. and the hose going to the pump. check often if there is any oil on the towel, now wipe the pump and the line going to the firewall. keep checking the towel for oil stain, now do the hose going back to the res. now if you have a pit or have a way of getting under the buse being very sure to block it so it can not come down on you while you are under it,check the hoses as they go from bulkhead to bulknead for oil with the paper towel checking at each bulkhead as some times the house rubs a hole in the hose if the gromet wears through. on the front bulkhead where the hoses come out to go to the powersteering unit check these hyd. fittings then the ones on the powersteering unit it self. now check the unit itself to see if oil is leaking out of the steering arm shaft seal. if you have not found any oil on the towel the oil will be leaking into the engine which is not good. hopefully you have been using single grade oil in your steering system, never use tranny oil as it will cause major damage to the engine if it gets into it which it will as the pump is bolted to the bell housing. i use sae #20 as i never drive in sub zero weather or over 100 * if you are sure that you have pump trouble take it off and to a hyd. repair shop and they can fix it for you. as you are at Grants Pass a very good repair shop is South Oregon Deisel at 7157 hwy 99n Roseburg OR. 1 800 755 7634 the shop is run by Dave Gregory and his brothers and are fair and very honest to deal with and have been fixing buses for a good many years. good luck mel 4104 | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 823 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.195 Rating: N/A |
The high pressure side of a PS system will leak through a pinhole. The leak in such a small hole will be a very fine spray that can just disappear into thin air. Check the HP (small) hose and tubing with the engine running and someone moving the steering wheel back and forth. Use a good strong flashlight with a concentrated beam and this will show the fine spray, you may even see a nice rainbow. It is a long haul from the rear pump to the front steering so there are a lot of potential leak locations. If it is a gasket leaking I've had very good luck with PS stop leak. I stopped a real big leak in my van PS this way. Let us know what you find. | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1264 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.69.188 Rating: N/A |
I just checked Rian's profile and it shows that he has an RTS. IIRC, there are no standard transmissions in the RTS, so oil getting into the bell housing wouldn't wind up in the engine, AFAIK. That makes me think that the fluid loss is elsewhere. For what it's worth. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska | ||
| Jim Wilke (Jim Bob) (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 360 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 69.77.144.28 Rating: N/A |
Tom, when they say "bolted on to the bell housing" they mean the engine gear housing/flyweel housing. The alternator, steering pump, air compressor and often one other item are gear driven from the cam gears. Any failure of seals, bearings, etc of these accessories goes right into the gear train. (I had an alternator bearing fail & the balls dropped into the gear train. It broke teeth from all the gears, which caused more destruction, cracked the gear housing, but the engine kept running!) | ||
| Clint Hunter (Truthhunter)
Registered Member Username: Truthhunter Post Number: 50 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 24.129.235.190 Rating: N/A |
one very important caution about searching for a high pressure leak, don't allow the spray to penetrate your body as it can give you a very serious dose of hydro carbon poisoning. Even a pinhole mist of a leak at more than 1,000 psi will go right into your flesh, instantly on contact. | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1265 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.69.188 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the reminder, Jim. Now that you mention it, I remember that the pump is bolted onto the engine housing. I guess that leaves a leak at the pump seal into the engine as a possibility, then. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska | ||
| David Guglielmetti (Daveg)
Registered Member Username: Daveg Post Number: 4 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 69.238.199.247  Rating: N/A |
Assuming you're on a budget (seems many Nuts are) might want to just let the seal leak a bit...just add your normal engine oil to the P/S reservoir. |