Leaking power steering "cooler?"

[BrianDye]

We were leaving the lake tonight, and after pulling out I noticed I had NO power steering, I thought it had to be the belt since mines on its way out anyways (Replacing it tomorrow), so I got out, grabbed my spotlight and sure enough, barely any fluid in the resivoir. Looked on the ground, and the fluid was coming out steadily from what seemed to be a power steering fluid cooler.

It looked like a mini radiator, and had an inlet and outlet on the left side. I parked it at a friends house, and naturally I have to work tomorrow at 9 so I wont be able to work on it til after.

If mind serves me right, these were only on the Limiteds and Eddies right?

How the hell do I go about replacing it? Autozone isnt showing anything like this for my Explorer, (website); nor on Napas site.

Where can I get this part? I cant be without my truck at all, so ordering online is out of the question unless theres a temp. fix.

I would get a picture but the trucks at my buddies house and its now 1am.

Would I be able to bypass the cooler alltogether? (Connect both hoses with an adequate connector?) [Only if I have to order this part and wait]

Thank you all in advance!

 

[windsors03cobra]

Like you said I would hook the houses together with a double ended hose barb and some clamps for the holiday/weekend and go to a wrecking yard for another cooler next week.

 

[BrianDye]

Okay...I dont usually drive longer than 10 miles unless were going out of town so im not really too worried about the power steering fluid overheating.

 

[IZwack]

THey werent just on Limited and Eddies - they were pretty much standard on 2nd gens (my 98 XLT had it). But coolers are typically installed on the low pressure side of the hydraulic system so you can actually run any heat exchanger you can get your hands on - like a transmission cooler.

 

[BrianDye]

I remember seeing something simaler on my 92' EB, maybe it was a transmission cooler or something?

But thanks IZ, that should make it alot easier at AutoZone, are they all pretty much the same to mount?

Im gonna just get the connector for now since im gonna be laying in a driveway full of snow and ice to get that on, then when I can get ahold of my buddy Kevin (Who has a nice heated garage with just about every tool imaginable) I can stop by his house and put the new cooler on.

Now for the next question..are there any tips/tricks for refilling the PS resivoir?
Im pretty sure theres NOTHING in there right now, and yes I did have to drive about 2.5 miles like that do you guys think I did any damage?

 

[swetrid]

Definitely only a Ford part to buy unless you find a junkyard one.

 

[BrianDye]

So now that I think I have the stomach flu, he fixed it while I was at work, drove it around town, etc all was well. It seemed alot easier to steer now, BUT there was so much more feedback...every bump was grabbing the wheel.

I get off work, get on the highway and got up to about 72 and all was well then hit a few consistent small bumps and I thought my front end was done for. I slammed on the brakes and got down to 60 and then it did it a few more times if I went above 60. It was like the wheel dangerously vibrating left and right.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Yea thats death wobble while the air works out of the rack.
I think turning the wheel lock to lock a bunch of times is done to work out the air.

 

[drdoom]

THey werent just on Limited and Eddies - they were pretty much standard on 2nd gens (my 98 XLT had it). But coolers are typically installed on the low pressure side of the hydraulic system so you can actually run any heat exchanger you can get your hands on - like a transmission cooler.

Yeah, I have one on my 97 XLT...had to replace that hose recently, very unpleasant task.

 

[BrianDye]

Yea thats death wobble while the air works out of the rack.
I think turning the wheel lock to lock a bunch of times is done to work out the air.

Worked like a charm, thanks for the idea! But its still alot different now, I dont have the death wobble, but the steering is crazy now. I feel like im playing a Playstation game with one of those steering wheels with force feedback, every bump I hit, everytime the road sits unlevel, the wheel wants to move. What can I do about that? Or better yet, what would cause that?

THey werent just on Limited and Eddies - they were pretty much standard on 2nd gens (my 98 XLT had it). But coolers are typically installed on the low pressure side of the hydraulic system so you can actually run any heat exchanger you can get your hands on - like a transmission cooler.

I thought it was something only on the higher trims, because I swear I remember having a transmission cooler on my 92' EB, and when I asked what it was, everyone said only the EB's had them. Ive been reading up and it seems like these stock coolers are a PITA to remove, and ive read a few threads where people just mounted the new one right on the old cooler, would that do any harm?

 

[OneLever]

I feel like im playing a Playstation game with one of those steering wheels with force feedback, every bump I hit, everytime the road sits unlevel, the wheel wants to move. What can I do about that? Or better yet, what would cause that?

It sounds like you still have air in the power steering system. Joe Dirt just went through a similar issue in this thread and I told him how the shop manual procedure uses a hand vacuum pump to help get the air out. Also, if you haven't already, go ahead and flush the fluid.

 

[BrianDye]

Yea ill be flushing the fluid here in the next probably 2 weeks, ill wait todo it until I get my new cooler put on. Is there anyway to get the air out besides the vaccum?

And on top of that, lets bring up this on-going dillema:

PS fluid, Synth PS fluid, or ATF?

 

[drdoom]

I use power steering fluid. YMMV

On my 97 XLT, the cooler is mounted with 2 large nuts, on top of the steering rack. They can be a little tight...I broke them loose with my 1/2" drive ratchet, then ran them off with my air ratchet. It's not such a bad job, I pulled my PS cooler off to replace a leaking hose. That hose replacement was a lot harder than pulling the cooler. Never had any issues with air in the system.
Best wishes.

 

[BrianDye]

(Whats "YMMV" mean

I went to AZ (Took the LS) and got some Lucas PS fluid with some fancy stuff in it and basted what was in the resivoir out and topped off with this stuff and then locked the wheel about 10x each way. So after I get ready to leave, we'll see what happens now. I locked it about 4x each way last night before leaving and that took care of the wobble.

 

[marragtop]

My PS cooler on my 95 rusted out about 3 years ago. I bypassed it and haven't had any problems with it. I'm running standard size tires and suspension.