so i was being irresponsible or whatever you want to call it and i was doing some donuts in a parking lot. i drive home no problem and next morning i start her up and i have no power steering. there was a puddle of it under my car. i talked to some people and they said it was the pump. so i refilled it and started the car. i had power steering for like 30 seconds then watched it pour out of the car near the axle. i talked to my mechanic and he said its the rack. so my question is can i take a rack off a 4 cylinder and put it on my 8? it looks to be exactly the same and the pump on the 4cyl car was the same.
power steering rack help
- Thread starter Marks89GT
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Beasty306GT
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your better off goin to get a new replacement from napa there not that exspensive...its a **** job and u only want to do it once....and replace ur outter tie rod ends at the same time if ur old ones are junk then get an alignment
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. 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.
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 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. 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.
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.
thank you for all the help. this is my #1 priority but unfortunately i am pretty low on cash. i should be able to afford it soon but at the moment i need to know if the rack and tie rods off the 4 cylinder will work for the time being. its just that i cant get to work without the car and i cant make money without going to work. i am going to get that kit you were talking about but will the one off the 4 cylinder work for like a week?
Find out whats wrong with it. I find it hard to believe your rack is just pouring out fluid. Sounds like a hose busted, in which case you can go to a parts store and buy the pressure hose for maybe 30 bucks, should take you an hour to swap it out and flush the fluid. If its the return line its even easier, two clamps and thats it. Fill it up with fluid again, have a friend turn the wheel back and forth while you are under the car to find out where the fluid is coming out from.
To answer your question the rack and pinion from a 4cyl is the same as a v8. Technically you can drive the car without power steering, it'll destroy the rack because they are not designed to run without fluid but it'll still turn, but if your planning on changing the rack anyways.....
I would find out where the leak is, the rack and pinion is not fun to change, I had to raise the engine to take it out, not to mention what a pain in the ass it is to get the steering shaft disconnected.
To answer your question the rack and pinion from a 4cyl is the same as a v8. Technically you can drive the car without power steering, it'll destroy the rack because they are not designed to run without fluid but it'll still turn, but if your planning on changing the rack anyways.....
I would find out where the leak is, the rack and pinion is not fun to change, I had to raise the engine to take it out, not to mention what a pain in the ass it is to get the steering shaft disconnected.
Beasty306GT
Active Member
If you are talking about the small metal lines that go from one side of the rack to the other than you are probably going to need a new rack to replace them. Or just take the lines off another rack and swap them out, I dont believe you will need to remove the rack to do this. You cant buy them new though.
Lines 35, and 36 are the ones I am talking about.
Lines 35, and 36 are the ones I am talking about.
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