smuryof

Hi all,

2000 Taurus OHV (engine code U) - I was hoping someone could clear something up for me.

Problem: Whiny steering pump for 2 days, followed by failure. No fluid. Filled, tried to bleed, it never bled out. Fluid is black and grimy. Steered OK for 1 day (despite noise) but failed again - this time I noticed a puddle next to the steering gear, passenger side. Looks like it blew some sort of internal seal and was leaking out the side thru the boot.

Solution: I bought a rack & pinion / steering gear from the local salvage yard, am almost done installing it, but before I finish - is there supposed to be a filter in the return line somewhere? I blew on the return line to clear it, and it seems to have a lot of resistance (but does blow thru.) I checked right off of the pump, but I see no filter inside the tube - the parts store says there should be one somewhere. Anyone know where this is supposed to be?

Thanks,
-Jim

SHOZ123

Don't think there is one. You can add an in line one though. Magnefine makes a good one. Be sure to get the right size though.

Magnefine--Your Source For Magnefine Inline Filters

smuryof

Thanks - I will just put this new filter in place - it's the type that slides inside the hose - and call it good.

smuryof

For anyone else who searches and finds this thread - I did confirm with the Ford dealership, just now, there is no filter in the system. For further curiosity, the bulbous shape on the high pressure line is a muffler of some sort.

smuryof

Hey everyone,

Looks like there is still a problem somewhere - now, when running the system, it sucks all the fluid in, I add more until it maintains a steady level in the reservoir, and now it looks like air is being pulled into the system from somewhere. I see bubbles continually appearing in the reservoir. This activity seems to increase when I try to bleed the system. However, there are no fluid leaks that I can see - the level stays the same during the entire time, even after going back and forth on the steering wheel 40 or 50 times trying to bleed the system. It continues to bubble on the top of the fluid level, which is still the same, and then finally when you shut off the car, it spews steering fluid out of the top (as I assume it has compressed gasses in the system which suddenly expand.)

So - where could the system be drawing air from? If a pump is bad, could it be sucking air in, somehow? Or is this more indicative of a line or gearbox problem? I'm at a loss, and we really can't afford to shotgun parts on this - any help is greatly, greatly appreciated...

-Jim