My 1964 Ford 4000 sprung a leak. Some weird green-like fluid started shooting out on the right side. It covered the inside of the sheet metal, and sprayed all over the framework for the
loader. So, I let it cool down and then proceeded to remove the sheet metal to look for a radiator leak. (Removing the sheet metal with the frame work of the loader in the way is no easy task.)
It turns out that the leak is not in the cooling system at all, it is actually fluid squirting out of the top of the reservoir for the power steering pump. (The power steering pump is a roller vane
type.) After I removed the cover clamp and the reservoir cover, I could see the sea-foam green fluid and that it is clearly low.
This adventure resulted in two questions:
1) What sort of power steering fluid is sea-foam green? (What of ANY machine fluid is sea-foam green?) (Since it's not a coolant system leak I am eliminating radiator coolant as a possibility.)
2) What would cause fluid to squirt out of the top of the reservoir?
In the reservoir cover there a piece in the center where the fluid is coming from, I saw it happen. The cover appears to be designed like this, but I can't figure out why.
I don't want to drain and flush the system, I would prefer to just top it off and run the tractor (and look for the actual leak). I just don't know what to top it off with as I am not even sure it is
power steering fluid and I don't want to risk mixing incompatible fluid and cause some other new problem.
As always, thanks for your collective expertise.
loader. So, I let it cool down and then proceeded to remove the sheet metal to look for a radiator leak. (Removing the sheet metal with the frame work of the loader in the way is no easy task.)
It turns out that the leak is not in the cooling system at all, it is actually fluid squirting out of the top of the reservoir for the power steering pump. (The power steering pump is a roller vane
type.) After I removed the cover clamp and the reservoir cover, I could see the sea-foam green fluid and that it is clearly low.
This adventure resulted in two questions:
1) What sort of power steering fluid is sea-foam green? (What of ANY machine fluid is sea-foam green?) (Since it's not a coolant system leak I am eliminating radiator coolant as a possibility.)
2) What would cause fluid to squirt out of the top of the reservoir?
In the reservoir cover there a piece in the center where the fluid is coming from, I saw it happen. The cover appears to be designed like this, but I can't figure out why.
I don't want to drain and flush the system, I would prefer to just top it off and run the tractor (and look for the actual leak). I just don't know what to top it off with as I am not even sure it is
power steering fluid and I don't want to risk mixing incompatible fluid and cause some other new problem.
As always, thanks for your collective expertise.