Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

I just finished a quick Tsitsikamma caravan trip and when I got home a was backing the caravan into the garage I noted smoke coming out of the left front wheel well. At the time I dismissed it as a hole in the exhaust, after driving for 7 hours I was not interested in tracing a problem... get caravan into garage, unpack and have a nap.

The next morning the power steering screamed at me so i topped up the reservoir it was full of bubbles and alomst empty (it was checked before the trip (1400km ago)). There was a small pool of fluid under where the troll overnighted.

Soooo putting 2 and 2 together I assume that powersteering ATF fluid is dripping onto something hot and the smoke was what I had seen. Backing the caravan into the garage is a complicated affair with lots of full lock turning, swearing, SWAMBO direction and mini-divorces. Obviously steering was working hard and squiring fluid everywhere.

So from afar what does the collective forum think has gone wrong? I am in Namibia until before Christmas and then wanted to take the patrol to Stilbaai. Can it be the pump? Just a loose fitting? What must I look for first?

Hi Biggles, check the pipe that runs next to the engine under engine cover, mine was touching the engine and the heat wore through the pipe

Give it a good clean first and then check for leaks. It should just be a pipe

So got under the troll and first thing I learned was give a good clean with engine cleaner and high pressure washer before working on oil leaks...

One of the aluminum lines running down from the power steering reservoir had rubbed through. The rubber boot in a bracket had worked loose/ not been put back correctly and the bracket had chaffed through the aluminium line. I applied some "liquid aluminium" adhesive stuff I got at the hardware and after 12 hours curing I reassembles everything.

I recommend you get under the bonnet and check that routing of pipes and everything is in place. This is the second time I have had a pipe rub through on a patrol. While the factory positions are always good, when someone works on a vehicle the pipes do not always go back to where they should go.

Mine is leaking on this pipe...can it be fixed? Or just replace pipe?

Take the hose to a hydraulic hose supplier.
They can replace the rubber and the crimp fittings.