Anyone ever seen this a power steering leak in this location before?

[petertt]

Found a leak under the manifold.

Doesn't match any of the leak locations I can find on YouTube or here. I'm battling to identify that pipe from parts diagrams but the fluid looks and smells like ATF from I presume the steering pump, o ring or lines.

Steering fluid has dropped very slightly, no other fluids have dropped.

Any ideas?

Edited November 29, 2023 by petertt
more relevant title

[KZJonny]

Pretty sure that is crankcase breather/pcv system port.

Definitely not power steering anyway. That will all be attached to the firewall, and hoses down to the rack.

[silverton]

If it looks and smells like ATF I don't think that's gonna be any type of PCV leak.  If the pump has been seeping for a long time it could be that.  I know they're kind of crammed in there but look directly behind and below the power steering pump.  They generally make a mess of the timing cover as well.

Just as a note, no power steering stuff is bolted to the firewall, from the factory any way.  You can see one of your PS lines in that photo, it has the R on it. They are bolted to the strut tower, you can kinda see where at in the photo with the rubber holder thingy.

[petertt]

@silverton thanks for confirming my suspicions, it must have been seeping slowly for a while now but I recently got a high frequency whine that made me have a proper look at PS as it didn't seem turbo related as boost and pressure is 100%.

I'll take a look tomorrow and post a follow up here when I figure it out... looks like I'm taking a bunch of stuff out to clean it up and replace the pump if its not a line or that o ring.

[silverton]

Two types of Subaru's, those that need a power steering pump, and those that have had it replaced already

[KZJonny]

Sorry, correct, bolted at the strut tower, not the firewall.

The problem may very well be the PS pump, or maybe you get lucky and it's just the one o-ring. (I'm pretty sure I need to add power steering pump replacement/rebuild to my list of winter projects for the GT...)

But from the location of the what you're trying to show in the photos, the only way it could be ATF there is if it travelled a way. What you've got circled in red has nothing at all to do with the PS system. If there is't any apparently blowout oil there, then great, carry on. If there any sign of oil seepage or dirt, consider at least giving your PCV valve a quick cleanout...

[silverton]

23 minutes ago, KZJonny said:

But from the location of the what you're trying to show in the photos, the only way it could be ATF there is if it travelled a way. What you've got circled in red has nothing at all to do with the PS system. If there is't any apparently blowout oil there, then great, carry on. If there any sign of oil seepage or dirt, consider at least giving your PCV valve a quick cleanout...

Absolutely!  This photo here of moisture on the turbo inlet is PCV blow by; but it's not bad enough to address.

[Max Capacity]

You should be able to get your finger under the passenger side of the PS pump under that line on the side of the PS pump, and see if the U shaped seal is leaking...mine was once.