Next problem...

I've got a semi-bad power steering leak coming from the pressure line fitting at the gear box. It leaks pretty steadily when the engine is running, and will continue to leak, but a lot slower, when the car is parked. On average, I'd say I use a bottle (12 oz) of power steering fluid every 60 miles or 3 days, which ever comes first.

My questions is, what do you think the culprit is? I've taken the pressure line off and examined the flare end, and it looks to be fine. I can't quite get a good eye on the gear box side because of that darn master cylinder. The leak seems to come from the inside of the fitting (between the nut and the hose), and the threads look fine, so I don't think it's crossthreaded. I've got a new pressure line from NAPA to put in, but the angle that the ends where pressed on, I don't think it'll snake in there correctly.

I guess I have a second part to my question now that I think about it. The power steering pump was dry when I got the car, but didn't find out for a while. So I'm sure the pump has been running dry for awhile. I've always heard that if a pump ever runs dry, you need to replace it, but I'm not sure why. Anyone know about this? Also, if I do need to replace it (which is another reason I haven't tried the new pressure line yet), the Bird doesn't have an original engine in it. Looks to be an early '73 455, so would I want to get a pump for a '69 Firebird, or a '73 455?

I think thats it. For now...

Your best guess is probabally where it's leaking from. If it is leaking there, you need to try to tighten it a little more. Isn't it nice how they give you all kinds of access to these fittings?

If you don't have a line wrench, it will be next to impossible to get it tight enough. Even with a line wrench, it will be miserable to try to tighten it because the fender skirt gets in the way of the only area that you can access it. The real tool you need to tighten the fitting is a crow's foot line wrench, so if you have to go buy a tool to do the job, get a crow's foot line wrench.

I agree with Merv
It's not the kind of thing you want to have to do, but getting some extra torque on that nut might fix your problem. Crows foot is the ticket.

As far as the pump, it would be making noise if running it dry affected it.
I've run them dry before.

When i was a kid, i even poured some "gas dryer" isopropyl alcohol in an empty plymouth pump... made a hell of a noise, and was still good afterwards.
in my defense, the P/S bottles i was buying were shaped just like the "gas dryer" bottle i found in the trunk... except it was yellow and they were white

I did just replace the pump on my bird. It made noise all the time... more so while hot.