Hi! I have a 3vze (92ext) part that is leaking what looks like brake fluid. Problem is, i cannot figure out what this part actually is. It is an Aisin component right below the battery. there are lines going to the rear drum brakes from it, and also power steering lines into and out of it. Thanks for the help.

 

Its the ABS controller for the rear wheels

 

Toyota calls it the Actuator for the rear ABS .

It gets a signal from the ECU.

 

Ahh! abs actuator, thank you. It's leaking around one of the brake line connections. is there a seal or o-ring in there?

 

Flare fitting. try tightening it up with a 10mm.

 

Is your brake fluid level going down in the reservoir?
It might be power steering fluid that is leaking above the brake lines.
Brake line fittings don't normally start leaking.

 

The lines most often just break!!

 

The reservoir has not visually gone down yet, but it's a small slow leak. It's not the psp above dripping down, it's leaking right out of one of the flared fittings for the rear brakes, right at the seating on the actuator. Tried tightening, but it's tight enough that i can't budge it. It looks like the lines were replaced not too long ago, they are in good shape, can one just replace the fitting?

 

I wouldn't touch it till the reservoir starts dropping. If the line is split or fitting is galled you can buy line and a small pipe cutter type tool to cut, bend your own, and form a *double* flare on each end with the correct tool. Doing this way you can splice in a new line wherever and mate it to the existing with a union. You can buy an entire replacement line also. Not recommended to splice using a compression fitting at brake PSI, also it's illegal. If brakes failed, you hit somebody and they saw that on your lines you would be in deep...trouble.

 

Well, I think I will touch it sooner rather than later. If I press on the brakes the fluid comes out quite freely. I would rather get it fixed up now than wait until it becomes a bigger problem. Also, it seems my steering tightens up? would that be because of a change in the power steering pressure? (I dont really understand the actuator being a part of both the brakes and power steering system.) Thanks for the information!

 

For what it is worth I have never been able to make a double flare on old brake line.

That has been exposed to the winter Chemicals it just cracks..

If brake fluid comes out under pressure you have more of a leak then you think and the level in the master cylinder is indeed dropping

Best of luck!!