1998 5.7 steering fluid leak

[Tunabass]

Serial number 0L012923. I have to keep adding fluid every other trip. My trips are like 10 hours long (fishing). It's ending up in the bilge and results in a sheen when I turn the bilge pump on. The resivoir cap is tight but after a long day is almost empty. No leaks from the line coming out of the resivoiur. Thoughts? Thank you.

 

[Bt Doctur]

loose/ too large of a clamp on the hoses at the power steering cooler

 

[Tunabass]

Thank you. It's pouring out here and I don't have the manual. It's at work. Where is the cooler located? Thank you

 

[Bt Doctur]

depends , on the rear of the motor or low on the port side just under the motor mount
That serial number suggests the rear of the motor

 

[Tunabass]

Port side under the motor mount is my fuel cooler and fuel pump. I know for sure cause I just had a fuel leak there that I fixed last week or so

 

[JoLin]

You need to get in there with a flashlight and at least find the area where the fluid is leaking. There's the actuator on the transom, and the 2 fluid hoses that terminate at the actuator. The lower pressure (return) hose runs for there to the PS cooler and then to the pump. The high pressure hose runs directly between the actuator and the pump. The pump itself that could be leaking from the bearing or a hose connection. Narrow it down, clean up everything in the area where the fluid has soaked everything, then find the source.

I struggled with a PS leak for several months last season before I finally narrowed it down either the actuator or the the high pressure hose fitting on the actuator. Well, the hose is a lot cheaper than the actuator, so I replaced it and the problem was fixed. Haven't leaked a drop since.

My .02

 

[Tunabass]

Ok so with the engine running I believe I found the leak. The hose that runs from the pump (low pressure hose) connects to the underside of the cooler. If I run my finger along where it attaches to the cooler I can see and feel fluid after I wiped it down. I assume that there is just water running through the big hose that connects to the cooler right. No fluid could be leaking out of that big hose right? I ask cause I can't tell if it's from the low pressure hose where it attaches to the cooler or the big water hose. It's definetly pink fluid I get on my finger.

 

[Bt Doctur]

loose hose clamp is my guess . the large hose is the water inlet hose

 

[Tunabass]

I tightened that hose clamp and restarted and for 10 min no leak. Hopefully problem solved. Of course I had to remove the whole cooler to get access to that clamp as who ever positioned it like it was should be shot. Thanks guys. Hose clamp was pretty loose when I loosened it to rotate it around and retighten.

 

[JoLin]

Glad it turned out to be a (relatively) simple fix. Congrats!

 

[boatman37]

i had a crack in my hose right at the PS cooler that was leaking. i cut the hose just above the tear and reattached it. problem solved