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| daniel000 |
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Hi guys.
I have a EF Fairmont and I have noticed that while turning the wheel and even when the car is in idile it makes a grinding noise. Now I checked the power steering fluid and it was empty, filled it up and problem went away instantly. Now 3 days later, power steering is empty again with the problem back. I have followed the power steering lines down toward the bottom end of the car, and low and behold it, it seems to be a leak down there. Now, the issue! Im going away ( 3 hour drive ) on friday. Is this a big problem that needs to be fixed straight away which could be costly? Am i doing damage by filling it up and letting it leak or is that just wasting my money on new fluid? Im also wondering if there is some things i could do myself, to try and fix this leak Thank you Daniel |
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| Esteven8 |
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I would get it fixed if possible before your trip, otherwise pull over every 1/2 hr or so to check and top up as necessary. Because if you run your P/S pump dry you will kill it and possibly damage the steering box as well (worst case). Then for the sake of a relatively cheap repair, you could end up forking out big $$ for a new pump and steering box. If you can't get it fixed before you go, as I said do not let it run dry!!
Have you pinpointed the source of the leak?
_________________ dc_todd wrote: Cheap pads squeal like cheap hookers, and you can take that to the bank. Au Fairmont Ghia My (Old) 95 EF Wagon |
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| XRfairmont67 |
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you will probably need a new pressure switch, they are common to leak.
cost around $25 arftermarket, repco, autobarn etc. you need a custom/customised spanner to replace them. you will make a mess everywhere under your car if you dont replace it, and the synthetic power steering fluid the e series uses is expensive too. |
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| SV-Valiant |
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Check and see if its actually not leaking at the back of the pump and then running down the lines they mostly leak at the back of the pump.
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| daniel000 |
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Thanks for the reply, this is why i love this site, people are willing to post a few things that are so helpful
Now i cant really define where the leak is exactly, but there seems to be liquid right under the switch and around the "pipe" going outward towards the wheel ( not sure what that is called ) but to be honest, there seems to be fluid and maybe dirt and grease around this area. I checked where you fill the steering fluid and there doesnt seem to be any running down. Also is there a doc or something where i can follow to replace this? will repco sell the tool i need? thank you daniel |
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| phongus |
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Most likely power steering switch as mentioned. Cheap but a pain in the a*** to replace.
As said before, it is bad to run the power steering pump dry...it will ruin the vanes in the pump which can score the "bore" (I think that's what it's called) meaning no pumping action. Also XRfairmont67..I found some of that E-series power steering fluid at Kmart for $10 a bottle...well not exactly genuine Ford. The one I found was made by Valvoline...not sure if it's synthetic but it is that brown colour compared to the red Dextron stuff and it is made for particularly for E/AU pumps.
_________________ phongus = Post whore 2006 |
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| EL___Fairmont |
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daniel000 wrote: Thanks for the reply, this is why i love this site, people are willing to post a few things that are so helpful Now i cant really define where the leak is exactly, but there seems to be liquid right under the switch and around the "pipe" going outward towards the wheel ( not sure what that is called ) but to be honest, there seems to be fluid and maybe dirt and grease around this area. I checked where you fill the steering fluid and there doesnt seem to be any running down. Also is there a doc or something where i can follow to replace this? will repco sell the tool i need? thank you daniel I used a 14mm spanner to undo the switch, you need to either bend the spanner at a 45 or cut it too a length of about 5cm. I just used a cheap one. The other pipe going towards the wheel is your low pressure return line. They usually get a build up of road grime on them. If it's leaking from the switch you should see stains on the cat and it should dribble fluid out when the steering wheel is turned a couple of times. The ps fluid will generally appear to be coming from the blue plug attached to it.
_________________ Current ride 2007 |
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| XRfairmont67 |
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hey phongus the genuine stuff is about $14 trade for 1litre, and is clear, still expensive if you need a litre every couple of days.
here's one i made, just cut down and bent an old 9/16 ring spanner, fit better than a 14mm Attachment: 9_16%20for%20steering%20pressure%20switch.jpg [ 24.9 KiB | Viewed 364 times ] |
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| snap0964 |
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XRfairmont67 wrote: hey phongus the genuine stuff is about $14 trade for 1litre, and is clear, still expensive if you need a litre every couple of days. Yeah, that's the proper Type F stuff for EL's and AU's. Fordfairmont did post a pic of the bottle in a thread on here.I've noticed Valvoline do have other fluid termed as Type F or F, but I think that's for autos only. XRfairmont67 wrote: here's one i made, just cut down and bent an old 9/16 ring spanner, fit better than a 14mm I could never get a 14mm to fit, but a combo 14mm/9/16" spanner fits, so it's probably an imperial size.I'd go the pressure switch as mentioned - if you can't get a replacement in a hurry, I'd find a bolt with the same thread size, and put an O ring on, as a temp measure. If you have to soldier on with the leak, might be cheaper to use Dexron III - once it's fixed, drain and fill with the later spec clear fluid mentioned above.
_________________ 96 XH Longreach 'S': LPG, Alarm, 3.23:1 LSD, Cruise, Trip Comp, ABS, Power Windows, Mid Series Dome Lt, Climate Ctrl |
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| phongus |
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XRfairmont67 wrote: hey phongus the genuine stuff is about $14 trade for 1litre, and is clear, still expensive if you need a litre every couple of days. here's one i made, just cut down and bent an old 9/16 ring spanner, fit better than a 14mm Attachment: 9_16%20for%20steering%20pressure%20switch.jpg I would have thought it'd be more expensive...not bad at all for that price for 1L, but yeah it would be a massive money pit if you're spilling it all over the road in a couple of days 
_________________ phongus = Post whore 2006 |
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| daniel000 |
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I appreciate all the help/responses. Me and my brother, after a lot of fiddling around with just a 14 mm size spanner got it off and changed the switch so hopefully she stays good. As always, once fixing something, you find another thing with an issue. The gas chamber, that is situated next to the engine, that has 2 hoses ruining with water in it, has a leak in it !
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| Nathanhrv |
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congrats on fixing it mate
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| SWC |
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daniel000 wrote: I appreciate all the help/responses. Me and my brother, after a lot of fiddling around with just a 14 mm size spanner got it off and changed the switch so hopefully she stays good. As always, once fixing something, you find another thing with an issue. The gas chamber, that is situated next to the engine, that has 2 hoses ruining with water in it, has a leak in it ! Gas Chamber? |
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| One Drone |
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SWC wrote: daniel000 wrote: I appreciate all the help/responses. Me and my brother, after a lot of fiddling around with just a 14 mm size spanner got it off and changed the switch so hopefully she stays good. As always, once fixing something, you find another thing with an issue. The gas chamber, that is situated next to the engine, that has 2 hoses ruining with water in it, has a leak in it ! Gas Chamber? Probably has LPG and means the coolant lines for the converter.
_________________ There are 10 types of people in this world. |
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| Nathanhrv |
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yeah thats the one mate
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