Steering leak problem

So...working on my suspension with the car up on one jackstand.(working on the passenger front balljoint)...., I wanted to turn the wheels to get behind the rotor without having to remove the caliper...(in too big of a hurry) so...being a retard I did not want to start the car with the car up on one jackstand, so I turned the wheels without starting the car....no problem right?

10 minutes later, I see a 6 inch puddle below the car....I look and it is steering fluid...I can't tell exactly where it is coming from...I opened the hood and there was steering fluid all over by the fill spout....the cap even had about a half inch of fluid in the top of it.

So, did I blow a line or seal, or can turning the wheel without the motor running, like I did...blow the steering fluid out the top somehow and that is why there was fluid in the reservoir of the steering spout cap?

Thanks

xc_myers_06 said:

When i got my car, i had my rack and pinion go out and it left a huge puddle of power steering fluid under the left front side, but my only leaked outta the rack and pinion but to me it sounds like you might of blew a line or seal like you were talkin about, maybe check your pumps hose on the right side and see if that one broke open or it if the seal is outta there.

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I put a new rack in last summer...because it was leaking...but this is a first for the lines....

I work on my car in my girlfriends garage, (left her a nice puddle...lol) , so without looking for the leak, I just checked to see if it had fluid and then drove it home without any steering problem. I have a bottle of steering fluid in the trunk in case it leaks out before I can get to it this weekend. I have not replaced the hoses before, but it sounds like I may have to learn soon.

HISSIN50 said:

If you turn the wheel (rack and pinion steering set-up) with the car off, fluid will be forced and displaced out the vent in the cap. It is NORMAL.

So clean it up and make sure you dont have real leaks after driving it, but what you experienced is normal.

Good luck.

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Wow...thanks for responding Hissin...that is exactly what I wanted to hear...I looked this morning and there was no new puddle.......so at least that is good for now....I do have some sort of leak going on, but it is a slow leak that may be coming from the oil pan, which I have read is a total fpita to replace.

thanks