Weirdest combo of unrelated symptoms.. (ps fluid and batt)

[jocko]

So, I hadn't driven my 01 2500HD for about 2 weeks, but when I last parked it in the barn, everything was just fine - it's a very low mileage 8.1/Allison. Went into the barn tonight for something and saw what looked like an oil leak puddled just inside and forward of the driver's side tire (i.e. in a spot where it couldn't be engine oil). So I clicked the unlock button on the key fob - nothing happened. Which isn't uncommon, figured the fob batt in was dead. So unlocked the door with the key, popped the hood and find the leak is ps fluid - it's being forced out of the fill tube and dripping down onto the floor (after messing up everything in its path). I go to loosen the cap and the system is actually pressurized (feels like trying to open a hot radiator). Anyway, slowly relieve the pressure, lose a little more fluid and remove the cap. It's full to the very top. Hmm. Now, this truck is in a locked barn and hasn't moved in 2 weeks and was 100% when I parked it. So I'm thinkin air bubble, want to start it and see if I can bleed it out of there moving the steering wheel back and forth - so put the cap back on. Jump in, turn the key - zero, I mean not even a click. Check my batt with a volt meter, not just low, but 0.0V. Hmm. Batt is about 3+ year sold, so ok, could just be its time has come.. Anyway, that's where the saga ended, gotta run to the parts store and trade in the batt when I get a chance so I can start it and then figure out the ps issue. Hopefully it was just the batt's time to die and nothing more insidious, ha, I hate electrical gremlins.. And I am assuming these two totally separate weird symptoms are unrelated, but what a weird coincidence.

Anyway, has anyone ever heard of a ps reservoir suddenly overflowing for no apparent reason? That's a new one on me. Have read a few theories of possible water in the system and then when it gets "cold" it freezes at the low point of the system, yada yada, but it hasn't even been below 32F here in a long time. Interested in anyone's thoughts until I can get a new battery and do a little troubleshooting?

[notsolo]

After you get your new battery, might try checking the voltage with everthing off, see if there is a parisitic drain.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by notsolo

After you get your new battery, might try checking the voltage with everthing off, see if there is a parisitic drain.

Thanks notsolo, I am planning to - good advice

[hatzie]

That's a strange one with the Power Steering.
I'd pay attention to the way the brakes feel. Maybe the hydroboost accumulator is doing something strange but I can't see it holding enough fluid to overflow the reserviour.

I'd be tempted to flush the power steering system out with fresh power steering fluid to get rid of any contaminants in the Hydroboost and the rest of the system. The filthy fluid I flushed out of my truck was somewhere between brown and black. It wasn't as nasty when I checked on it after a month but it was dark so I flushed it again.
If you tie a transmission fill funnel to something you will not have to reach down next to the fan to pour fluid in the pump with the engine running.

All of the 2500HD trucks use a close enough to the same hydroboost system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIdxJdnBCog

[jocko]

Finally got a chance to work on this - yes, hydroboost issue, appears to have been air in the system. Once the new batt was in, started the truck and confirmed non-boosted brakes and no power steering. Depressed and released the brakes about 10 times, and steered left/right in between each one, then poof, everything started working again - was very obvious. Fluid level back to normal (a little low due to the overflow). Still plan to flush the system though, the ps fluid is pretty crappy. (Hatzie, my 8.1L has the long fill tube extension that is up at hood-level almost, not down by the fan like the 6.0 - and it STILL overflowed from that thing somehow, very strange!) As for the electrical gremlins, once the new batt was in, I did a cursory check for parasitic drain - meter showed 0.0 mA (which makes me want to get my meter checked out... seriously, I want to see if I've blown the internal fuse for the Amp meter function.. I'm not yet convinced I don't have a drain) but will take another look tomorrow and see how things are going. One thing I did discover that was always on (but has been on for years) is the tiny little power indicator light on a GPS 12V power plug. Though not connected to a the GPS, the plug itself had a glowing light that is always on. Somehow never really noticed this before until I turned off all the lights in the barn and looked into the truck to make sure nothing was on. I still don't think that is related to this issue - because like I said, it's been on for years, but was interesting I never really noticed it til I started looking. Anyway - good for now, few more things to check out. Thanks again for the input - very much appreciated.

[hatzie]

If I let my truck sit for more than three weeks the battery is weak enough that it won't crank the truck. I drove my Impala all of July and most of August and that seven week time sitting took care of the battery in the truck. I'm no doubt on borrowed time with it now.
I have to plug in the Impala once a week all winter to avoid killing the battery.
The PCM etc are doing essential tasks while it sits idle no doubt.

[jocko]

thx Hatrzie, I agree, making every effort to minimize the load (and unplugged the GPS power cord so the little light won't glow - that may give me an extra week!)

[hatzie]

If you don't have to run the emissions gauntlet with a lightly used vehicle I'd just disconnect the battery.

[Greg58]

I had similar issues with my 07 3500. Brakes and power steering acting weird.
A total flush of the system made all the difference. I suspect mine had never been changed, I did the YouTube do it yourself way and it was easy.
I used clear tubing so I could watch the flow and color of the fluid going in the bucket.
Good luck Greg

[hatzie]

Now I feel like I missed out on the 16 year old 2500HD experience by flushing the fluids as soon as I brought the truck home.

[jocko]

You did miss out! I think this is the only fluid I didn't change on it when I got it home. That was about 6000 miles ago - and I still only have a little over 18k total mi on the truck - so it's a good example of how not just use will deteriorate fluids, but also age.

[hatzie]

How black is/was your brake fluid?
Mine looked like it was probably the stuff the line workers at GM poured into the Master Cylinder in September of 2004.

[jocko]

It was not quite black, but it was getting there. I was fortunate to have bought this truck from someone who seems to have taken good care of it mechanically - and to have almost never driven it (bonus). So it may have been flushed in its life, but probably not in the last decade. The 8.1 has the tall fill tube, makes it a little hard to see when to add fluid when flushing, but it is actually a little extra capacity one can use when flushing it out also, kinda nice

[hatzie]

I usually do that once every 24 months or thereabouts. With Hydroboost I do the PS as well.