Power steering issue

**izup69** · 08-12-2011

Ok was reading alot about power steering pumps and the racks leaking. Was wondering if any of them leaking would somehow get onto the exhaust and cause it to burn off.
Had what I thought was a valve cover leak so I changed the front one b/c that's all the time I had. Was going to replace the back one tomorrow. But I took the car for a ride after getting the front one on and the power steering pump was whining like hell. You could tell it was low on fluid from the effort it took to turn the wheel.

It was too dark to tell where the leak might be coming from but I know it is by my downpipe somewhere because the smoke is coming up from somewhere under there. When I first got the car I checked the fluid and it was full.

I have to clean up that area tomorrow with some degreaser to find out better where a leak is. Thanks for any input first time working on a older gp. It is a 97 I have only worked on my 06 b4. But I know my way around them.

**FordMan77** · 08-12-2011

Might be a leaking high pressure line. For it to get on the manifold it would have to spray upwards.

Once you clean it all up, check to be sure the boots on the inner tie rods are dry. If not, then it may be time for a rack. Being a 97 if it still has the stock rack then I could see that as being possible.

**izup69** · 08-13-2011

Ya I was thinking that but it only has 144k on it. Hopefully it don't freaking rain today so I can work on the car. Would be nice. The car smokes like crazy when your turning so my guess was it was spraying but I didn't know if it would be a hard line that was there or the rubber line. Or if anyone had problems like this before. Thanks for the input.

**Scottydoggs** · 08-13-2011

i'd check the hard lines as well, the rubber line that is crimped to to a hard line is low pressure, so its probably the other one. and the lines cross the back of the engine, so yeah its most likely spraying when you turn the wheels.

that rear valve cover gasket is still worth changing in the long run, im sure its due being a 97.

**izup69** · 08-13-2011

Idk if it had the stock gaskets or not lol. They where gray ones look just like the felpros I got but diff color. Ya I still plan on changing the back one I already payed for it might as well put it on. Idk what mods where done to the car so far it looks stock besides some paint on the blower a few pod gauges cat-back and a k&n cone.

Id like to find the guy who put the work into the car to find out what he did. But the kid I got it off of said he only had it for 6mo and got it from some old guy that was using it as his project car but lost his job.

**izup69** · 08-14-2011

Ok so I got some more info on the leak. I got the car all together put in some power steering fluid in b/c it was completely empty took it for a quick run for about 1/4 mile then back home. Jacked it back up and looked for fluid on my dp.

Noticed it was up by the flex pipe section and also on the drop down but it didn't run down from the flex pipe. Question if the rack was leaking it wouldn't spray up there would it. Need to know asap the wife needs the car to go to work. Also do parts stores sell pre-bent line because I haven't found any that do.