So I knew the power steering needed help when I bought this car yesterday, expected to have to replace the power steering pump and rack. That's what my guy said was behind the leaking. Here's a pic that tries to capture a drop of ps fluid falling:
There's fluid dropping regularly, fairly rapidly, from the bottom of the pump, and it ends up dripping to create two puddles. There's about 20 degrees of slack in the steering wheel, which is apparently where it was obvious to him that the rack needs replaced.
But the problem that just popped up today... when I went to start her up for the first time today, after a good 20 hours of sitting, startup was no problem but immediately a bunch of fuel shot out below the engine, probably a good 1/8th of a cup shot out immediately. After that it slowed to about 2 or 3 drops per second, which were getting sprayed out pretty well by the fan. Here's a pic trying to show where the drops were falling from:
Though the drops were falling from the bottom of one of those cylinder-shaped bits, the actual leak appears to be the area above the two cynlinders, the largest point, that round section above them.
A quick Google search seems to indicate that replacing the fuel pump is easy. I'm thinking I'll go for it. My brother in law has tons of experience with motorcycles, enough to know his way around an engine pretty well. Two stroke vs four stroke, I know, but he knows cars enough to help me pull this off.
Is there any advice or warnings anyone can offer? Do the fuel pump myself and leave the power steering stuff to a pro? Can I pull the belt off the power steering pump, is that a good way to go while it has this leak? I don't wanna mess anything up in the drive to the mechanic. Driving it without replacing the fuel pump, with the fuel pump leaking like that, is extremely dangerous and a big no-no, right? When I go to replace it, am I gonna have a problem with the fuel line that comes from the tank wanting to pour all the gas out? Do I need to do anything to prevent that? Anything else I need to know?
Thanks guys.
Scott

There's fluid dropping regularly, fairly rapidly, from the bottom of the pump, and it ends up dripping to create two puddles. There's about 20 degrees of slack in the steering wheel, which is apparently where it was obvious to him that the rack needs replaced.
But the problem that just popped up today... when I went to start her up for the first time today, after a good 20 hours of sitting, startup was no problem but immediately a bunch of fuel shot out below the engine, probably a good 1/8th of a cup shot out immediately. After that it slowed to about 2 or 3 drops per second, which were getting sprayed out pretty well by the fan. Here's a pic trying to show where the drops were falling from:

Though the drops were falling from the bottom of one of those cylinder-shaped bits, the actual leak appears to be the area above the two cynlinders, the largest point, that round section above them.
A quick Google search seems to indicate that replacing the fuel pump is easy. I'm thinking I'll go for it. My brother in law has tons of experience with motorcycles, enough to know his way around an engine pretty well. Two stroke vs four stroke, I know, but he knows cars enough to help me pull this off.
Is there any advice or warnings anyone can offer? Do the fuel pump myself and leave the power steering stuff to a pro? Can I pull the belt off the power steering pump, is that a good way to go while it has this leak? I don't wanna mess anything up in the drive to the mechanic. Driving it without replacing the fuel pump, with the fuel pump leaking like that, is extremely dangerous and a big no-no, right? When I go to replace it, am I gonna have a problem with the fuel line that comes from the tank wanting to pour all the gas out? Do I need to do anything to prevent that? Anything else I need to know?
Thanks guys.
Scott