Fluid leak onto serpentine belt...

so I have a leak from somewhere under the hood that is getting onto the main serpentine belt and when you start the car it squeals really bad. I know its the main serpentine because if you don't give it some gas when it first starts up it will bog down and die. I have narrowed it down to ps fluid, but i can't find the leak anywhere. :confused:

I have already checked the ps rack, but its too low to get onto the belt. I also know that its the main serpentine because after driving around for a while there is fluid on the hood when you open it up... But i inspected the lines and can't find anything, any ideas what to check replace, and the easiest way to replace them???

These are referred to as drive belts. Not serpentine.

It's either oil from the valve cover, or coolant from the water pump is my guess. The p/s pump is not in a position to leak onto the belt.

My first Accord had a leaky shaft seal on the power steering pump. It flung PSF out in a disc that got all over the hood as well as the belts. The distinctive smell of the Honda PSF was the giveaway.

What I don't understand is how an oily belt makes the engine die.

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Originally Posted by AZmike

My first Accord had a leaky shaft seal on the power steering pump. It flung PSF out in a disc that got all over the hood as well as the belts. The distinctive smell of the Honda PSF was the giveaway.

What I don't understand is how an oily belt makes the engine die.

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That's right these P/S pumps do have a history of faulty shaft seals.

Mine was leaking and the previous owner told me that his mechanic could not find the leak; when I checked the underside of the hood there was a streak of fluid above where the P/S pump was. I changed that seal -easy to do, and cheap- and no more leaks.