Name that fluid leak?

I was working in the driveway today and a small wet spot under my truck caught my eye...and there is some kind of fluid leak...It's pooled on the skid plate and maybe on the front differential. It's not red..and doesn't look like coolant...My oil level is good..It looks like it's leaking out of a metal tub that is U shaped and sits at the height of the base of the radiator about 6 inches back and next to a rubber hose.

 

Power steering fluid.

 

Yeah, I checked today...cranked it all the way left right in the driveway and got a pump noise...Time to check if it's a leak or the pump..

 

Could it be the front diff fluid? You'd likely know by the smell of it, pretty ripe stuff.

 

My thought exactly.

 

Well...I opened up the Power Steering fluid reservoir today and it was touching the bottom of the plastic dip stick where it says "cold". There seemed to be a good amount of fluid in it. Maybe I'll pick up 2 quarts and suck it out/clean it...I have had the truck for 55K and have never touched the fluid...




This is the sound the power steering pump makes
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/927697250888777729/pu/vid/1280x720/ImxYHmHVMsFTlypA.mp4

 

That sound could be results of low fluid.

 

Well on the way home from work I picked up a quart of ATF Dex 3/4...and I suctioned out the fluid down to the screen...needless to say it was a tad dirty...I took 100ml out down to the screen and put 200ml back in to get it up to the base of the dip stick. So it was at least 200ml low. I am going to monitor it...I have to now find the leak...it's tough to get under there and see all the hose unions. I reached in and felt around and tried to clean them off so I can search for a wet union later. After I added the new fluid the motor noise went away.

 

Part of routine maintenance is checking all fluid levels. It takes very little time and will save you money down the road.
Now that I've said that, I should check my power steering fluid today.

 

Ok...So took off my skid plate to take a look at the tubing/connections and of course it's 35F out and it starts raining...and I break one of the 4 bolts holding on the skid plate...and another loses the weld so the nut is free wheeling...uggh..
Anyway I'm pretty sure the leak is from the corroded high pressure tubing. You can see the dark droplet formed and I wiped the whole thing down carefully with paper towels..started up the truck, turned right and left a few time and then rewiped (dabbed) the metal leaks I'm pretty sure and had a small amount of red fluid on the paper towel...I guess I can try some stop leak...advice/method?

 

Sorry I'm not help to stop the leak OP but I'd definitely recommend sanding down the rust and repainting it. A little fluid film would be great as well... Good luck fixing this!

 

I like to cut a white rag into strips, wipe down everything in the leak area, then tie the strips around the tubing in different spots. Then start the engine and turn the wheel a little each way , then check the rags to see where the leak starts at.
If it is indeed the tubing, I think you would be better off replacing the tubing, rather then putting in stop leak . In your location, you don't want that tubing to burst in January, when it completely fails. If the tubing is rusted enough to leak, stop leak is not going you much time.

 

Buy you much time.

 

Yeah...I need a few things done...and never have the time (or skill ) to take care of it all...Better to replace this now rather than blow a pump or damage the rack. I need ball joint work and timing belt and some other thing that was pointed out last oil change at the dealer...just throw $$ at it right before it's payed off...

 

Looks like the cooler tube, should be easy to replace.