iv been having a pretty consistent power steering fluid leak here lately,plus everytime i turn the wheel hard the belt squeal, and iv always assumed it was the hoses, until today. me and a buddy of mine were looking at it today and i turned the wheel and noticed the what i assume was the rack and pinion i guess poking out of the boot that goes around it, is this my problem like im thinking? could this be causing my belt to squeal?....have brand new belts...and also how hard of a problem is that to fix if that is problem?

 

Is fluid leaking from the rack where the boot is broken?

If not,than my guess would be either the main high pressure hose has a hole in it.<--common on these cars],or the p/s pump itself is leaking...

As for the belt squeel,the belt may not be tight enough,or is getting fluid soaked...

 

Yes, you need to find out where it's leaking. Perhaps it's leaking on the belt or there may be glaze on the pulley from oil and slippage with the old belt. Or, Since the boot is torn, perhaps you're getting dirt on the rack and dragging it through the rack seal and making it leak.

 

the rack and pinion boot does not hold any fluid.
if there is any fluid in the boot, you need a new rack because your seals are bad.

 

ohhh i thought there were fluid lines running through there, but when i turned the pinion (i guess thats what it was) poked straight out. i wouldnt doubt the hoses being bad though, prolly havent ever been replaced.

 

so should i fix that boot or not worry about it or what? what would happen if i didnt??

 

if there is fluid coming out of the boot, then get a rack and pinion. It should come with new boots and inner tie rods.
If there is no fluid at all (bone dry) then just get boots to protect the rack and pinions seals from dirt and debris.

 

how diffucult of a project would that be? something a novice mechanic could handle or you think i should take it to a shop? what all is involved in takin these things out? thanks for the help!

 

the boots are pretty easy to replace.
1. take off outer tie rod
2. take off old boot
3. put on new boot (secure with enclosed Zip ties / clamps)
4. put back on tie rod
5. get car realigned (highly suggested)

 

you probably have a hole in one of your lines.... find the problem and buy parts from me!! the boots are easy to replace, but the whole rack is a pain in the ***!!!!

 

Could the hose be causing my belt to squeal when turned hard...also it does it worse usually when the car is cold. Which hose would yall guess is causing it?

 

stupid question: how old is your belt?

 

bout 4 or 5 months at the most, but it was doin it before i had them replaced and after also. it was always when i turned the wheel hard too.

 

dont turn the wheel hard then. j/k check your belt tensions make sure they are correct. too tight will cause problems so dont over tighten

 

took it to a mechanic today that told me it would be tuesday before he could take a closer look but he said it could be the pump going out, is this a possibility, and also if it is what would be some ways to tell if it is the pump? oo yeah and another symptom of my problem is when i back out of my driveway(at an angle so my wheel turns a little) right after i crank it the wheel gets real stiff, like if the pump shuts off for a second, and it goes back to normal when i straightin the wheel. why does my maxima have to be weird, i try so hard to take care of her.