power steering fluid loss V70 Y reg (99?)

My Y reg V70 2.4 estate has lost all its power steering fluid. None of the
garages around here can take it until the end of next week so I'm wondering
if I'll damage it by driving it (apart from the obvious of very heavy
steering).

Started getting a few complaints from it on full lock a week or two ago but
nothing I'm not used to hearing on other cars.
It got worse a few days ago and the steering started to stiffen at low revs.
The complaining became worse too. I checked and there was a slight leak and
a low reservoir (it was frothy too) so I topped it up.
The leak has become progressively worse and now today it won't hold the
fluid for more than a few hours.
Currently, the steering is very stiff, the complaining noise has gone.

Any thoughts would be very welcome, either on what the cause might be or as
to whether I might dmage something by driving it like that for a couple of
days.

 

Driving with that type of pump dry will ruin it in short order. Look
under the reservoir - there is a hose clamp on one of the hoses that
often comes loose.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

If he can't find the leak, perhaps he should remove the belt? At least the
pump won't then self-destruct due to rotating with no oil in it.

 

By Y reg, I take it that you live in the UK. If so, my advice would be not
to even think about driving it in its current condition. With the steering
as heavy as it is without any power assistance, you will almost certainly
invalidate your insurance in the event of an accident, and in any case would
open yourself to a charge of driving an unsafe vehicle if stopped by the
boys in blue....

But then, it's a free country.......

Bill

 

And also you'd have no alternator, since one belt drives all.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)