1999 Taurus LX Power Steering Boiling - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Mark Lingle · 05-28-2010, 16:47

Thank you for your time. I've not posted to this forum before so bare with me if I leave something out, I'll try and be precise. I have a Taurus LX 3.0 OHV U 43,000 original one owner miles
I have a power steering problem. I searched the forums and could not find the answer to my question so maybe this will help others. First started to hear a noise from the power steering pump but the fluid was not low. Did notice however it appeared to be boiling. It was not air, but actually boiling and that was day one. I bought a new power steering pump and replaced it but could not bleed the air out after 20 minutes to half hour of trying and the fluid seemed to immediately get sucked low when started and over flowed when shut off. Then all of a sudden the fluid started to leak from the boot on the drivers side steering rack. Possibly due to the hot fluid blowing a seal I guess. At that point I decided to take it to a Ford dealership and have the rack replaced after reading that at about 60,000 to 70,000 miles on this model the steering rack seems to fail. The dealer called and said the car was done but the fluid was still boiling. They said there may be a restriction in the system somewhere. Before I proceed with further repair I would like to know, if the system contains the rack, a pump and two lines, high pressure and return, wouldn't the problem be the line? My guess is the high pressure line. It has a big steel bubble on it, but no one seems to be able to tell me what it is. Then I read there is a filter somewhere on the low pressure side. I would think it would be the high pressure line or the filter. I'm not a mechanic, but I have enough common sense to know that one of these two are causing all the problems that caused the first pump to fail if, it was bad, and the rack to leak. Any help or your best guess would be much appreciated. Thanks, Mark

**chipset** · 05-28-2010, 18:59

What the hell kind of dealers do you people have ? " the car is finished but the fluid is still boiling"? The car should never have been released with that problem. That car has
V.S.P.S. and controled by the speed sensors and computer. Anyone checked that ?

**tbird100636** · 05-28-2010, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipset

What the hell kind of dealers do you people have ? " the car is finished but the fluid is still boiling"? The car should never have been released with that problem. That car has
V.S.P.S. and controled by the speed sensors and computer. Anyone checked that ?

I wonder that sometimes about other dealers in my area chip. By the way, 1999 did not have Variable Assist Power Steering in the traditional sense unless you had a SHO. The SHO still had the electronic system, the non-SHO went to a variable flow Pump and no electronics. Basically more RPM, less flow, less assist. 2000-2007 also didn't have electronic V.A.P.S.

Boiling fluid... I'd check to see if the P/S cooler is restricted. It is located in front of the A/C condensor, and may contain a trans. cooler as well.

Mark Lingle · 05-28-2010, 20:38

I'll check the cooler and yes it does not have Variable Assist Power Steering tBird. Logically thinking does lead to the cooler I would suppose due to the fact the fluid seems to be sucking low upon start in the pump and not returning as fast to keep the reservoir full. That could also explain why the reservoir fill up quickly when the engine is turned off.
The fluid is back filling back through the power steering pressure hose. I'll try replacing the cooler and check the lines to see if they are damaged or collapsed. I'll follow up with the diagnosis after I make this repair! Thanks for the speedy reply! Still would like to know what the big round canister is for on the pressure line. lol Just curious I guess. I figured it must have something to do with hydraulic hammering when the fluid pressure changes from turning the steering wheel. like they put on water lines in your home. :)

**tbird100636** · 05-29-2010, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Lingle

I'll check the cooler and yes it does not have Variable Assist Power Steering tBird. Logically thinking does lead to the cooler I would suppose due to the fact the fluid seems to be sucking low upon start in the pump and not returning as fast to keep the reservoir full. That could also explain why the reservoir fill up quickly when the engine is turned off.
The fluid is back filling back through the power steering pressure hose. I'll try replacing the cooler and check the lines to see if they are damaged or collapsed. I'll follow up with the diagnosis after I make this repair! Thanks for the speedy reply! Still would like to know what the big round canister is for on the pressure line. lol Just curious I guess. I figured it must have something to do with hydraulic hammering when the fluid pressure changes from turning the steering wheel. like they put on water lines in your home. :)

Yep, it's a resonator.

Mark Lingle · 07-04-2010, 13:23

Thanks T-Bird for the clarification! Resonator it is. lol OK, Lets recap. After having the power steering pump replaced and the steering rack replaced the fluid was still boiling due to a restriction in the line. My feeling was the only thing left was the High pressure line and the cooler as well as the low pressure line.

After logging on here I got a critique of dealers from Chipset, but nothing that helped in diagnoses.lol And then Tbird confirmed my suspicions. Thanks Tbird! I took the low pressure return line and transmissions line off and removed the cooler. I could blow through both by mouth easily, but still flushed them both out and then checked the low pressure return hose. Also good. That left the high pressure line w/ resonator.

Now I ordered a new line and installed it easily then connected all but the low pressure return line. I capped the power steering pump on the bottom, filled it with fluid and turning the car over without starting pumped fluid through the system with fresh Mercon V. Then Attached the return line refilled the pump and started the car. With front wheels on jacks I turned the wheel left and right until I was sure all air was removed. Everything is great and I have no idea why the HP line was restricted I could easily blow through the old one, but it had to have been the problem because all is well! My brother has been a Ford Tech for 25 years and never got a vehicle in yet with boiling power steering fluid and he works in Titusville, Florida. I've seen a lot of people asking about this problem all over the net, but no answers. I found my confirmation here! Thanks Ford Forums!