[V8] Fluid leak mystery

[Kneale Brownson]

Probably a leaking pump, but possibly also a leak in the line to the brake
pressure accumulator (the "bomb") or the line from the bomb to the brake
booster.  

If you remove the belly pan and clean the area around the pump, you can see
if the leak comes from there by watching while you run the engine.  If the
leak seems to be increasing, my bet would be the pump.  It has a bunch of
seals that fail from age/heat.

Also, the lines to and from the hydraulic reservoir frequently shrink from
age and lose their seal around the nipples where they connect to the
reservoir.  Audi uses a crimped clamp to fasten those hoses to the
reservoir and the age-shrinkage can't be adjusted for.  Reach under the
reservoir and see if you can twist the hoses.  If they turn, they're likely
to leak.  You can replace the crimped POS clamps with adjustable hose
clamps.  Some folks have reported success with recrimping the OEM clamps.
I just cut them off and got some stainless metric band-style (non
perforated) hose clamps.  There's a return line from the rack, a return
line from the booster and the supply line to the pump.

At 03:48 PM 8/14/2004 -0600, David Lyddall wrote:
>OK I'm baffled.  Anyone that has any idea on this one is a hero!
>
> 
>
>The car is leaking PS fluid and I don't know where it is coming from.
>Having gone through half a bucket of DTE-13M I finally got around to
>replacing the rack, which I assumed was leaking.  But the stuff is still
>gushing out.  I first thought the O ring / washers on the banjo bolts were
>to blame so I replaced them.  There seemed to be an accumulation of fluid
>around the place right below where the PS lines hook up to the rack
>http://tinyurl.com/4y4vx so it seemed that that was were it was coming from.
>
>
> 
>
>Still leaked, so I replaced the high pressure hose and made sure those bolts
>were really tight.  Then I went and sprayed everything clean and
>miraculously didn't fry anything in the process and the car still starts.
>But it is still dripping.
>
> 
>
>HELP.  Where else could it be coming from?  The actual drips seem to come
>from under the middle of the car so it is running along the heat shield
>above the exhaust.  You can see the drips here: http://tinyurl.com/64epn
>
> 
>
>Does anything else use the fluid other than PS?  Could something else be
>leaking?  The pump is dry, the hoses seem dry, and I really don't want to
>pull the rack out to see if it leaks somewhere.
>
> 
>
>URL's for people that don't like the tinyurl ones:
>
> 
>
>http://www.styletrack401k.com/family/home//Underside_Drip.JPG
><http://www.styletrack401k.com/family/home/Underside_Drip.JPG>  
>
> 
>
>http://www.styletrack401k.com/family/home//Rack_Hose.JPG
><http://www.styletrack401k.com/family/home/Rack_Hose.JPG>  
>
> 
>
>Thanks to anyone who has any suggestions.
>
> 
>
>Dave
>
> 
>
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