What types of fluids can I use to check to see where my power steering is leaking from? I have a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500.
I don’t know of any dyes but I;m sure a google search will show you one. And a black light to read the dye.
But, you can clean off the oil spots at the U-spray it car wash. Use the engine cleaner and the high pressure spray to wash it off. Drive home. If it is clean, the oil should be easy to find.
These things leak primarily 3 places - the high pressure hose at the steering box, at the pump and from the pump shaft seal.
We have a lot of GM trucks of this vintage in our fleet
It’s probably the pump, but you’d best verify this before replacing any parts
Go to Autozone and get yourself a little bottle of “AutoPro UV Dye” and pour a bit onto your power steering reservoir. You are going to need an UV flashlight to be able to see the spots or leaks. Check for leaks at night, unless you have a very good UV flashlight.
Check the steering rack, the tie rod boots, the high pressure hose, the return hose, the power steering pump for leaks.
It will be best if you can also get can of “Gunk Heavy Duty Gel Engine Degreaser”. Spray it onto the areas that are covered with oil, gunk etc. You don’t need a pressure hose to clean it the stuff off, just get a little bottle spray filled with water. That will be enough.
I’d use paper towels. Place one under the pump pulley where it isn’t hit by any moving parts (belts, pulley etc) and wrap a piece around each end of of each hose. That generally finds the leak pretty quick.
Why does the title say “2019 Chevrolet”? You might want to fix that.
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