Well finally after months of sitting under mounds of snow I got the time to do some investigation.

I originally suspected that the steering rack blew a gasket as the PS fluid was low and kept leaking when filled. As the fluid lowered the steering got harder.

It appears it may be the age old and regualar problem of corrosion. It looks like the metal connector tubes at the rack end of both the high and low pressure hoses are badly corroded and may be the source of the leak.

Rahter than go ahead and buy a remanufactured rack and take the existing one off I wonder if just replacing the high and low pressure hoses will do the job.

Has anyone experienced this issue? I live in winter salt misery and have had anumerous corrosion problems with electrical/brake/lighting/transmission/ and now hydraulic connectors.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Al