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Leaking power steering fluid, please help

i'm still not 100% positive on what exactly it is u fixed joe to cure the p.s bubbling problem. The new 3L i just did is having that same issue. The whining wont stop, and the fluid is bubbling up in the reservoir.
 
You NEED to replace that seal as it is sucking air into the line and causing the fluid to cavatate. Fix that seal and it won't suck air.

Cut the fitting off, screw in the new fitting into the pump line and then push the line into the fitting.

I've got a small leak on a full hydro return line and the pumo cavatates and whines. Fixed the leak and it went away.

It is sucking in air from somewhere.
 
So the fluid is pushing out the top from under the resovior cover :confused:. I put a new cap on and it still manages to come out just when starting the car not even turning the wheel..... where would this built up pressure be coming from? I didn't have this problem before the 3L.

I think it was just overfilled and I kept adding more. It's all good now, I just left it alone and it fixed itself.

i'm still not 100% positive on what exactly it is u fixed joe to cure the p.s bubbling problem. The new 3L i just did is having that same issue. The whining wont stop, and the fluid is bubbling up in the reservoir.


I just stopped filling the power steering fluid. It would look low in the reservior but eventually it worked itself out. I probably had an air bubble trapped and it finally made its way out. :shrug:.......
 
You NEED to replace that seal as it is sucking air into the line and causing the fluid to cavatate. Fix that seal and it won't suck air.

Cut the fitting off, screw in the new fitting into the pump line and then push the line into the fitting.

I've got a small leak on a full hydro return line and the pumo cavatates and whines. Fixed the leak and it went away.

It is sucking in air from somewhere.

I just stopped filling the power steering fluid. It would look low in the reservior but eventually it worked itself out. I probably had an air bubble trapped and it finally made its way out. :shrug:.......

thx guyz
 
I had the same problem when me and OB1 put my 3L in back in October. I ordered the hex nut from ford for $6, cut the old off, and installed and it worked! Now I still have a slow leak from the actual ps pump and I also have a whine when it's below freezing outside even though I have fluid in the res. I think I may have air in my system as well because I noticed the bubbles in the reservior also. Waiting on it to warm up and stop raining so I can change the ps pump out.
 
I have a problem where the power assist somewhat works at higher RPM but the steering is 100% manual when i'm idling. I'm sure the pump can't be completely dead because the feel is very different if i turn the engine off at speed and try to steer. the pump does whine when i turn it off center but don't power steering pumps die outright? I've never heard of one working (not very well) at higher RPMs. I ran new power steering lines but never replaced the pump because i thought the problem was a leak in the high pressure line. What am i missing?
 
Sweet, I needed this info. Mine's begun to leak too. I'm going to try ordering that part and fix the problem. Thanks guys!

I can't stress enough......take your time cutting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was lucky when I did mine. I nicked/cut the hard line fairly well even after going slow. I used black ultra RTV in the cut groove, and it sealed after I let it set for 24hrs. There is a very small line between cut and cut too far. I recommend cutting one side very close, then cut the back side 90% to allow expansion, and using a large flat screw driver to break the close side. YMMV
 
I bought an 08' Focus Coupe to drive to work and back simply for the MPG's - well I heard my power steering making some noise and the fluid was awfully low, I could see the bottom of the reservoir. Bring it to the dealer and they tell me it's the high pressure line that is leaking at the fitting and it will be $690 to repair! :crazy:

I call up Steve @ Tousley Ford and he reminded me of my post, lol. The tech on the phone told me it was leaking at the fitting, but without asking him in person I think I've got the same exact issue all over again. They said it was the high pressure line and that it was 3hrs of labor to replace, on top of a $~250 hose.

All I need is my trusty dremmel and $5 and I should be set. Apparently these fittings are stupid common on Fords - good to know. I'll be fixing my under warranty but not covered 08' sometime this week...

Because everyone loves pics-
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Just to add to this as another happy camper with replacingthis fitting.

replaced the fitting on the upper power steering line at the pump, cut off the old and slid the line right into the new one. leak fixed!

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Dammit, I just got bit by this. Replaced my CSVT steering pump today, as it had a slow leak around the shaft.

It's still leaking, but not from the fitting that's out up above the PS pump pulley, but at the adapter fitting on the top of the pump body,. Used new Teflon rings, was stupid-careful too. It's what Ford calls the "power steering line union", a little bent tube with male fitting on one end and the female fitting you see outside the pump. Guess I've got a bad O-ring, that means everything comes back out because you can't get to this union fitting unless the pump is on the bench.

•••• Ford for building a crap fitting that doesn't survive being parted once for service. I've serviced my own automotive power steering systems for near 40 years and never encountered this. I used to work as an engineer for this company, and I'm now glad I don't.

Idling for <5 minutes:
DSC03196_zps24c8dd15.jpg
 
I called Steve at Tousley Ford parts first thing Monday morning after checking for some at the local dealerships, ordered 3 of the F5RZ-3R608-B fitting kits, as I'm going to need two to fix the issues at my PS pump. Steve said the dealers usually have these, as it's apparently standard practice to replace the fitting whenever the system is opened. I wonder if the dealers have a Rotunda fixture to help slice off the old fittings without nicking the tube?

I'm usually pretty well prepared, but I would urge you to have one or more of these fitting kits on-hand if you think you might need to break open the high pressure side of the PS system.

Steve gave me some tips on installation: He strongly recommended screwing the body of the fitting into the pump first, leaving it just a turn loose of seated, then lubricating the tubing end with some PS fluid, then inserting the metal tubing into the fitting. He said he's seen new fitting O-rings damaged by inserting the tube prior to screwing in the fitting, his technique would reduce the amount of turns the O-ring drags around the outside of the metal tube. It also tells me that it wouldn't be a bad idea to take some fine Emery cloth and polish up the end of the tubing to ensure there are no burrs or rough spots that would mung up the O-ring.

I might eventually need to come up with a replacement for the CSVT's power steering high pressure line with some off the shelf PS plumbing parts from Aeroquip. I did the PS plumbing on my SVO Mustang because I'd relocated the PS pump and nothing OEM worked anymore.


Think I should be able to find some suitable adapters to convert the CSVT's metric tube fittings to -6 AN fittings and hose if need be.
 
Hopefully this will help the next poor sap who has to replace these power steering fitting hose ends.

When I got the new fitting nuts today, I gave them a careful once-over. The sealing O-ring is at the top of the fitting, inside the hex, the snap ring that secures the nut to the tubing is at the bottom. This led me to think differently about how I planned to cut off the nut. I didn't want to split the nut long-ways and risk nicking the tubing under the hex, so I cut around the nut below the hex, then just split the end that I'd freed that has the locking ring inside. Once the locking ring end of the nut is gone, the hex/O-ring end just slides off.
DSC03202_zpsc367c98d.jpg


You don't want to nick the tube under the hex because:
Tube_w_Notes_zps8ebd380f.jpg


I used some light grit emery cloth, followed by some very fine crocus cloth to put a nice polish on the tube end to improve the chance that I get a good seal.
DSC03198_zps672f33d7.jpg
 
One more post about this and I'm done.

Cut off and replaced both high pressure fitting nuts at the top of the PS pump, put it all back together, and IT'S LEAK FREE!

Did have one problem, the pump was whining at idle, fluid in the reservoir was bubbling and frothing, so I had some air in the system. Jacked the wheels off the ground and cycled the steering lock-to-lock a few times, this didn't clear out the air, so I shut it down and rigged up my hand vacuum pump to pull a vacuum on the system and the reservoir cap.

Much to my surprise, as I tried to pull a vacuum, I heard fluid bubbling at both ends of the large bore hose that runs from the reservoir to the pump inlet. I swapped out the old spring clamps for screw hose clamps, cinched them down and I was able to pull a nice vacuum of 15" W/C on the system and have it hold that for a few minutes. Started it back up, the pump quieted down to normal and the system degassed itself in a few minutes.

I was kinda' stunned that leaks in the pump gravity supply line that weren't dripping anything were leaking in enough air to aerate the fluid. I've got to find a replacement for that rock hard hunk of hose. It's Unobtanium through Ford (F5RZ-3691-A), and it's a whacky I.D: 18mm, which is too big to use 5/8" tubing, but maybe I can clamp 3/4" tubing down enough to get a leak free seal, -12 Aeroquip Push-Lock hose might work.

If you're having trouble with fluid aeration, check the clamps on the reservoir to pump line.
 
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