leaking clutch fluid, then stopped

Hi all,

I just took me 110 200tdi down the petrol station and back to get some milk (about 4 miles). When I got back red fluid was dripping out from near the front, from a brown reservoir I'm nearly certain is clutch fluid. It looks like the fluid had been leaking either out the top, or around the join in the plastic tank.

I left it to cool off just in case, and then opened it up expecting it to be nearly empty. Instead, it was still half full with the dipstick thing on the lid showing between the two lines. So, I started the engine and left it running, then pumped the clutch a few times to see what happened. Not a single drop of fluid seemed to be leaking, although there was an unpleasant noise sounding like something under pressure which I haven't heard before...

The tank may well have been slightly overfilled, is the most likely explanation that it was just losing the extra pressure? Although if so, why would it suddenly do it after several months? Anything I should do, or just keep using it and keep a careful eye on things?

cheers,
Joe

its your power steering reservoir ,oil is atf automatic transmission oil ,steering system uses ,get somone to move wheel from lock to lock while you watch level in res ,it may just have been a one off but keep an eye on it

thanks a lot, I will go and try that now

well I just got me brother to move wheel while I watched, no sign of any leakage so I drove truck down the road and back, nothing leaking when I got out either.

power steering has always been very noisy, but my local mechanic reckoned it was nothing to worry about? So it should be OK to keep driving, just keep a careful eye open in case it happens again?

cheers,
Joe

systems probably worn some where pump/box etc but do as you said ,keep an eye on it

thanks a lot for your help james, I will keep an eye on it and probably get it looked at some time in the new year as power steering is a bit beyond my capabilities!

catofthewoods said:

thanks a lot for your help james, I will keep an eye on it and probably get it looked at some time in the new year as power steering is a bit beyond my capabilities!

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I would agree seeing as how you thought it was your clutch master/reservoir.

May as well forget fixing a faulty power steering pump tbh, that's the trouble with them, you have to either put up with them, or replace them