Power Steering Leak after Track Day - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Shred · 10-13-2016, 03:26 PM

Hi,
After a good track day, my 2003 Boxster S developed a power steering leak after roughly 2 hours of street driving.

Parked in the garage, switched on the car, big growling noise which changes with the turning of the steering wheel. I turned the car off straight away and can see fluid under the car engine area, on the undertray etc.

From my researches, it is possibly the return line of power steering reservoir which overheated and started to leak.

Anyone have ideas where to check for this leak?

I read it is essential to have a Power Steering Cooler on the 986 to 987.1 cars.
Anyone here have one installed and which?

Any ideas is highly appreciated.
Thanks

NewArt · 10-13-2016, 03:35 PM

There's a lot of strain on the ps pump when you are on the track. I had a leakage problem as well and it was pretty well solved by installing an underdrive pulley. Much less strain on the peripherals!

steved0x · 10-13-2016, 04:08 PM

Maybe it just overheated and it came out the overflow, and dripped down.

I have a UD pulley as well and no trouble with power steering after 20+ track days since I.put it on.

Shred · 10-13-2016, 04:29 PM

Thanks for the under pulley suggestions. It is a easy fix that I will definitely do. The PS cooler I have to think about and research some more.

@steved0x
My undertray was full of PS fluid. I did another 2 hours of spirited driving yesterday before noticing the leak. I was at the track on Monday about 90mins away from home. Maybe it was a slow leak since I clocked another 3 hours of driving after the track day?

NewArt · 10-13-2016, 05:16 PM

Clean it up, check and fill your ps reservoir, drive it for a while (spirited driving is not as demanding as track driving). Check for leakage again. If none, the the udp will probably solve your issue.

steved0x · 10-14-2016, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shred

Thanks for the under pulley suggestions. It is a easy fix that I will definitely do. The PS cooler I have to think about and research some more.

@steved0x
My undertray was full of PS fluid. I did another 2 hours of spirited driving yesterday before noticing the leak. I was at the track on Monday about 90mins away from home. Maybe it was a slow leak since I clocked another 3 hours of driving after the track day?

I think the overflow tube just dumps it on top of the engine, and then after it builds up it can run down. I would take a quick look up there, if you don't see anything, it is probably one of the fittings from underneath like you suggested in your original post.

Shred · 10-14-2016, 12:13 PM

Well, the return line to the pump was dry, no leaks there. Have to keep looking where it came from. Hope it's not a high pressure line.

It looks like it's just the overflow tube dumping it, but there is such a mass amount of fluid on the engine and the PS reservoir is empty.
The overflow can't possibly dump that much after a track day, can it?

husker boxster · 10-14-2016, 12:42 PM

What was the fluid level before hitting the track?

Shred · 10-14-2016, 12:43 PM

@Husker_boxster.

I didn't check before hitting the track.
The high pressure line attached to the power steering pump is also dry.
Reservoir connection to the PS pump is dry too.

Shred · 10-14-2016, 12:49 PM

Pressure line is dry too.

ChrisZang · 10-15-2016, 12:11 PM

I had the same problem and had to replace the PS pump as a plastic part which is an integral part of the pump had melted

Here is what I did
1) Replace the Pentosin PS fluid with Redline (it has a higher boiling point and is less likely to create bubbles)
2) underdrive pulley
3) I installed a PS cooler (I think it was from LN Engineering) which was a major pain in the neck to install

Shred · 10-15-2016, 01:00 PM

@ChrisZang

Was this section where you had the leak?
The red part attaching the return pipe?

ChrisZang · 10-15-2016, 03:59 PM

my Indie repaired it, but that might have been where it failed

Shred · 10-18-2016, 01:37 PM

I have moved to replacing the following with new Genuine Porsche parts while I am in there fixing the leak:

PS pump (Luk OEM same as the Genuine Porsche ) + upper and lower reservoir. All O-rings.
Return Line
Pressure line
TuneRS 4' Under pulley + new belt
Possibly PS Cooler

Will post results next once completely for anyone needing to do the same in the future.
Thanks to everyone who chipped in with ideas.

maytag · 07-11-2018, 06:42 PM

Hey y'all:
reviving an old thread, as it looks as close to my issue as I've found here.

I drove my '03 'S' today, for the first time since doing a track day about 10 days ago.

It seems I've developed a power-steering problem. Classic noises and heavy steering intermittently.

I've read about overworking the power steering pump at the track, but was of the understanding that this would first appear as fluid overflowing... which I show no signs of.

I have NOT checked the fluid level since I acquired the car in March this year. (yes, I'm embarrassed about that... since I checked nearly EVERYTHING else....)

My questions:
1. it seems (from reading) that I can hope to replace the fluid and the pump may still be okay?
2. Reading below, Redline Power steering fluid was suggested as an alternative to the pentosin CHF. Waddy'all know? IS this compatible? Recommended? Whata re you track-o-philes using?
3. Looks like I should probably go to an underdrive-pulley. Any adverse effects for a street-car that gets occasional track days?

Thanks for your help.

husker boxster · 07-11-2018, 07:14 PM

Don't think you want to mix Pentosin and Redline. Totally evacuate and fill with Redline or top off with Pentosin.

Many have done the underdrive pulley but I run the stock setup (with no cooler either) with no issues on my CSS. I've done 3 3-day DE's at 20 turn COTA. BUT, I check the level before every DE.

Good luck, we're pullin for ya.

Geof3 · 07-11-2018, 10:13 PM

If you haven’t directly looked at your engine (which I assume as you mentioned you did not check the level) then you aren’t seeing the overflow potentially. It drops straight down on top of the engine into all manner of nooks and crannies. Check your fluid, look over the top of your engine to see if there is any accumulated there. Refill with Pentosin, there really is no reason not to and go. I have an underdrive pulley, and my PSP has no issues currently. Keep in mind a UDP requires a bit of engine case modification as well, plus some pretty serious torque on the bolt. If you do one, do a solid one for strength. You can’t see the thing anyway so getting a styled up funky one is pointless.

thstone · 07-13-2018, 11:06 AM

As Geof3 says, look at the top of the engine. My power steering started sounding like it was low on fluid but I hadn't seen any drips or leaks under the car - that was because it had pooled on top of the motor and was slowly burning off from the heat.

The first thing to do is simply drain and refill. I use the CHF.

A UDP won't have any adverse effect on the cooling, power steering, or air conditioning performance on the street.