Hello guys, long time listener of the show first time posting again in a long while. I have a 2000 Ford Taurus OHV 3.0 L with about 131000 miles on it. And over the last 2 days it had developed a leak which at the time I was unaware off, and then today comping home every time I turn the wheel I hear the buzzing sound of the PS pump. Of what the HECK! Get home and check the fluid and is basically empty. Shut the care down and add. Come out the next morning and there is a nice puddle under my car, about the diameter of a softball or a little larger. Under further inspection of the vehicle I see that it seems to be leaking from or arround the boot of the Rack and Pinion box. So my first assumption is that it is leaking from the seal inside the boot. I wanted to take a look at it real quick but it has those clamps that are specially krimped on and would probably needed to be cut off. So I wanted to run a question by you fine folks to get your oppinion:
First assumption correct me if i am wrong, the boot itself don’t hold back the fluid there is a seal or something in there that does this job and replacing just the boot probably wouldn’t help out at all.
Upon doing my research online the seal on the inside might have somehow just come loose that can be tightened might resolve the issue.
More then likely if the above fails and from what I have been able to see from my repair manual, that I will actually need to fully replace the Rack and Pinion box on the car. Which this job I will need to rent a car for a few days before I attempt it.
Has anyone else had a similar problem or know the best way of fixing it.
Your car does not have a “rack and pinion box”. From the sounds of it I’d go and have this professionally taken care of.
http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/atp/64245/image/8/
Here is a picture from autozone for it. They call it a Rack and pinion my book / repair manual calls it a steering gear. That is where it it leaking from. Don’t think that there should be any fluid in the boot from doing further research so might be the internal shaft sea.
The end seal of the rack & pinion assembly is leaking into the rubber bellows you see on the end of the rack & pinion assembly. But before replacing the R&P assembly, you might want to give this a try. http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=28&catid=9&loc=show&headTitle= - Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak
Tester
I’ve been through this with my last two cars. One at 8 y.o. the other at 13 y.o. You want to get a high quality re-manufactured rack and pinion.
For DIY use a pair of ramps and wheel chocks. Be sure to replace the hydraulic lines in the right places in the pinion area of the replacement. When you’ve got everything back together drive straight to the alignment shop.
Yeh so I have come to the determination that the gear box will need to be replaced. started the job and have the tie rods, feed and return line, wheel joint already disconnected and ran out of time for today. The repair manual says that the car will need to be supported by the subframe and engine chasis will need to be lowered about 4 inches. I don’t think that the subframe would hold that much wheight. Does anyone know if that actually needs to be lowered or can be done without it.
The subframe will support the weight of the vehicle.
If the manual states that the engine/craddle must be lowered 4" in order to remove the rack & pinion assembly, it means just that. Or it wouldn’t be one of the steps in order to remove R&P assembly.
Tester