How much fluid does it take to fill the steering rack?????? Where is my fluid going

[ForcedTorque]

As many around here know, my car has not gone anywhere since I bought it in '09. I now have it running right, registered, and insured. My first few drives have been short ventures, and it seems I'm now old enough to give up on being tough enough to go without power steering.

At one point during the process of making it a car again, I once put one or two bottles of fluid in it that went away almost as fast as it went in. Today, I put in another bottle, and it went away within a minute of idling. The car was parked on a smooth painted carport floor, and not a drop leaked out.

I'm assuming that the rack was drained during the parting out of this shell in the past, and it is filling the rack back up. Could it be something else? How much will it take to fill it up?

 

[suprahero]

Glad you got it running Scott. Seems like Advance has all the fluids on their computers.

 

[hvyman]

Usually holds about a qt. maybe little more. Not that much. Dexron.

If rack boots are good I would try pulling one off and see if fluid pours out.

 

[7M4EVR]

I doubt you are experiencing the same issue as me, but i had a leak in the hose under the resevoir and it would leak out pretty fast. I didnt want to believe it was a crappy hose becasuse i never saw any puddles or anything on the ground. But when i looked underneath my once very clean and newly installed motor i could see that my subframe and everything else was now caked with PS fluid.

 

[Silver MK3]

The fluid has to be going somewhere. Our systems don't take that much fluid like hvyman said. Do you have the engine undercover on? It could be puddling on top of that and not dripping down to where you could see it leaking.

 

[D.J.T.]

Check your Power steering vacuum switch valve. The valve broke from within on my SC400 & PS fluid was being sucked into the engine. Im talking Overfilled engine oil. i know because i did an oil change. poured more dexron in the resevoir. went out for a spin for about 2 -3 blocks. i came back & let the car sit for 5 minutes. the fluid in the reservoir was gone & my engine oil was over filled... Then it was happening to the supra & same story.

 

[ForcedTorque]

Check your Power steering vacuum switch valve. The valve broke from within on my SC400 & PS fluid was being sucked into the engine. Im talking Overfilled engine oil. i know because i did an oil change. poured more dexron in the resevoir. went out for a spin for about 2 -3 blocks. i came back & let the car sit for 5 minutes. the fluid in the reservoir was gone & my engine oil was over filled... Then it was happening to the supra & same story.

I have wondered if there was a way for it to be getting into the motor, but thought I was being stupid. Is there a way to check that valve?

I added another bottle (pint I think) yesterday and it drove 3 miles home and worked fine. When I go there, it had about 1/2 the reservoir still there. While typing this, I went out and looked again, and this time I have a puddle under the pump, and none left in the tank.

 

[jetjock]

To answer one of your original questions:

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/manual.aspx?Section=A&P=35

 

[D.J.T.]

I have wondered if there was a way for it to be getting into the motor, but thought I was being stupid. Is there a way to check that valve?

I added another bottle (pint I think) yesterday and it drove 3 miles home and worked fine. When I go there, it had about 1/2 the reservoir still there. While typing this, I went out and looked again, and this time I have a puddle under the pump, and none left in the tank.

One way is to remove the vacuum hoses from the nipples and look for fluid. Or you can take it off, clean the outside and lightly tap both nipples on a white towel to see if any fluid comes out. I found a steel valve from a pump on a 4Runner and bought the whole pump for $20. I cant find another one for the soup though. Theyre out there though. Best valve to use.

id check the o ring that seals the tube thats held on by two 12mm.