DerekD1010

iTrader: (1)

Hello LS owners. Owned my LS400 since 150,000 and it's currently pushing 170,000 and I've had to do very little to maintain it aside from when I bought the car. I hear loud clicking noises when reversing and sharply turning out of parking spots. I also hear a clicking noise from the front axle when I drive(clicking speeds up when I accelerate more). I looked under my vehicle today and noticed a leak around the rack and pinion that looks like this...


The oil spots were already on the ground.
Does the rack and pinion look like it needs to be replaced? It's not dripping oil but it's very wet around the boots. I also wonder if fixing this will help fix the clicking noises I'm hearing. I've barely started learning how to work on cars so any sort of diagnosis on my issue will help.

Scraape

your clicking believe it or not could be your brakes.
did you have your brakes done recently?
my 98 has this clicking noise, but i know it's my brakes because I forgot to get shims for my akebono pads and all my front suspension is new.

as far as your PS leak goes, do some research on these forums.
I found that my car used to have PS fluid in it, when the car calls for ATF in the Power Steering system.
Once I switched it to ATF, my power steering leak went away. Mine was from the pump, though, not the rack.
Yeah, changing your boots would be a cheap repair.

phohunned

Turn the car on and check the power steering fluid.....I had a power steering leak on my 1997 LS, I had to top it off with lucas power steering stop leak every 3 weeks.

peace
2000 LS400

DerekD1010

iTrader: (1)

The power steering fluid definitely seemed low. I could try some power steering stop leak.

saleenssc

how well did the power steering stop leak work ? Are these stop leaks recommended ? anyone had any luck using them to stop steering rack leaks?

thanks

Sin1UZFE

Id like to know this too

saleenssc

Any updates on the results of the power steering stop leak? Do these things work? any chance they cause more harm than good?

Sin1UZFE

Mine turned out to be the parts pump leaking onto the rack in pinion. No more leak

Giorgio13

Try ATP AT 205 reseal.

Sin1UZFE

Luckily I didnt need to, the PS pump was leaking onto the rack in pinion and making it seem like it was leaking.

IgorM

did you have to replace the whole ps pump?

RA40

iTrader: (6)

The PS pump can be rebuilt so long as you have a good technician doing it. Will save you a fair amount of $.

Losiracer2

the clicking noises could also be the taped wheel weights hitting the calipers, if you have the factory wheels or chrome wheels where they can't bang weights on the outside lip. You'll easily be able to see if this is the case when you remove the wheel and you might have some 1/2' marks going around the circumference of your calipers. I had this issue last time I swapped out tires and had to have them moved to the center