Huge problem!! Power Steering, need help!

eliyarbrough · Jun 13, 2008

My power steering is leaking out fluid pretty bad. It has done this before, I bought some sealer liquid stuff. The company said it would last for years when I e-mailed them. I guess it blew through last night! When I went to drive it today, it whined, moaned and stuff. I look @ my fluid tank. It was not bone dry, just low! I expected to see none! My mechanic mention you have to replace the entire rack & pinion steering. That's why I went the cheaper route! It is leaking on my right side. That's all I know of right now. Maybe a seal or something. Do any of you know about what I have bad? I will look for prices for that r & p steering. Thanks in advance!!

eliyarbrough · Jun 13, 2008

I called the closet O'Reillys. It's $105.99 w/ a $90 core charge. I thought it would be over $200! I'll try to buy that tomorrow.

Magic · Jun 13, 2008

check all the hoses coming out of and into the PUMP and the RACK first before you replace the rack and pinion.

Wipe the hoses down, or spray with some cleaner/parts cleaner...fill up the reservoir, start up the car and have someone turn the wheel from left/right etc... and see if there is a leak thru the external lines...

eliyarbrough · Jun 14, 2008

I think my guy saw it is leaking from a seal on my pass side. Sorry, that's all I know of. I'll print this off for him though!

Javi · Jun 14, 2008

is this car your DD?

let me have the part number,i can prolly find you a better deal on one if you need it.

topless95 · Jun 14, 2008

you might want to put new hoses on as well(to the rack) while you have access.

eliyarbrough · Jun 14, 2008

I never thought about that! I cannot think ahead, so I leave out stuff. That's why I love this forum! Thanks!!

eliyarbrough · Jun 14, 2008

I really do not have the $ to do this. We decided against the hoses.

reivaxtorres · Jun 14, 2008

yeah, the power steering rack is cheap to replace. if it is leaking internally or from a seal, you can always just fix it if you dont have the money for a new rack. the parts are a little harder to come by and its more time consuming to replace, but it can be done.

honestly, i would just replace the rack if thats whats wrong. its a much easier route. but....dont forget you'll need the alignment afterwards too.

eliyarbrough · Jun 14, 2008

I never thought about realigning it! I'll need to do that?

Magic · Jun 14, 2008

1STOF3 said:
I never thought about realigning it! I'll need to do that?

its always a good thing to get it realigned. Because when the outer tie rod ends get re-installed on to the new rack in pinion, they may not sit exactly in the same place as they would have on the original rack...

reivaxtorres · Jun 14, 2008

Magic said:
1STOF3 said:

I never thought about realigning it! I'll need to do that?

Click to expand...

its always a good thing to get it realigned. Because when the outer tie rod ends get re-installed on to the new rack in pinion, they may not sit exactly in the same place as they would have on the original rack...

exactly, but you will be amazed at how close you can get it. when i had to replace my rack and pinion, i just did an eyeball alignment and it was damn near perfect. best way to do it: count how many threads the outter tie rods use on each side, and then when you re-install them on the new rack, use the same amount of threads. that will get you close, and then all you have to do is check it to make sure it looks like the tires are both straight, and ull be set.

eliyarbrough · Jun 14, 2008

Yeah, this is already way out of my league!! I printed it off though! I'm very poor, my guy will get it almost perfect. You think I still need to take it in? Thanks so much!!

edit:
I can get it good enough to drive in 48 miles to be aligned, correct? That just now hit me!

reivaxtorres · Jun 14, 2008

dude, i drove for about 1.5-2 years (about 10-15k miles a year) with just an eye ball alignment, just the way i mentioned it above. finally took it in earlier last month, and it was barely off. the guy said i pretty much didnt need an alignment for the front, but i opted to do it anyways since the rear end (IRS) also needed an alignment (too complicated to do that at home with simple tools)

eliyarbrough · Jun 15, 2008

So I can get this done a month later? $ is already tight. If I can take her in July, that would be great! Thanks a lot!

I drive maybe 2 miles a day! I go check the PO Box, and back home. If I need to go out of town, I borrow 1 of my folks ride. I kind of forgot that part!