power steering leak
- Thread starter Shawnmm12
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Yes to replacing rack.
I consider rack replacement to be easy, but what's your skill set? What job are you capable of doing?
I consider rack replacement to be easy, but what's your skill set? What job are you capable of doing?
Steering rack replacement
The two inner tie rod ends are usually what wears out, and at $45 each, it's better to get a replacement rack assembly since they are part of the package. The rack is about $100 + a $40 refundable core charge, which you get back when you return the old rack. Be sure to ask for the GT or high performance rack, it has fewer turns lock to lock than the standard rack.
The flex coupling for the steering shaft needs to be disconnected before you can get the rack out. You should disassemble the coupling by removing the 2 bolts that hold it together. The lower part of the coupling will then come out with the rack, and can easily be removed.
The tie rod ends can be removed with a tool that looks like a giant "pickle fork", it's less than $8, or some stores will rent/loan one. Remove the cotter pin & nut on the tie end, stick the tool between the rod end and the arm it connects and hammer away. The bigger the hammer, the easier it comes apart.
Remove the two bolts that bolt the rack assembly to the frame and then pull the rack down. Dropping the rack before attempting to remove the hydraulic lines will save you 30-45 minutes of fussing and sweating, and you’re going to have to remove them anyway. Get a catch pan to dump the fluid in when you disconnect the hydraulic lines. I replaced the rack mount bushings with some Energy Suspension urethane ones. When you re-install the rack assembly, put the rear bushings in the rack assembly and lift it into place. Then install the hydraulic lines, front bushings & washers and tighten down the nuts. Doing it this way makes room for the hydraulic lines without having them bind against the frame.
To change the tie rod ends, do them one at a time. Loosen the jam nut 1/4 turn, then unscrew the tie rod end from the rack. Turn the jam nut back 1/4 turn to return it to its original position. With the tie rod end removed, use a machinist square to measure the distance between the end of the threaded rod and the jam nut. Sit the bottom of the square against the end of the threaded rod, and the end of the blade of the square against the jam nut. Duplicate the measurement on the new rack and then install the tie rod end and tighten the jam nut. Then do the other side: the front end will need aligning, but the toe in will be close enough to the setting of the original rack to drive to the alignment shop.
Buy several extra quarts of fluid to run through the system to flush it when you change the rack. The car needs to be up on jackstands for the next step. Fill the pump up, start the car, and turn the wheels lock to lock to bleed the air out. Then stop the engine, disconnect the low pressure hose (the one that is secured with a hose clamp) and drain the pump. Re-connect, refill and do it several more times or until the fluid looks clear and not burnt or black.
Power steering pressure lines:
Each hose uses an O ring on each end to seal them. The hoses will swivel when they are installed and tightened into place. That is why there are O rings on the fittings. The O ring is the part that actually makes the pressure seal. If you slide the nut all the way back as far as it will go, you will see the O ring and the groove cut into the center section of the fitting.
Sometimes you will get some white Teflon rings with the pump or rack. The rings go on the threaded part of the fitting to reduce or prevent small leaks. They are not meant to seal the pressure part of the line or substitute for the rubber O ring. Heat the white Teflon seals in hot water and they will be easier to install. You can install the fittings without them and not have any leaks if the O rings seal good.
The two inner tie rod ends are usually what wears out, and at $45 each, it's better to get a replacement rack assembly since they are part of the package. The rack is about $100 + a $40 refundable core charge, which you get back when you return the old rack. Be sure to ask for the GT or high performance rack, it has fewer turns lock to lock than the standard rack.
The flex coupling for the steering shaft needs to be disconnected before you can get the rack out. You should disassemble the coupling by removing the 2 bolts that hold it together. The lower part of the coupling will then come out with the rack, and can easily be removed.
The tie rod ends can be removed with a tool that looks like a giant "pickle fork", it's less than $8, or some stores will rent/loan one. Remove the cotter pin & nut on the tie end, stick the tool between the rod end and the arm it connects and hammer away. The bigger the hammer, the easier it comes apart.
Remove the two bolts that bolt the rack assembly to the frame and then pull the rack down. Dropping the rack before attempting to remove the hydraulic lines will save you 30-45 minutes of fussing and sweating, and you’re going to have to remove them anyway. Get a catch pan to dump the fluid in when you disconnect the hydraulic lines. I replaced the rack mount bushings with some Energy Suspension urethane ones. When you re-install the rack assembly, put the rear bushings in the rack assembly and lift it into place. Then install the hydraulic lines, front bushings & washers and tighten down the nuts. Doing it this way makes room for the hydraulic lines without having them bind against the frame.
To change the tie rod ends, do them one at a time. Loosen the jam nut 1/4 turn, then unscrew the tie rod end from the rack. Turn the jam nut back 1/4 turn to return it to its original position. With the tie rod end removed, use a machinist square to measure the distance between the end of the threaded rod and the jam nut. Sit the bottom of the square against the end of the threaded rod, and the end of the blade of the square against the jam nut. Duplicate the measurement on the new rack and then install the tie rod end and tighten the jam nut. Then do the other side: the front end will need aligning, but the toe in will be close enough to the setting of the original rack to drive to the alignment shop.
Buy several extra quarts of fluid to run through the system to flush it when you change the rack. The car needs to be up on jackstands for the next step. Fill the pump up, start the car, and turn the wheels lock to lock to bleed the air out. Then stop the engine, disconnect the low pressure hose (the one that is secured with a hose clamp) and drain the pump. Re-connect, refill and do it several more times or until the fluid looks clear and not burnt or black.
Power steering pressure lines:
Each hose uses an O ring on each end to seal them. The hoses will swivel when they are installed and tightened into place. That is why there are O rings on the fittings. The O ring is the part that actually makes the pressure seal. If you slide the nut all the way back as far as it will go, you will see the O ring and the groove cut into the center section of the fitting.
Sometimes you will get some white Teflon rings with the pump or rack. The rings go on the threaded part of the fitting to reduce or prevent small leaks. They are not meant to seal the pressure part of the line or substitute for the rubber O ring. Heat the white Teflon seals in hot water and they will be easier to install. You can install the fittings without them and not have any leaks if the O rings seal good.
Shakerhood
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Boostedpimp
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
- Jul 12, 2017
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I have to replace mine too, small leak nothing bad, but yep, that’s the only option. I’ve got the rack on my shelf, Just need to buckle down and do it.
Word of caution, do not overtighten the lines that go to the rack. You can actually crack the rack if overtightened.
Reddevil91
15 Year Member
- Mar 3, 2010
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I had a small leak on my PS pump, then all of a sudden i was removing the front ac bracket to clean it up and paint it, when I noticed that it went from a small leak to a decent splooge. I can see it leaking from the pressure hose where it connects to the pump but other than that everything else looks good, and my connections at the rack are good since it was swapped to a 03 cobra rack. Could it just be a bad o ring or something or should I just replace the pressure hose. If so how do i get the rack side off? Also if I do this what do I do about the fluid? Can I swap this fast enough with out losing the fluid or do I have to do some sort of flush?
Go back and read my previous post about rack replacement. All the answers to your questions are in there.
Reddevil91
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Alright so unscrewed the side on the power steering pump, and the big side piece and cane out along with the hose. Is this where you are talking about the O ring? I replaced the white Teflon o ring, got everything screwed back in, filled the reservoir and let it sit over night. I didn’t start the car and let it run as of yet, but over night it still managed to leak from the same area it was. A small leak but still leaking.
Did you separate the hose from the fitting? If not check the fitting on the end of the hose for cracks, I believe there is no o ring between the two, just on the fitting going to the ps can.
The O ring is in there, you have to slide the nut up as far as it will go before you see the O ring.
I once had a leak in the same place and never could get the correct size O ring. I ended up replacing the hose assembly and that fixed the leak
I once had a leak in the same place and never could get the correct size O ring. I ended up replacing the hose assembly and that fixed the leak
Reddevil91
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I didn’t disconnect the fitting from the hose, didn’t know it could do that. I bought a new pressure hose from autozone but just took the white Teflon off of it and tried to replace it on my original one. I didn’t want to mess with getting the hose off the rack side.
Reddevil91
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Ok so sorry don’t mean to be a nuisance, but I’m learning and trying to do this stuff by myself instead of just taking it to shops etc. it’s a slow process. So are you saying to push the fitting on the pressure hose all the way back, and an O ring will be there bc I tried to push the fitting on the new pressure hose I have back and didn’t have much luck unless I’m not giving it enough umph! When I disconnected the hose the fitting came out as hole with whatever the piece is that connects to the pump first. Is it the O ring there you are talking about with the blue arrow or there is also one inside the smaller fitting that screws into that one?
Reddevil91
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That is a pic a found online, it’s a taurus I think. It’s just for reference, but that’s how mine came out then I had to separate the two and screw the first one back into the pump after cleaning it up, followed by the hose. It did have an o ring there so that’s what I’m confused about. Is it that o ring, or is there also another o ring inside the fitting on the hose that screws into that piece?
Reddevil91
15 Year Member
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The diagram in the first post shows how it looks. The Teflon ring goes over the threads. Because of the bend in the tube, it may be very difficult to slide the nut back far enough to see the O ring.
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