Hello everyone, I have a new *to me* 2005 F250 and last night I noticed there is a leak around the brake fluid resevor were it connects to the frame of the truck. Everything seems to be in good order not sure exactly whats causing the leak, any suggestions?

It only when driving and for a short while after shutting the truck down, everything seems to be in good order but still it drips alot.

 

Since you've never posted before it hard to access your descriptive and mechanical skills, so so sorry for any insult.

The reservoir sits on top of the master cylinder, and the master cylinder is connected to a brake booster, either a vacuum booster that is big round disc, or to a hydrobooster that looks somewhat like the master cylinder itself. The booster is then connected to the cab body's firewall.

If the fluid is flowing down the firewall, and can be both inside the truck as well as in the engine compartment it is most likely automatic transmission fluid which is used by the power steering pump to power the hydrobooster.

If the fluid it below the white reservoir or leaking between the master cylinder and booster then that would be brake fluid and related to the master cylinder.

A picture of the problem would help, but you could also differentiate between the two by wiping the leaking fluid between your fingers to feel the lubricity and checking how it smells. Then after washing your hand open the cap on the master cylinder reservoir and also check the feel and smell of brake fluid. Wash again and check the fluid from the power steering reservoir. These two fluids are not the same and never be mixed.

If you have a leaking hydrobooster it will have to be changed with a new or built part. A Ford Motorcraft part has the best service replacement. If you have a leaking master cylinder, then the same.

On edit, here's a picture of a master cylinder and hydrobooster combination although not from these trucks. The hydrobooster is to the right and black in color.

 

If you have a small plastic resivoir directly mounted to the firewall. That is probably the hydrauic clutch resivoir and a manual transmission. It would be mounted just off to the side of the brake assembly and booster.

 

With either leak the issue will be how long it takes for you to run out of guild in either the brake fluid or power steering reservoir.

If it's a hydrobooster leak your steering and braking ability will be compromised when the ATF becomes too low, not a great situation. Depending on how much of a leak will determine the time, but you can keep the reservoir filled to get it repaired.

If the back of the master cylinder is leaking fluid, again it depends on the volume in the reservoir. But there is the additional risk of having one of the two hydraulic circuits of the master cylinder fail loosing the braking ability of one axle and the pedal travel going down to 1" from the floor. There's still braking, but you have a very long travel to get only half the ability.

Most of the time at first this is a leak and without catastrophic loss of braking. I'm saying this for reference to get it to a shop, not to continue to drive and just keep refilling the reservoir.

 

Good point Danny, although pretty rare these days.

 

it looks like its were the master cylinder connects to the brake booster, also I see a bit of leaking going on on the steering column and I am low on steering fluid, break fluid seems to be staying level though.

I will post a picture in a second

 

Here is a pic

The red arrow is the bigger leak, and its right were I believe the master cylinder connects with the brake boost *if I read ur post right*

THe yello arrow is ment to point at the steering column were I noticed a smaller leak.

My mechanical skills are def a work in progress, once I fix something once i generally can do it again but I have only started doing my own work *with help of mechanic friends* in the past year so please forgive any stupidity on my part, but I gota start some place right?

 

I should also mention this is NOT something I will be fixing my self. I will be going to shop most likely, I just want to have as much info as I can get ahead of time

 

Only reason I brought it up is we had 6 in the fleet but with over 300 powerstrokes in the fleet that would still be kinda rare. LOL

 

Not stupidity, lack of experience and we've all been there.

At that point of the steering column it should just be normal lube drift, unless some of the fluid from the booster leak is getting over there.

The booster can leak from either side, the pedal or the master cylinder side, but it's usually on the pedal side. The exam of the fluid at the leak is the best determinator, but with low fluid in the power steering reservoir it sounds like it's defiantly the booster. But I would also carefully check the hoses that connect to the booster to make sure that is not where a leak is coming from as hydroboosters are not cheap.

I would also carefully recheck the fluid to make sure it is not brake fluid as the back of the M/C can leak there as previously mentioned above. You want to make sure you are changing the right component.

With the help of friend who is a mechanic you could change the HB out yourself. The two bolts retaining the master cylinder need to be removed and the M/C moved forward off the booster. The hoses then need to removed from the booster, the pushrod and brake switch removed from the brake pedal and moved to the side, then the bolts holding the booster to the firewall removed. The replacement booster goes on in reverse. The master cylinder can be reinstalled without bleeding as long as the two brake lines were not removed.

If it does turn out to be the master cylinder with a brake fluid leak then the new one needs to be bench bled and the entire brake system rebled once everything is reinstalled. Sometimes this is where inexperienced people get into trouble even with friendly help.

On edit, just saw that it's going to the shop.