Power Steering Reservoir Leak

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GrandW
Posts: 224
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:19 pm

Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by GrandW »

Hi All - did some googling and it looks like the power steering reservoir leak is fairly common on Grand Wagoneers. What's the best solution?

Tried a new seal / o-ring
Tried a new female connector and bolt
Tried teflon tape, double o-ring

Still leaks out that bottom connection (photo). Would a new reservoir do the trick?
Image

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1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

letank
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by letank »

I suspect that it is the high pressure hose, pict is too dark. In my case I tried an o-ring... because when I pulled the hose on the 85, the o-ring was a mashed up piece... in fact I bought the replacement hose, but did not feel like dealing with the purge.... so I use the o-ring from the replacement hose, but it did not fit, I could not find the right size and picked up one of the green AC o-ring, it was fine for a few months... Make sure that it is not leaking from the hose clamp, as usual clean with solvent and inspect until you can see the source. Some people use talcum power to spot a slow leak
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

Topic author
GrandW
Posts: 224
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:19 pm

Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by GrandW »

letank wrote:I suspect that it is the high pressure hose, pict is too dark. In my case I tried an o-ring... because when I pulled the hose on the 85, the o-ring was a mashed up piece... in fact I bought the replacement hose, but did not feel like dealing with the purge.... so I use the o-ring from the replacement hose, but it did not fit, I could not find the right size and picked up one of the green AC o-ring, it was fine for a few months... Make sure that it is not leaking from the hose clamp, as usual clean with solvent and inspect until you can see the source. Some people use talcum power to spot a slow leak
Okay thanks. Yes, it's the bottom hose, the one that has the metal part before it. The upper hose just has a hose clamp, and that's fine.

It definitely tears up the o-rings on install. I had tried the double o-ring... Appreciate your input.

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1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Topic author
GrandW
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by GrandW »

Got the remanufactured reservoir and pump today. Removed the pulley, installed on the "new" pump... now can't fit the bracket beneath it.

Backed off the pulley quite a bit. Would anyone have a photo of how flush it should be (1st photo, feel like it's backed off a good bit)?

The issue is the bottom of the bracket under the PS reservoir contacts the pulley (yellow arrow). To avoid contact it would need to be backed off even further. Appreciate your thoughts.



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ImageImage
1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

sirrus
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by sirrus »

It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but I think you might be having the same problem I had recently - you have belts in the wrong grooves on ps pump pulley.

Check this out


PS and air pump belts alignment
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic? ... source=app


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Topic author
GrandW
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by GrandW »


sirrus wrote:It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but I think you might be having the same problem I had recently - you have belts in the wrong grooves on ps pump pulley.

Check this out

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hmmm, yes, but even without any belts, that bracket that takes the 4 bolts and centering plug ends up rubbing the pulley. That's the part that has me confused. Reman part appears identical.

Photo is of the old pump, no rubbing.
Image

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1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

sirrus
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by sirrus »

If you move air pump belt to the groove closer to reservoir and ps belt to the other one, you’ll find that you need to move pulley away from reservoir - which should take care of all rubbing


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Sometimes we reinvent the wheel not to have more wheels but to have more inventors

1988 Grand Wagoneer - AMC 360 with ProFlo4 MPFI, TF727, NP229 FOR SALE
2021 JLU Willys EcoDiesel - new shiny toy

letank
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by letank »

pulley looks different than the one I have... so spacing could be off ... which of course does not make sense because it worked before...

Would a shorter belt for the PS and a longer one for the Air do the trick? eyeball and see which one you can deal with...

here is mine -larger pict can be find in my engine link below- disregard shroud extension, it did not yield the expected results-

Image
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)

Topic author
GrandW
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by GrandW »

Thanks for the photo! After a bit of research it appears there are two pulleys (original pn unknown):
Dorman 300-121
Dorman 300-125

With 125 being less common. Removed the pulley off the new pump, measured new vs old, identical. Installed pulley on old pump, reinstalled, then transferred those measurements to new reservoir and installed the new reservoir. Will give it a few days to let the fluid that spilled out in the engine bay settle, but hopefully this is it.
1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Topic author
GrandW
Posts: 224
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:19 pm

Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by GrandW »

More updates to close out this thread with the solution. The pressure hose is rated to torque down at 20-25 ft lbs. This is a lot with a crestent wrench. Tried to get tight as possible, seems to have helped.

Bigger issue was the power steering gear. Leaked out the spindle that connects to the column. Bit of work, but new unit installed and no leaks plus a vastly improved driving experience. Eliminated the wobble in steering. Very pleased, drives great.

Thanks for the assistance.

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tgreese
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by tgreese »

Just a comment - you can distort the flare nuts if you tighten them with an open end wrench of whatever kind. The correct type of wrench is a flare nut wrench, which grabs the nut all the way around. You can buy these as separate wrenches, or with a 3/8" or 1/2" socket for your ratchet.
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HowardT64
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by HowardT64 »

im having issues with my unit as well...leaks a lot...but I cannot get the pulley off :(
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HowardT64
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by HowardT64 »

I have a new unit to put on and hoses... damn thing leaks too much
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letank
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by letank »

HowardT64 wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 8:16 am im having issues with my unit as well...leaks a lot...but I cannot get the pulley off :(
Impact driver time... it is amazing how many tools we accumulate years after years.
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)
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HowardT64
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Re: Power Steering Reservoir Leak

Post by HowardT64 »

I think im using the tool wrong...ill double check the usage :)
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