"Ron Seiden" <subronseiden@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:4MaYi.5294$b%1.1844@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> My son's "new" 2000 Grand Am SE has a weird problem. When his power
> steering got noisy and then crapped out, we checked the fluid level and
it
> was way low. We filled it, and a day later it was low again. We filled
it
> again (to avoid running it dry, and so he could drive it okay) and took
it
> into our mechanic. The mechanic said they checked it all over and could
> find no signs of any leak anywhere (and it didn't seem to have lost
fluid
> between last fill-up and arrival at the shop).
> Now, a few days later, the same thing's happened again. The car's back
in
> the shop, but meanwhile I figured I'd ask if anyone knew of any way it
> could be losing power steering fluid without leaving any puddle in the
> driveway or being visible to the mechanics...
> Thanks.
Mechanic found it: The power steering pump on this beastie (2.4L dohc 4
cylinder) is mounted on the back end of the exhaust cam. Yes, hard mounted
onto the camshaft and right up against the engine. (It looks as though
it's
just the reservoir, but it's actually the pump up there at the rear of the
engine.) The shaft seal was leaking and the power steering fluid was going
*into the engine*. Therefore, it not only left no external leakage signs,
it
was also slowly diluting the oil. (Apparently the pump shaft seal and the
camshaft seal back up against each other.)
Typically, the seal was not replaceable, requiring replacement of the
whole
pump. Oh, well, at least this mechanic found the problem, and we're good
now
for another 100k or so...
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