ParadiseMJ Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 My 88 MJ 4.0 AW4 I've been using steering fluid for a month or so...about a quarter cup a week. Just last week the leaks on the concrete started showing up. I cleaned up the pump and in that area, including the box. So, it's leaking from the steering box, not the pump or hoses. Questions: Do I buy the reseal kit or just replace and or upgrade the box. AnnnndI've never done a box, is it difficult or should I dedicate a weekend to it ...or I mean a couple days, since I'm retired now and everyday is Saturday, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 My steering gear box started to drip a bit a few years ago at the output shaft the Pitman arm is connected to. I tried the below, and it actually worked - hasn't leaked since and had no ill effects. It's worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 Thanks for the tip. Where'd you find it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Gold Eagle power steering no leak - Google says at WalMart. $6.91 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCO6 Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 On 9/13/2018 at 11:15 AM, HOrnbrod said: My steering gear box started to drip a bit a few years ago at the output shaft the Pitman arm is connected to. I tried the below, and it actually worked - hasn't leaked since and had no ill effects. It's worth a shot. I tried that in my LJ and it bought me a few years before I finally had to replace the box. It happily surprised me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 2 capfuls of brake fluid in the power steering rezzy and drive it. Has worked numerous times for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bad_idea Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 I attempted to reseal the steering gear box in my XJ. That was a PITA. I am a fairly competent shade tree mechanic, no professional training. Caught hell getting the correct seals. After watching a couple videos and reading a repair procedure, I couldn't get the blasted thing back together. I chose to buy a new box and gave up on rebuilding mine. My advice - try the stop leak. If that fails, save up and get a new box. If you are going to do some heavy wheeling, then look into an upgraded box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bad_idea Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Brake fluid? I assume it causes the seals to swell? Never heard of that. Will tuck that one in the memory banks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 12 minutes ago, bad_idea said: Brake fluid? I assume it causes the seals to swell? Never heard of that. Will tuck that one in the memory banks. I won't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 13 hours ago, cruiser54 said: 2 capfuls of brake fluid in the power steering rezzy and drive it. Has worked numerous times for me. 13 hours ago, bad_idea said: Brake fluid? I assume it causes the seals to swell? Never heard of that. Will tuck that one in the memory banks. 13 hours ago, HOrnbrod said: I won't. Great exchange here. I got the Lucas stop leak. We'll see. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Brake fluid works great. softens, not swells, the seals. Likely what's in the Lucas stuff. Why believe someone who has used it for decades with proven results? You know me. Always giving off the cuff unsupported bull$#!& answers with no experience to back them up............... The great DonHOni knows all!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buy Lucas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Have another whatever you are drinking Master Tech Renix man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manche757 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Some things in life can not be improved on. I was due for some Ultimate Fighting - some rage in the cage - and missed SNL also. Nothing like a good testosterone flare up on our beloved CC. Got a thrill tonight. Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 9 hours ago, HOrnbrod said: Have another whatever you are drinking Master Tech Renix man. Quit drinking over a month ago. What works works. Just because you have no experience using it, doesn't make it bad. Well, except to you.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 I'm not using brake fluid in my power steering system to fix a leak just because someone says so. I'll use a product that's designed specifically for the job. Just like I'm not hacking off the vent tubes on my valve cover because someone says it works better that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCO6 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 2 hours ago, HOrnbrod said: I'm not using brake fluid in my power steering system to fix a leak just because someone says so. I'll use a product that's designed specifically for the job. Just like I'm not hacking off the vent tubes on my valve cover because someone says it works better that way. If you change your mind on your valve cover … brake fluid is also good cutting oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParadiseMJ Posted September 16, 2018 Author Share Posted September 16, 2018 You can always quote the FSM for the "right way" to do things to my $400 MJ...but the valve cover solution works. It completely eliminated blowby on my XJ and so I did it as a matter of course on the MJ. Gotta think outside the square sometimes. I have to go buy a turkey baster now to suck the regular fluid out and put the stop leak IN. I'm usually not a fan of any stop leak product, for anything...but it's a.) only the P/S system b.) and it beats jumping at a new pump or box so it's worth a shot. Awhile ago there was a post about what kind of tranny fluid to use as P/S fluid. I answered..."why don't you just use P/S fluid"? The OP said it was too expensive and got butt hurt that I didn't answer his question. Of course he was looking at the price of a CASE of P/S fluid vs. a bottle of tranny fluid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 3 hours ago, ParadiseMJ said: You can always quote the FSM for the "right way" to do things to my $400 MJ...but the valve cover solution works. It completely eliminated blowby on my XJ and so I did it as a matter of course on the MJ. Gotta think outside the square sometimes. When I first got my MJ it had the original engine and had some pretty serious blow-by. Fixed it by replacing the CC valve with a new one then upgrading the small vacuum CCV hose setup with those from a newer 96 XJ that were much larger. Seems more sensible to me to try upgrading the CCV system first before cutting the vent tubes or some other hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 2 hours ago, HOrnbrod said: When I first got my MJ it had the original engine and had some pretty serious blow-by. Fixed it by replacing the CC valve with a new one then upgrading the small vacuum CCV hose setup with those from a newer 96 XJ that were much larger. Seems more sensible to me to try upgrading the CCV system first before cutting the vent tubes or some other hack. That "hack" came from JeepTech before the HO came out.......pretty much Renix specific I think. And, brake fluid has been used to soften seals for over 50 years. I didn't invent it. I just used it a lot. And, I've seen the empirical results of others using it. I wouldn't just recommend something like that willy nilly..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Brake fluid was also the original tire shine........and window rubber and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 11 minutes ago, cruiser54 said: That "hack" came from JeepTech before the HO came out.......pretty much Renix specific I think. And, brake fluid has been used to soften seals for over 50 years. I didn't invent it. I just used it a lot. And, I've seen the empirical results of others using it. I wouldn't just recommend something like that willy nilly..... Cutting the vent tubes is still a hack for Renix only then if you will. I wouldn't do it until all other options were legitimate tried. It was a most likely a dealership profit-making shortcut. Got any legitimate documentation on this "hack" from JeepTech? Brake fluid has been around since hydraulic brakes and has gone through many evolutions to satisfy SAE specs. Why use it since reliable and safe leak-fix products are readily available? Probably another dealership save $$ thingy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Nope. Not a profit making shortcut. Warranty repair as needed. I didn't do that shortcut profit $#!&. We were legit. We were one of the few dealerships that had direct access to JeepTech as a result of our dedication to problem solving. A phone call away. I'm still in contact with one of those guys to this day, and I left the dealership in 1992. They gave us fixes for things that never came out as TSBs as well as some that did, but we got them sooner. That's what "the book" is as shown on my website's front page with an explanation. Ever read that or visited, or is that beneath you somehow? Why do you diss on all the Renix stuff and it's support system? Most Comanches were Renix for crying out loud. You think that $#!& helps anyone? It's getting really old. If you can contribute to the HO stuff, go ahead. That's your bailiwick anyway. Not mine. You know way more about that than I do. What in your persona is driving you to discredit most everything I post? If it's not from you, it's somehow bull$#!&? Other folks' experiences don't count? Get over yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 As usual, zero answers to my questions. More tap dancing and bluster. Again, Got any legitimate documentation on this "hack" from JeepTech? "That's what "the book" is as shown on my website's front page with an explanation." Maybe you forget I had something to do with your website. Anyhow, I'm done. And you do help the Renix people, very true. Get over yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvitha Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 ^ this dude wonder if he still has teeth. I seen his posts for a while, and I am surprised if he has any real teeth left with the stuff he spews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser54 Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 21 hours ago, HOrnbrod said: As usual, zero answers to my questions. More tap dancing and bluster. Again, Got any legitimate documentation on this "hack" from JeepTech? "That's what "the book" is as shown on my website's front page with an explanation." Maybe you forget I had something to do with your website. Anyhow, I'm done. And you do help the Renix people, very true. Get over yourself. Yes. Documentation in the form of notes. which lead to this: CRUISER’S VALVE COVER MOD NOVEMBER 17, 2015 SALAD 33 COMMENTS Most early and even later Renix 4.0s could be bothered by excessive oil in the air cleaner box. A fix from my old days as Service Manager at a Jeep dealership follows. Information was provided to me from a buddy at JeepTech during those days. I don’t believe it ever came out in a Technical Service Bulletin. Remove the valve cover and turn it over. Next, remove the fluted tubes that are now facing you by removing three screws on each. Chop 1 inch off each of them. Then, drill a half inch hole as shown in the photo. The flat side of the flute that’s closest to the edge of the valve cover. Clean and de-burr/sand all rough edges nicely, clean with solvent, and reinstall. Don’t be concerned about the chintzy gaskets that will probably crumble into oblivion when you remove the fluted tubes. They can go back together without gaskets. Are you smoking something? You never helped with my website. That was Ross Halliday aka Salad on Cherokee Forum. He got the domain name and server, and then did the initial population of the site until I could get up to speed. You were nice enough to work with me BEFORE my website with a sticky here on Comanche Club. And then I realized it was too much of a hassle for the moderators on Jeep forum, NAXJA and here. Hence, my reaching out to Ross. And, what would that have to do with the fix of the oil into the air cleaner anyway? I will repeat this. I DID NOT invent everything on my website. Most came from notes I wrote while speaking with the field engineers at JeepTech. Some other things were learned along the way. They are proven. They work. I don't do it for the attention, to boost my ego, or out of any kind of arrogance. So, why the ball busting? It doesn't just irritate me. It irritates others trying to learn and fix their Comanches using solid methodology and personalized help. I guess to some folks it's more important to make themselves look better by belittling others, criticizing them because they know something you don't. You think I make money on this? Oh yeah, the Donation button on my site. Whoopy $#!&. Doesn't even pay the costs of the server....... Look who is dancing around. You. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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