OK, it's not MASSIVE or anything, but it leaves a puddle about the size of a donut each night. So, after doing a bit of reading here... I made the bonehead mistake of topping it off a few times with power steering fluid instead of ATF (my cap is a generic replacement and doesn't say ATF/DextronIII on it).

So I'm going to be using this thread to detail the repair process. Hopefully you guys can steer me in the right direction and maybe this will help others in the future.

Details:
1991 Toyota 4Runner
3.0 V6, auto, 170k miles

Step 1 (tomorrow): Pull it in the garage, throw some cardboard down and apply a can or four of engine degreaser and get it cleaned up. Then hopefully I can ID the source of the leak.

Stay tuned for updates

 

I have a good sized p/s leak as well, I've been putting p/s fluid in it.. I didn't know it is supposed to take ATF... enlighten me on what I've done >.x

 

Mine leaks a ton but seems to work fine if I keep it topped off. Subscribing.

 

If i'm looking at the correct part, my P/S pump looks like the La Brea Tar Pits but i've used ATF only

 

Mines turning into the tar pits, and its news to me to use ATF

 

It should say right on the cap, however if yours is like mine I had to clean off the build up on it just to read it haha

 

um is it the pump leaking or the steering box?

Pumps usually dont leak, well atleast i havent seen one leak yet on a 22r, lil dif pump on the 3slow..

the boxes usually leak at the input steering shaft. Can be rebuilt but i never messed with that. Always found replacement boxes second hand. Sometimes you get lucky and score a brand new rebuilt allpro box like i did. People seriously undersell steering boxes, typica is $100 for a used one.

 

^^^ Usually it is the gearbox. Dont think I have ever seen a pump leak, not saying it isnt possible. ATF fluid is used for power steering. Not a bad job if you swap the whole gearbox, it will come out from the top. Never rebuilt one so cant say on that. There are a few threads out there on it though.

 

Pump is easier to FIX than replace as it's just seals that go bad. A reman pump won't be as good as your OEM.

Box is a little tougher to repair but still doable.

I'd recommend PURPLE POWER and cleaning it up outside in the street or grass. Then hit it with a pressure washer.

:wabbit2:

 

The part i'm looking at is right below the coolant over flow reservoir, i'll see about getting a pic.

 

From what I understand it makes the leak worse and eventually can destroy your steering box as well.

I'll let you know how what happened with mine. I bought it a year ago with 150k on it... I've topped it off twice and put 20k on it in between. I am not sure if my leak has been getting worse, or it's just noticeable now that I moved into my new house with a clean driveway (instead of parking in the dirty crusty oily street)

Don't know yet. The front of the engine is pretty wet. It looks like I've got a valve cover leak as well.... so I'm going to tackle that as well.

 

UPDATE: Looks like it's probably coming from the input shaft into the steering box. Thoughts?

Note... I'm probably selling this truck over the weekend. I have a potential buyer. He's a friend and is aware of the leak issue.