I've rebuild a couple power steering pumps because it's so much cheaper to buy the rebuild kit and it usually isn't hard. But this time, I probably should have bought the remanufactured pump instead. It would have been worth spending the extra $35.
My new-to-me 1999 Cougar had a leak, so I thought I'd fix it. It seemed like it had an oil leak coming from under the power steering pump. I took the belt off, and was having trouble getting the pulley off the pump because the engine mount was in the way. Time to get serious. I pulled out the coolant reservoir, jacked up the engine, removed the engine mount, power steering pulley, and the cover plate over the power steering pump.
Disconnecting the power steering hoses made a mess and I couldn't tell where the leak was anyway. So I put it back together. I made a bigger leak. This time it was running down the side of the engine and was obvious that the shorty pressure tube had a bad o-ring. No kudos to Ford engineers this time. Instead of being able to just put a new o-ring on, I had to buy a new $5 part for $25.
Teflon o-rings? Really, Ford? One-time use and that's it. Destroyed. They don't even fit right brand-new. Time for teflon tape instead. Apparently it works just as well.
After a few days, I was still smelling oil burning on the exhaust pipe. Since the power steering fluid level seemed a little lower than I remembered it, and the pump was wet with oil, I figured I'd rebuild it. It shouldn't be too hard.
This time I went straight for the coolant reservoir first, then the engine mount, and then the belt, pulley, and cover plate on the power steering pump. It was much easier this time. I figured I'd be done in an hour. My wife is used to my time estimates for working on cars. She doubles my estimate, and then adds another 50%. I figured that sounds better than saying she triples it.
After a quick look-over on the pump, it was obvious I had to remove the circular clip on the back of the pump. After a half-hour of trying to pick at it, I managed to rotate it and see the hole in the side. If I'd only read the instructions . . .
Poke the pick through the hole and voila! I popped the back cover off and proceeded to take it apart. Then I got to the little clip that holds the shaft on. I figured a pair of 45 degree needle nose pliers should do the trick. I heard the clip go bing! ting ting ting. [Don't ask me to do the sound again.] Okay, it must have landed somewhere on the other side of my table.
After looking around on the floor for a minute, I figured this was going to be a lost cause. I'd have to take a trip into town and waste two hours to buy a 25 cent clip, if they even had the right size. It was time to ask for help. Please, God, if it's your will, please help me find that clip. I opened my eyes and saw it sitting down inside a bracket on the lawn mower deck. Wow. I don't think I've ever seen such a speedy answer to prayer.
I replaced the two o-rings inside the pump, the one on the back cover, the front seal, and aligned all the parts back together. It was kind of a pain getting the insides lined up and back together. I must have taken the back off at least four times trying to get it back together. The kit didn't have a replacement teflon ring for one of the plugs, so I used an o-ring. I think it's holding, but I'm not sure. I could have left it alone and been fine.
On the pressure hose, I didn't want to totally squash the new teflon o-ring, so I didn't tighten it all the way down. That was a mistake. Although it wasn't leaking when I put it back together, it was by the next day. I made another oil mess on my driveway. I tightened the pressure hose fitting until it stopped. Apparently the teflon ring isn't what holds the pressure in. Maybe it's just to keep dirt out.
Right now, electric power steering sounds really nice. There's no fluid to leak out. I still don't know if I fixed all the leaks.
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