TD5 with ACE PAS leak

SteveG4TRA · Oct 7, 2019

I am loosing PAS fluid at a very slow rate, just enough to need a couple of mm top up per 100 or so miles. PAS fluid is being sprayed around the front of the engine, dripping down the chassis leg, but mainly appears to be emanating from the near side, or the PAS pump side. Indeed pulling the under shield and viewing the underside of the PAS pump there appears to be PAS fluid around the underside off the pump and round the gravity inlet feed from the reservoir. Cleaning it all and running the engine does not confirm this is the point of the leak, or anywhere else for that matter, it remains dry, hence my guess is that the pump is only leaking when well hot and running at normal road speed revs.
I am tempted to just replace the pump, so two questions: How easy is this? I have followed the RAVE instructions, so is there any hints and tips I need to know. Secondly do you follow my reasoning re the pump?
Also which pumps do you recommend? A Discovery 2 TD5 1998-2005 Genuine Re manufactured Power Steering Pump from The Steering Specialist on E Bay are £85. Are they any good?
Thanks guys.

Stanleysteamer · Oct 8, 2019

Do look out for a pinhole leak in the gravity feed pipe, not easy to see but I had one there due to metal pipe rubbing against one of the many things under there that stuff can rub against.
Easy fix once you find it.
But yours may well be what you think and from somewhere else.

SteveG4TRA · Oct 8, 2019

Stevehh said:
I am loosing PAS fluid at a very slow rate, just enough to need a couple of mm top up per 100 or so miles. PAS fluid is being sprayed around the front of the engine, dripping down the chassis leg, but mainly appears to be emanating from the near side, or the PAS pump side. Indeed pulling the under shield and viewing the underside of the PAS pump there appears to be PAS fluid around the underside off the pump and round the gravity inlet feed from the reservoir. Cleaning it all and running the engine does not confirm this is the point of the leak, or anywhere else for that matter, it remains dry, hence my guess is that the pump is only leaking when well hot and running at normal road speed revs.
I am tempted to just replace the pump, so two questions: How easy is this? I have followed the RAVE instructions, so is there any hints and tips I need to know. Secondly do you follow my reasoning re the pump?
Also which pumps do you recommend? A Discovery 2 TD5 1998-2005 Genuine Re manufactured Power Steering Pump from The Steering Specialist on E Bay are £85. Are they any good?
Thanks guys.

This morning I crawled under the motor and sure enough there was PAS fluid dripping from the PAS pump after leaving her overnight. So this was the culprit, hence I took the PAS pump out of the car.

It is fairly simple, pull the air intake stuff, remove the associated plugs and sockets from sensors etc, remove the top water hose from the head and pull out of the way. Take of the viscous fan, drive belt and remove the AC pump from the main ancillaries bracket. Don't disconnect the pipes just move it our of the way. Remove the pulley from the PAS pump, you'll need to lock it to get the third bolt off. Suck out the fluid from PAS reservoir and remove the high pressure outlet pipe from the pump. Undo the four bolts holding the PAS pump to the ancillaries bracket, pull it out and remove the inlet pipe.

The old pump is a reconditioned 6 year old PSS Steering and Hydraulics product. I have ordered a replacement reconditioned unit from The Steering Specialist.

SteveG4TRA · Oct 12, 2019

The new pump is now installed, the system bled using the lock-to-lock process rather than opening the steering box bleed nipple, which is so much easier and straight forward.
The axles have new oil and new brass level plugs, the factory plastic items being a load of crap. The transfer box drained approximately 2 litres of evil looking EP75/90 and took 5 litres to refill. I then saw I was filling at a point way above the proper filler which is extremely hard to get to behind the transmission brake system, so drained it down and added a measures 2.1 litres back in.
I am still not sure why the old gearbox oil came out so emulsified, but with a new load of MTF94 replacing it things should be better,
Finally I did a radiator and water system flush and new 50% anti-freeze solutions added, we should be well ready for winter until the next damn thing breaks, falls off, leaks, stops working, or dies.

TD5 with ACE PAS leak

SteveG4TRA

Active Member

Stanleysteamer

Well-Known Member

SteveG4TRA

Active Member

SteveG4TRA

Active Member

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