Power Steering Issue - Questions
12-02-2015, 03:07 PM
#1
RL Community Team
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Power Steering Issue - Questions
2009 C2S 93K miles
Issue: Power steering fluid almost gone!
Symptom: Loud "howling" for about 20 seconds when starting from cold. Happened about four times before I took the car in. I thought it was either the belt, pulley, or pump. It was the power steering pump. The howling sounded like a toothed belt making a racket. Not screeching, but a vrrrroooooo sound. It would stop as quickly as it started not to come back until next morning.
Reason: Not known. Techs examined the system and did not find leaks or seeping. I never had spots on the floor. Just a mystery. My 2000S Boxster had 197K miles and never a drop added. My Ford friend said these systems leak from two places: 1) seals in the rack, 2) tank or hoses. For number 2, you just inspect for leaks and spots on the floor. For the rack, he said the boots will hold leaking fluid from rack seals and you can tell by squeezing them... squishy is fluid... or take the clamp or band off and see if you get fluid. The techs told me they did not find leaks or the source, I don't know if they pulled the boots or not.
Question: Did I trigger a leak when I replaced my shocks just days before the howling started. Coincidence? Other reasons for missing fluid?
Story:
Shocks: I just replaced all four shocks on my car and I wonder if I over-extended the steering tie rod and caused the problem. My Ford friend said he doubted this and never heard of it (he worked is way through college as a mechanic at a Jag dealer). To remove the front shocks, you must press down on the carrier far to drop the shock from its three-bolt mount at the top. Then the shocks will fall out toward you passing under the fender. To do this, the carrier has to be pushed down pretty darn far, tilted out (positive camber like) and the steering tie rod is in play. Did this over-extend the tie rod and cause a leak?
Age: The car is six years old with 93K miles..... is this just normal evaporation? Super slow leak? Theft by squirrel? As I noted above, I put 197K miles and thirteen years on my Boxster S without putting in a drop. Maybe I was just a knuckle head and not checked and added to the fluid as I should have.
I am traveling in Western PA and ran the car over to a now defunct Porsche dealer in Ohio. They still have the same techs and are now a Porsche indy among others.
Ideas? Comments?
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Issue: Power steering fluid almost gone!
Symptom: Loud "howling" for about 20 seconds when starting from cold. Happened about four times before I took the car in. I thought it was either the belt, pulley, or pump. It was the power steering pump. The howling sounded like a toothed belt making a racket. Not screeching, but a vrrrroooooo sound. It would stop as quickly as it started not to come back until next morning.
Reason: Not known. Techs examined the system and did not find leaks or seeping. I never had spots on the floor. Just a mystery. My 2000S Boxster had 197K miles and never a drop added. My Ford friend said these systems leak from two places: 1) seals in the rack, 2) tank or hoses. For number 2, you just inspect for leaks and spots on the floor. For the rack, he said the boots will hold leaking fluid from rack seals and you can tell by squeezing them... squishy is fluid... or take the clamp or band off and see if you get fluid. The techs told me they did not find leaks or the source, I don't know if they pulled the boots or not.
Question: Did I trigger a leak when I replaced my shocks just days before the howling started. Coincidence? Other reasons for missing fluid?
Story:
Shocks: I just replaced all four shocks on my car and I wonder if I over-extended the steering tie rod and caused the problem. My Ford friend said he doubted this and never heard of it (he worked is way through college as a mechanic at a Jag dealer). To remove the front shocks, you must press down on the carrier far to drop the shock from its three-bolt mount at the top. Then the shocks will fall out toward you passing under the fender. To do this, the carrier has to be pushed down pretty darn far, tilted out (positive camber like) and the steering tie rod is in play. Did this over-extend the tie rod and cause a leak?
Age: The car is six years old with 93K miles..... is this just normal evaporation? Super slow leak? Theft by squirrel? As I noted above, I put 197K miles and thirteen years on my Boxster S without putting in a drop. Maybe I was just a knuckle head and not checked and added to the fluid as I should have.
I am traveling in Western PA and ran the car over to a now defunct Porsche dealer in Ohio. They still have the same techs and are now a Porsche indy among others.
Ideas? Comments?
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Last edited by Bruce In Philly; 12-02-2015 at 03:25 PM.
12-03-2015, 11:04 AM
#2
Race Director
2009 C2S 93K miles
Issue: Power steering fluid almost gone!
Symptom: Loud "howling" for about 20 seconds when starting from cold. Happened about four times before I took the car in. I thought it was either the belt, pulley, or pump. It was the power steering pump. The howling sounded like a toothed belt making a racket. Not screeching, but a vrrrroooooo sound. It would stop as quickly as it started not to come back until next morning.
Reason: Not known. Techs examined the system and did not find leaks or seeping. I never had spots on the floor. Just a mystery. My 2000S Boxster had 197K miles and never a drop added. My Ford friend said these systems leak from two places: 1) seals in the rack, 2) tank or hoses. For number 2, you just inspect for leaks and spots on the floor. For the rack, he said the boots will hold leaking fluid from rack seals and you can tell by squeezing them... squishy is fluid... or take the clamp or band off and see if you get fluid. The techs told me they did not find leaks or the source, I don't know if they pulled the boots or not.
Question: Did I trigger a leak when I replaced my shocks just days before the howling started. Coincidence? Other reasons for missing fluid?
Story:
Shocks: I just replaced all four shocks on my car and I wonder if I over-extended the steering tie rod and caused the problem. My Ford friend said he doubted this and never heard of it (he worked is way through college as a mechanic at a Jag dealer). To remove the front shocks, you must press down on the carrier far to drop the shock from its three-bolt mount at the top. Then the shocks will fall out toward you passing under the fender. To do this, the carrier has to be pushed down pretty darn far, tilted out (positive camber like) and the steering tie rod is in play. Did this over-extend the tie rod and cause a leak?
Age: The car is six years old with 93K miles..... is this just normal evaporation? Super slow leak? Theft by squirrel? As I noted above, I put 197K miles and thirteen years on my Boxster S without putting in a drop. Maybe I was just a knuckle head and not checked and added to the fluid as I should have.
I am traveling in Western PA and ran the car over to a now defunct Porsche dealer in Ohio. They still have the same techs and are now a Porsche indy among others.
Ideas? Comments?
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Issue: Power steering fluid almost gone!
Symptom: Loud "howling" for about 20 seconds when starting from cold. Happened about four times before I took the car in. I thought it was either the belt, pulley, or pump. It was the power steering pump. The howling sounded like a toothed belt making a racket. Not screeching, but a vrrrroooooo sound. It would stop as quickly as it started not to come back until next morning.
Reason: Not known. Techs examined the system and did not find leaks or seeping. I never had spots on the floor. Just a mystery. My 2000S Boxster had 197K miles and never a drop added. My Ford friend said these systems leak from two places: 1) seals in the rack, 2) tank or hoses. For number 2, you just inspect for leaks and spots on the floor. For the rack, he said the boots will hold leaking fluid from rack seals and you can tell by squeezing them... squishy is fluid... or take the clamp or band off and see if you get fluid. The techs told me they did not find leaks or the source, I don't know if they pulled the boots or not.
Question: Did I trigger a leak when I replaced my shocks just days before the howling started. Coincidence? Other reasons for missing fluid?
Story:
Shocks: I just replaced all four shocks on my car and I wonder if I over-extended the steering tie rod and caused the problem. My Ford friend said he doubted this and never heard of it (he worked is way through college as a mechanic at a Jag dealer). To remove the front shocks, you must press down on the carrier far to drop the shock from its three-bolt mount at the top. Then the shocks will fall out toward you passing under the fender. To do this, the carrier has to be pushed down pretty darn far, tilted out (positive camber like) and the steering tie rod is in play. Did this over-extend the tie rod and cause a leak?
Age: The car is six years old with 93K miles..... is this just normal evaporation? Super slow leak? Theft by squirrel? As I noted above, I put 197K miles and thirteen years on my Boxster S without putting in a drop. Maybe I was just a knuckle head and not checked and added to the fluid as I should have.
I am traveling in Western PA and ran the car over to a now defunct Porsche dealer in Ohio. They still have the same techs and are now a Porsche indy among others.
Ideas? Comments?
Peace
Bruce in Philly
If the pump is low on fluid and making noise you will be very lucky if the pump was not ruined. Talk it over with your trusted tech but I suppose before you have the pump and lines and rack replaced -- the failing pump contaminates the rest of the system -- you can I guess just add fluid and bring the level up to where it belongs and then see if the pump quiets down and works ok. Be on the look out for fluid leak sign of course.
On this subject of leak sign: After refilling the power steering hydraulic system and then running the engine the car should be on a lift so the tech can carefully trace the power steering lines and check every fitting/connection and every seal -- I'm thinking at the rack -- for leak sign. 'course, check the lines themselves. A line could have gotten holed, or cracked.
12-03-2015, 01:10 PM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Interesting - you have way more miles on your car than my 23K, but same '09 car. I had the howling too just before my 6 year service was scheduled and the diagnosis was the same as yours. The howling occurred in 50F weather for about 10 minutes and would go away until cold again. No visible leak and nothing in the garage on the floor. I suspect a slow leak that took a long time to become an issue.
My tech said perhaps lack of driving, but with your mileage for comparison, I'm thinking the rack just wears out / leaks out in 6 years - maybe we just got some from a bad batch.
So, my steering rack is being replaced as we speak.
My tech said perhaps lack of driving, but with your mileage for comparison, I'm thinking the rack just wears out / leaks out in 6 years - maybe we just got some from a bad batch.
So, my steering rack is being replaced as we speak.
12-03-2015, 05:51 PM
#4
Have you or your tech checked the top of the engine casing, especially behind and below the a/c compressor for any steering fluid puddle (using an inspection mirror)? The top of the engine casing is like a waffle. It can hold a lot of fluid.
12-07-2015, 09:51 PM
#5
12-07-2015, 10:07 PM
#6
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This is one of the reasons I DIY.... some would say this is a case for only having your dealer look at it. While my experience with dealers has generally been favorable, it is not without issues.
Anyway, I like taking matters into my own hands.... up to a point... If this pump is bad.... I am not sure I want to tackle this one...... but then after a few pint's O' Courage..... and a good YouTube vid, maybe.......
I was going to cross post a link to the new thread... maybe should have added it here.
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...heck-tank.html
Peace
Bruce in Philly
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04-02-2016, 07:17 PM
#9
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Update: I do have a super tiny leak.
I just checked my steering fluid and I can tell it is down a tiny tiny bit on the dipstick, and I can see some shiny goo down there using a flashlight. The drain is really slow.
It looks like this is something I will just have to live with. I suspect I will need to top this off once a year or so.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Cross link to another thread I started on this issue:
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...heck-tank.html
I just checked my steering fluid and I can tell it is down a tiny tiny bit on the dipstick, and I can see some shiny goo down there using a flashlight. The drain is really slow.
It looks like this is something I will just have to live with. I suspect I will need to top this off once a year or so.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Cross link to another thread I started on this issue:
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...heck-tank.html