Leaking Power Steering Pump-- Saginaw swap?

[Skandocious]

So I spent some time with a flashlight looking over every nook and cranny of the underside of my engine today. I wanted to make sure that the oil dripping off my bellhousing was actually coming from the rear main seal, and not blowing back from somewhere else.

As of late I have also noticed that I wasn't just dripping from the rear main seal but also from the plate that has the coiled up power steering line inside it, facing towards the front of the truck (I assume for cooling purposes).

So I traced the leak up and found a nice droplet hanging right from the bottom of my power steering fluid reservoir. Check the pressure hose fitting and it's threaded in nice and tight, but it seems to be leaking from right around that area... Side note-- I replaced that pressure hose a while back because it was leaking around the fitting where the pressure hose threaded into the reservoir. Now that actual FITTING (which is threaded into the plastic PS fluid reservoir) is leaking.

So I figure I might be able to pull the pump and wrap the threads on that fitting with teflon tape... OR! While I've got the pump pulled I could do the popular Saginaw pump swap. Apparently you can get a saginaw pump from the E-series vans and swap that in to alleviate the annoying steering pump whine.

Swap? Or fix mine? Whatchy'all think?


(side note about the rear main seal leak-- I do have a lot of oil around some of the bolts on my oil pan. I tightened them a while back because I saw this before but they're wet again... Pan gasket? )

 

[NeXtras]

you know the rear main seal is not a cheap fix right? have to jack up the motor and such..

if you can fix the pump, fix it.. no sense in replacing it if it works.. you could be like me and have a PS box that leaks like a siv

 

[TexasNomad]

So I spent some time with a flashlight looking over every nook and cranny of the underside of my engine today. I wanted to make sure that the oil dripping off my bellhousing was actually coming from the rear main seal, and not blowing back from somewhere else.

As of late I have also noticed that I wasn't just dripping from the rear main seal but also from the plate that has the coiled up power steering line inside it, facing towards the front of the truck (I assume for cooling purposes).

So I traced the leak up and found a nice droplet hanging right from the bottom of my power steering fluid reservoir. Check the pressure hose fitting and it's threaded in nice and tight, but it seems to be leaking from right around that area... Side note-- I replaced that pressure hose a while back because it was leaking around the fitting where the pressure hose threaded into the reservoir. Now that actual FITTING (which is threaded into the plastic PS fluid reservoir) is leaking.

So I figure I might be able to pull the pump and wrap the threads on that fitting with teflon tape... OR! While I've got the pump pulled I could do the popular Saginaw pump swap. Apparently you can get a saginaw pump from the E-series vans and swap that in to alleviate the annoying steering pump whine.

Swap? Or fix mine? Whatchy'all think?


(side note about the rear main seal leak-- I do have a lot of oil around some of the bolts on my oil pan. I tightened them a while back because I saw this before but they're wet again... Pan gasket? )

All the P/s pumps i've had leak was from the around reservoir.

 

[Skandocious]

you know the rear main seal is not a cheap fix right? have to jack up the motor and such..

Yeah I know exactly what is required. That's why I wanted to make sure the leak wasn't coming from somewhere else. It'd be a shame to go to all the work of replacing the rear main and then find out it was fine.

And If I did it-- I'd pull the trans instead of the engine.

 

[radialarm]

Dang your trucks falling apart today!

I got a seal kit and fixed mine.

I just replaced a few of the "O"rings, it stopped leaking.

I didn't even have to remove it from the truck.

 

[Lost]

Hey Skan Yes u can go with the pump off e series .Will/may also need the high presure side hose depending on what year van was.

But Napa has a conversion pump kit . I'll have to do search I know part numbers r on here some where .I do know 90% guys say the NAPA guys have no clue about it unless have numbers. But for the cost (PS pumps r $50 + used ) the new one would be way to go .I imagine the other part house have same deal.

The Saginaws love big tires

 

[jr32560]

the rear mains aren't that bad-drop trans-remove flywheel-pop out old seal and pop in new-like 7 bucks in parts-a whole lot easier than the older ones-now they were a pain!!!if ya did it your self

 

[95F350XL]

I donno, they do make a propper thread sealant. Its made by loctite if I remember from using it at work. Could you valve covers be leaking down and around the back? Even on my new engine i think the rear main leaks wtf, old engine with 115K didnt leak a drop till I blew the block open. Ill have to remove my engine again and redo all the seals. Oil pan, rear main, and valve covers. Plus I want to look at my frame up there. Back on topic. Id spray off everything with brakekleen and blow it dry with air tool and then run it. Let it run and lay under it and see where it is dripping from. Trans aint to bad to take out, other then the E4OD is super heavy. That sucks.

 

[Skandocious]

The fluid dripping off the PS reservoir has a slight red tint to it so I'm fairly certain its PS fluid (aka ATF). The fluid coming off the bellhousing is more brown but who knows if it's picking up junk along the way

 

[Skandocious]

Topped her off in Newcastle the other day when I made this thread and when I went to take my truck out for donuts this morning (jealous Aaron?) I saw a HUGE puddle of ATF under the PS pump... And yes I'm in Davis now.

So the PS chose to hold it's fluid until it got to Davis and THEN it spewed all over. Strange... Looked in the reservoir and there's still plenty of fluid, but not enough to register on the dipstick.

I plan on removing it and making sure everything is sealed this weekend. Any tips on how to do that? Robert you said something about a seal kit? Is that specific to this application or just a generic O-ring kit?