Power Steering Leak

[Multi-Tech]

I have just fitted a new high pressure hose to the power steering which has fixed the fault but i have now found a different leak
I have located it to be coming from the front of the power steering box. It's a pin size hole in the housing which fluid is leaking from.
My question is what is this hole? do i need it?
I have looked in the workshop manual and it doesn't even show a good picture, is it a breather hole? if so any idea's why it is leaking? can i fill the hole?
I have bled the system after fitting the new hose and the steering works fine, but its just this hole that is now giving me a problem and it is leaking to much which makes me thinks it could be something happening from the inside.
Has anyone got any ideas as i need to get the car M.o.T'd so i can get it ready for the national. ;D
Any help would be great (it's a 1965 Mk11 auto)
Thanks

[Multi-Tech]

Spoke to a company in Essex today who has rebuilt many power steering boxes for the P5's and told me that it is the seal inside and that the whole box will need to be stripped
Being new to working on P5's how easy is it to take out and replace it?

[Phil Nottingham]

Its very awkward as the Servo and manifold gets in the way. The box can just get through if its positioned exactly the right way. Its a lot easier to remover the manifold in my view as the box is very heavy and youe really need three pairs of hands.

The Wadhams box is recommended as it includes a mod to resolve a design fault that causes the leak

[Multi-Tech]

Thanks Phil
I have a workshop manual so that should help abit and i've called on my dad for the thrid pair of hands so it looks like im set for the weekend.
I'll let you know how i get on?!!

[Multi-Tech]

Well a week later then i wanted it to be, but i got up early this morning and set out to get my hands dirty.
With the information from the workshop manual and my dad trying to remember back 28 years when he last took a steering box out a P5 the hard work begun. Luckily with the history i had when i got the car the box had been removed only a couple of years ago so that made my job that bit easier as all the nuts and bolts came off with only a little effort, so with some time left in the day and the sun still shining the wheels came off to sort the sticking brakes at the rear, again the rear cylinders had been replaced so the drums came off lovely and with a good clean up and a adjustment all was fine and another thing i can tick off the ever growing list of things to do.
Now off to sort out a new steering box and i hope we should be set for the mot keeping my fingers crossed that everything else is o.k?

[Phil Nottingham]

Well done & Good luck with the MOT. Thanks for the uopdate

[Multi-Tech]

Just a little update, with the steering box removed i was set to get a recon box when i was looking on ebay and saw a box at only £15 with only a few hours to go. It had to be worth a bid, so the bidding started and luckily for me stopped at £20.57 and with me as the winning bidder.
So a trip to Kent (cheaper than the postage for me) a clean up and a weekend of dirty fingers i now have a steering box which has no leaks.
To say i am happy is an understatement i just thank the person who started ebay. ;D
Off for an mot on Wednesday then i can enjoy some nice weekend drives to the coast

[Deleted]

You were very very lucky - at least you will now have a spare for exchange should your new one start to leak in the future.

The pressure is the highest and the seals hardest in winter when everything is stone cold. This tests for leaks for very well.

I agree Ebay can bring up some remarkable bargains and its worth the odd gamble especially with something like this at the price you got it for!