[s-cars] Fluid Leak - maybe from rack, maybe not

[Manuel Sanchez]

Fellow S-heads,

My car has not moved in about 5 weeks as I've been sorting out some  
suspension items. The front end has been jacked up in my brother in  
laws garage. I have noticed a fluid leak on the passenger (right)   
side of the car. It is not motor oil. I can't easily see the source,  
but it is somewhere near where the steering damper and where the  
steering rack meet. There are lots of obstructions, so I have been  
unable to pinpoint the source of the leak. I've run my hand along a  
small portion of the rack that is accessible, and it seems dry (but  
there is a lot that I have not been able to access)

Questions are:

1.Are there any hydraulic connection to the rack on this side of the  
car? I was thinking that the hydraulic connections were on the  
drivers (left) side, near the steering gear.
2. Can a bad steering damper create a stain that is approximately  
the  size of a typical trash can lid in footprint?
3. It could be coincidental, but I have not had any spots under the  
car (I don't have a belly pan due to FMIC and LLtek bumper) before  
this suspension work.


Other observations:

Pentosin hydraulic fluid seems normal, but the car has not run in 5  
weeks.
The rack was replaced a couple of years ago with a rebuilt unit from  
Force 5.
Steering damper is original as far as I know (car has 135,000 miles /  
217,000 km).

Thanks in advance.

Manny

95.5 urS6 Avant (still strutless and now pissing on BILs garage floor)