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        General >> Problems >> Power steering leak
        
(Message started by: cossieguy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 10:44am)

Title: Power steering leak
Post by cossieguy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 10:44am

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.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Simmo on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 1:34pm

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 (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/steermanual.htm) helps.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Dave on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 2:01pm

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 :)

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Simmo on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 3:51pm

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.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by bootiful-scorpios on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 4:03pm

guy would you mind me asking where you had your obd scan done ?

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by cossieguy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 4:08pm

on 12/02/06 at 16:03:11, bootiful-scorpios wrote:

guy would you mind me asking where you had your obd scan done ?

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

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by bootiful-scorpios on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 4:25pm

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

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Highlander on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 4:47pm

the hose below the fluid reservoir is a favourite leaky place ;D

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by cossieguy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 5:01pm

on 12/02/06 at 16:25:32, bootiful-scorpios wrote:

guy did you think ford were very good ? were there charges ok?

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.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Simmo on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 5:37pm

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.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Highlander on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 5:54pm

Heres the cheapest racks I know of

http://www.buypartsby.co.uk/steering-rack-display.php?txtmodel=Scorpio&txtmake=Ford&Submit=Next

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Octavian_P on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 6:33pm

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

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by mr._floppy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 6:36pm

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.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by TiberiuS on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 7:22pm

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.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by cossieguy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 7:42pm

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

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by cossieguy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 8:36pm

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.

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Highlander on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 9:21pm

Is the pump possibly sticking or the pulley bearing starting to go?

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by cossieguy on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 10:16pm

on 12/02/06 at 21:21:16, Highlander wrote:

Is the pump possibly sticking or the pulley bearing starting to go?

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

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Highlander on Dec 2^nd, 2006, 10:46pm

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 ;)

Title: Re: Power steering leak
Post by Simmo on Dec 3^rd, 2006, 8:25am

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'.