Freddie Two Bs

So today all of a sudden the clutch pedal is hard as a brick, and the steering wheel is hard as ****, too, and will only turn a few degrees.

I guess that's because somehow the pentosin leaked out? Where does it normally leak from? I have a fresh power steer reservoir and a fresh slave cylinder.

911mhawk

Check the resivoir under the bonnet to see if it has leaked out of there.
If so, time for a new slave & accumulator.
The PS resivoir is easy to check on the engine, small black cap on silver power steering resivoir below the oild fill.

napoleon1981

I think this is a slave issue. It sounds like a general powering steering issue, since the whole circuit appears to be unassisted. Start with checking fluid levels. If low see if you can find the leak, I would start by looking at recently replaced parts and their connections. If fluid levels are good, it sounds like a bad pump.

edit: I assume your observations are with a running engine correct?

Freddie Two Bs

Yes running engine... Thanks

Freddie Two Bs

Front reservoir area is dry. Rear reservoir is empty. I'll fill up with a bottle of CHF11s and see if I can spot the leak. Going to the mechanic on monday anyway.

32krazy!

no need to spot the leak. slave and accumulator are gone 1 can of petosin is 28$ no need to waste it

Freddie Two Bs

Any logical reason why a slave cylinder installed 2k miles / 7 months ago has already failed?

Freddie Two Bs

Update: there's a massive leak coming from just in front of the rear axle. Filled it with pentosin and went almost straight through. This puddle formed in a couple minutes.

Would this still have to do with slave and accumulator?

napoleon1981

Yes that where they sit, driver side, right in front of the rear axle (in the picture left far into the garage of the puddle is where it likely starts). It really looks like some connection is loose given the pace this stuff runs out. How old is your slave? Did you have an accumulator replaced? I have heard about those coming loose too.

Just a warning pentosin is pretty corrosive. It eats hoses, including the waters hoses and axle hoses that are in the area. If you could clean it, it may save you money down the line.

Freddie Two Bs

Slave was replaced just a few months and a few thousand miles ago.

Am I gonna **** up the steering if I drive it four or five miles to the mechanic in this condition?

Carlo_Carrera

If you do drive it clean off the leaking Pentosin really well. It is highly flammable.

Kevin

With the puddle under the car, and no Pentosin in the front slave reservior, you most likely have a empty power steering pump. You are heating up the power steering pump and risking accelerated wear.

You have a pretty good breach at the slave, slave acculator oring, or connection lines..

I'd call AAA or a towing service for this one. If you have a blown pressure side line or connection> Pentosin is very flammable when sprayed on cats or hot turbine housings.

napoleon1981

My bet is that your slave is fine. I think its something in the connection circuit.

I would not drive the car. A tow is relatively cheap compared to damaging a power steering pump. Also, you can see that your car is quite wet all over. Given the already pointed out flammability of pentosin, I would not risk it. Have the car cleaned well too.

911mhawk

I had an accumulator come loose that puked out a bunch of Pentosin too.
Thought I had blown a line but ended up just needing to tighten the accumulator and re-bleed.

"02996ttx50

I'm betting on a half assed install of your ps res and or the slave. one would imagine that you'd hear the whine of an empty ps reservoir since its immistakable, upon any turning of the wheel. ( oh wait, wheel wont turn! that'll do! )

bottom line is you have massive leak and no fluid in the system. tow the car.