I have a 2001 Jimmy, 4.3 Vortec. I was stuck in snow a few days ago and when I got in the truck the other day and began to drive I had a loud power steering noise. I stopped and put in some fluid and noise went away, good as ever. A couple of days later, the noise came back.. I have repeated this a few times now. The truck has not been driven more than a few km's with the pump dry. I cannot see any leaks when running and cranking wheel hard.

Any suggestions?

 

its got to be a hose, cooler line, pump or gear that's leaking. the cooler runs through the radiator support and loops back and forth in front of the radiator(a few loops of tube)

 

You must not be alone, I was at auto parts today to pick some fluid up and there were like ten power steering fluids with leak stop additives. Have no idea if they will work till you get it fixed.

 

The Lucas Power Steering additive seems to work. My pump was leaking 2 years ago and I put some in. The leak stopped. I still have not replaced the pump yet as it has been fine ever since. I normally shy away from stop leak products of any kind as I prefer to address the problem directly and not put a band-aid on it but in this case it worked well.

 

I found a leak behind the driver side headlight. Looks like the cooling line. I have searched high and low for instructions, video, or pictures on how to replace the coolant line with no luck at all. Does any have or know where to find some good instructions? You tube videos are the best, but no luck there.

 

On mine with the air box out you have easy access. The lines are like $25.
I have not done this job.
I just looked because mine is out for something else.

 

you can bypass the cooler for a little while by using a 3/8" barb fitting and putting the 2 hoses that go into the cooler together. make sure you get a new one before summer is all. you need to pull the grill off to get to it, then its a simple change.

its the black tube...

 

Thanks Guys!. I had to cut the steel return line about 4 inches back (so it no longer went through the grill into the engine compartment. That short piece of line was rotten and rusted pretty good. I bought a new longer 3/8 high pressure hose so it would reach from the pump through the front grill and fit onto the shortened steel line. A couple of hose clamps and it seems to have done the trick. Thanks Everyone for your help!

 

LUCAS is a great product. I had a slight P/S leak in my 90 Honda some Lucas P/S stop leak haven't added any fluid in 6 months. I got 3 years out of a wore out steering box on a Ford I owned one time with Lucas stop leak.
But first you have to identify where the leak is, Stop leak will slow down a seal leak but not a hose or P/S cooler coil leak. So first determine where it is leaking from.

 

any pics of how u did this?