smcg3

My 200 has developed what I believe to be a hydraulic fluid leak, but I could really use some help diagnosing. The fluid that is leaking is brown (like a whiskey color). I first noticed it when it got on my left shoe while driving (it is dripping right above the clutch/ down the clutch pedal) under the dash. It is at the point where there is a fist-size spot under the pedal that is saturated. I pushed the clutch in and out a bunch while the car was stopped and it didn't drip, so I am suspecting the steering. I'm really taking shots in the dark though, please help!

yodasfro

the hydraulic brake booster which would be pentosin hydraulic fluid. I'd pull the under dash panel out and take a look up in there with a flash light.

smcg3

is that a clue? Sometimes the brake pedal feels very hard. I'm used to the brakes being a bit spongier... if there is a lack of line pressure/fluid they would be harder, correct?

yodasfro

possibly the pump but since something is leaking I'm guessing the booster is the culprit. Does the little red brake light in the cluster come on when you step on the brakes?

smcg3

Steering has always been heavy too, almost no assist sort of heavy. Can't turn the wheel unless moving at a few miles per hour. I put a new steering rack in when I bought the car. But from everything you say, the brake booster sounds like the most likely culprit. Where under the dash should I be shining the flashlight? Is the booster an expensive part/something I can fix myself with a medium mechanical skill level?

Thanks for all the help
-Sims

yodasfro

Under the dash you'll see the pedal assembly follow the rod off the brake pedal to the firewall.
There are 4 13mm nuts 2 are easy to see and get at 2 require a swivel to get too. You'll need to unbolt the brake master cylinder from the booster to remove the hyd. booster. There are also two lines that need to be undone off the booster. One is for the return to the hyd. reservoir the other is the feed to the bomb. If the steering is heavy too the pump is probably bad.

S4for73

In my case it got on my left shoe and was caused by the clutch master cylinder. It was brake fluid and clear not rusty.