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Topic: Power steering leak (Read 2413 times) |
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cossieguy
Full Member
1996 Cosworth Ultima saloon
 
Posts: 550
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Power steering leak
« on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 10:44am » |
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Well, it never rains but it pours (Power steering fluid not rain). Checked my levels the other day and noticed that PAS level was below the min. Topped up, went to drive it last night and had horrid vibration from engine which eventually dissappeared. Looked at car this morning to see the dreaded trail of oil trailing from front of car. Had to go to work so left car at home will check level again tonight but suspect that the power steering fluid has been dumped/droppd low. Hopefully just a pipe or clip. Would a low PAS level cause the juddering and rough idle/high neutral revs i've been suffering from for some time now? I say this as OBD scan picked up nothing wrong on the idle/engine side. Still getting very poor MPG as well around town getting 13-15mpg, could this all be linked to PAS fault?
Guy.
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Simmo
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #1 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 1:34pm » |
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If the power steering fluid has come from the 'feed' pipes it may well have soaked an electrical connector and thus caused problems. The fluid will often leak past the seals and be held in the rubber gaiters at either end of the steering rack until such time as the gaiters split or pressure forces the fluid out. If it is coming from the gaiters then the rack needs to be replaced. Could the pump itself have gone as I imagine excessive load on that would affect the running. See if THIS helps.
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Dave
Senior Member
Tourmallard 24v (ex-owner)
Posts: 1984
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #2 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 2:01pm » |
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Also, if the fluid has gone low, there may be air in the system. This may be the cause of the vibration. To bleed the air out of the PAS system you need to turn the wheels from almost lock to almost lock slowly several times. When you are driving around you are effectively doing this so the vibration would go away as the air is bled out.
Just an idea 
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Simmo
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #3 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 3:51pm » |
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Dave is correct BUT if you are going to try the 'lock to lock' whilst stationary either take the weight off the front wheels slightly or put them on a couple of old magazines or wet grass so that you do not overstress the pump and DO NOT hold the wheel in the full lock position.
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bootiful-scorpios
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ex 2.9 24v
Posts: 560
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #4 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 4:03pm » |
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guy would you mind me asking where you had your obd scan done ?
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cossieguy
Full Member
1996 Cosworth Ultima saloon
Posts: 550
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #5 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 4:08pm » |
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on Dec 2nd, 2006, 4:03pm, bootiful-scorpios wrote:| guy would you mind me asking where you had your obd scan done ? |
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Hi, had to bite the bullet and have it done at Busseys(FMD), tried to get Flash on lock done at same time but my CCM wouldn't have it! Have one sat in Post Office waiting for me to collect so Monday should have some idea when i've locked my car! Hope this PAS problem isn't expensive this close to Xmas.
Guy
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bootiful-scorpios
Full Member
ex 2.9 24v
Posts: 560
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #6 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 4:25pm » |
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guy did you think ford were very good ? were there charges ok?
nope dont need bits going wrong on car in december worst month of the year lol
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Highlander
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Expert
13 Scorpios, XR4x4, Suzuki SJ413 for off road :)
Posts: 8244
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #7 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 4:47pm » |
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the hose below the fluid reservoir is a favourite leaky place 
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on Oct 17th, 2011, 12:35pm, Simmo wrote:I give up !  Too much for an old boy!  |
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cossieguy
Full Member
1996 Cosworth Ultima saloon
Posts: 550
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #8 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 5:01pm » |
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on Dec 2nd, 2006, 4:25pm, bootiful-scorpios wrote:guy did you think ford were very good ? were there charges ok?
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The charges were the standard hourly rate for the diagnostics so you can't complain(Even if their hourly rate is high). The master tech there appeared to know what he was doing with Scorp Cossies.
Guy.
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Simmo
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #9 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 5:37pm » |
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Guy, If the fluid is in the gaiters then its a new rack. They are available from factors rather than Ford. 18 months ago mine was £145 + vat. There two types for Scorpios one is 'speed sensitive' and one is not. Mine was not. Attempts to replace the seals on a DIY basis have proved unsuccessful.
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Octavian_P
Senior Member
 
Posts: 1126
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #11 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 6:33pm » |
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For steering racks and pumps you could also try here
http://www.trami.eu/page7.html
Don't know if they ship worldwide....but at least you can give them an e-mail
PS: sory the site is in romanian....but contact details are "international" 
Cheers
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2.0 16V Ultima|2.3 16V Ghia|2.9 24V Cosworth Ghia
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mr._floppy
Junior Member
Posts: 100
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #12 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 6:36pm » |
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Don't know about the cossie but the PAS cooler ( the U shaped tube below the front cross member ) is open to the rain and is just made of cheapo mild steel and prone to the rust bug..
Worth a check along with the feed and return flexible hoses and clips.
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TiberiuS
Senior Member
Ex. 1996 2.3 Ultima - RIP P789 KHJ
Posts: 2257
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #13 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 7:22pm » |
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Guy, I had a leak from mine and it turned out to be a hose clip on the top of the pump. Even then it was only losing slowly, if you're losing that much fluid you may be in the market for a new rack.
Good luck
Regards, Bruce.
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Bruce - '07 Jaguar XKR coupe, '95 Jaguar XJ Sport 4.0, '82 Ford Capri 2.0 Ghia, '15 Honda Civic (sloooooww..)
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cossieguy
Full Member
1996 Cosworth Ultima saloon
Posts: 550
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #14 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 7:42pm » |
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Thanks to everyone, will have a look at it tomorrow morning when i can see what i'm doing. Will let you know what the outcome is.
Guy
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cossieguy
Full Member
1996 Cosworth Ultima saloon
Posts: 550
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #15 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 8:36pm » |
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Well like a kid at Xmas I couldn't wait till morning! Just had a peek, bear with me while i try and confuse you:
1. Leak not as bad as i feared, level was half way between max and min, now on min.
2. Can't see any evidence of fluid loss when turning wheel, however will need to get wife to look in bay while i turn wheel to confirm this.
3. Have noticed something, but not sure if it wasn't there to start with  You know when you turn the wheel the revs drop and you get a hissing noise (From the PAS pump I assume). Well that hissing noise seems to be there in a pulsing sort of way(Hiss then quiet, second later it hisses again then quiet etc) even if you leave the wheel alone, also when you here the hissing the revs drop and return (As if wheel turning) That appears to be where my uneven idle is coming from? However doesn't explain my intermittent high idle speed(Covered in previous thread).
Hope this makes sense. All this is with the engine fairly cold and the car hasn't been driven.
Guy.
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Highlander
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13 Scorpios, XR4x4, Suzuki SJ413 for off road :)
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #16 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 9:21pm » |
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Is the pump possibly sticking or the pulley bearing starting to go?
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on Oct 17th, 2011, 12:35pm, Simmo wrote:| I give up ! Too much for an old boy! |
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cossieguy
Full Member
1996 Cosworth Ultima saloon
Posts: 550
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #17 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 10:16pm » |
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on Dec 2nd, 2006, 9:21pm, Highlander wrote:| Is the pump possibly sticking or the pulley bearing starting to go? |
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I assume then it's not just me and the pump shouldn't be heard unless PAS is being used? I can only assume it doesn't do it all the time as sometimes the idle is fine. It's weird you'll sit in neutral, revs will be steady as a rock at 750 then just drop to 500 and then settle back again. Assume it must have something to do with the PAS fault then. Will have a better look in morning. How difficult a job is it to replace pump and pulley? And how much?
Guy
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Highlander
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13 Scorpios, XR4x4, Suzuki SJ413 for off road :)
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #18 on: Dec 2nd, 2006, 10:46pm » |
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Dunno how much a new one is but fairly straightforward to replace it.
There should be a few second hand ones kicking about with all the 24v's being broken in the parts section and on ebay
Might not be the pump though
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on Oct 17th, 2011, 12:35pm, Simmo wrote:| I give up ! Too much for an old boy! |
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Simmo
Administrator
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Posts: 5508
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Re: Power steering leak
« Reply #19 on: Dec 3rd, 2006, 8:25am » |
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If you look at the link I put up in the first reply you'll see the details for removal are available in the list. That intermittent 'hissing' sounds as if the pump is doing something odd I must say. Check the gaiters though because they will hold a fair amount of fluid before they 'go'.
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