Power Steering Fluid Leak...

[swhite005]

I have quite a bit of power steering fluid leaking from my 1991 Ford Explorer EB 4.0L 4x4...Some is pooling on top of the cap and some is dripping off of the tie rod. What components make up the steering for the power steering in the vehicle? What else might be leaking besides the pump or hoses?

 

[Creager]

pump, pressure line, return line, steering gear... in a nutshell

Check the return line (rubber hose comming straight up from the steering gear to the bottom of the pump, will have the same clamps that hold your radiator hose) I was lery of this one when i did my new pump last weekend.

The pressure line (at the pump) has two little silicone rings that look very suspectable. When my pump started leaking they were the cause of it.

check these out...

 

[Longjohn119]

You didn't turn the steering wheel with the engine off did you? That tends to make them puke fluid out the cap ...

I don't know how else it could have gotten on the cap since it's about the highest point in the system, a hose or fitting leak spraying clear up there should be apparant

 

[Creager]

I don't know how else it could have gotten on the cap since it's about the highest point in the system, a hose or fitting leak spraying clear up there should be apparant

the return line? But even when you remove it (as to flush the system) it doesnt shoot ATF that high, it kinda looks like it 'boils over,' or pukes it.

the pressure line but thats going down, that would explain why there is AFT all over the gear and the tie rod... but the cap i dunno

 

[Bwana Bob]

I don't know why it would come out at the cap, unless it was overfilled. There are two marks on the dipstick. The lower mark is the cold fill line and the upper is hot. If the pump was overfilled when cold, the expansion of the fluid when it warms up would be enough to make it overflow.

When my pump started leaking, the return hose was very wet and it dripped fluid all over the steering gear below it. Turned out to be the pump bearing, but it wasn't obvious, because the the flud leaked from the front of the pump down into the cast pump bracket. From there the fluid migrated toward the rear and dripped onto the return hose.

If you do need to change the pump, its easy on a 1st gen, IF (and only if) you borrow the Autozone tool kit for removing and installing the pulley.

Bob

 

[Creager]

If you do need to change the pump, its easy on a 1st gen, IF (and only if) you borrow the Autozone tool kit for removing and installing the pulley.

Bob

i dont know about the AutoZone kit, but the kit i rented from NAPA was a giant peice of crap. I broke every useable intermediate shaft that threaded into my P/S pump, i eventully broke the last one and had to saw the bolt in half to complete the job. I dont know why they would use grade 8 bolts, that are the size of a pencil to handle 200-400ftlbs of torque needed to press/pull that pully.

find a kit that uses hardend bolts.

 

[Longjohn119]

It WILL come out the cap IF you turn the wheel a fair amount **with the motor off** and it WILL leave fluid on the cap

I found this out putting new rockers on and turned the wheel to get access without starting the motor and hence the steering pump .... I found it this was 'normal' on this forum ...

So I cleaned up the mess, added a little Type F and haven't had to touch it since, almost two months now

 

[Bwana Bob]

i dont know about the AutoZone kit, but the kit i rented from NAPA was a giant peice of crap. I broke every useable intermediate shaft that threaded into my P/S pump, i eventully broke the last one and had to saw the bolt in half to complete the job. I dont know why they would use grade 8 bolts, that are the size of a pencil to handle 200-400ftlbs of torque needed to press/pull that pully.

find a kit that uses hardend bolts.

Yes, the Autozone kit is made from black, hardened steel. Although the pulley is very tight, which made me nervous, the Autozone kit worked fine. I could not have done the job without it.

Bob