Car question: UPDATE :(

[episodic]

Update:

Well today power steering fluid continued to leak at a horrible rate. Thing was I never could see anything leaking. I know that this means there must be a pressure leak. I take it to a mechanic who put it on a rack.

They walked all underneath and could find NOTHING. They were ready to call me a kook, and let it down when all of the sudden *POP & WOOSH* at least a quart of fluid 'BLEW' out of the rack and pinion seal.


So in short - I have to have the entire rack and pinion replaced - much worse than just a powersteering pump. Just the part is over 300 dollars. Labor is rated at like 5-6 hours.

I HATE CARS!!!

As soon as I get through being licensed I'm moving to a city with good public transportation and never spending another dime on one.



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1999 Ford Taurus.

Power Steering started whining 2 days ago. Checked the pump - fluid was really low.


Filled with fluid - whining did not go away.


I cant see a leak anywhere near the pump. Where else could it be leaking from? I drove a while and parked on clean concrete and did not find any drips either - odd.

I put some stop leak in it.

In the mean time the whine went away (right before the power steering completly failed).

I dont have the money to get this fixed now.

Can I drive it without hurting anything else? I have the ability to manhandle the steering wheel till I can afford it. I just want to make sure that I am not breaking something by doing that.

Thanks

 

[DainBramaged]

Well it sounds like your power steering system is already FUBAR so I would keep driving it but that is just because I have no money and would just risk it.

 

[episodic]

What I'm asking I guess, if I keep driving it, am I going to damage any other components?

Ok - so the pump is out - I need to replace that. If I drive without the pump will I end up having to replace other things too?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Shouldn't hurt anything. Only issue is that the gearing in a power steering rack has much less mechanical advantage than in a manual rack, which makes it more difficult to turn the wheel.

ZV

EDIT: If the pump died, there may well be other problems. But just driving it without the pump won't hurt things.

 

[episodic]

One more question.

If I am going to drive it a while without the pump working I want to know the following.

Every time I drive it a few miles about a pint of fluid is disappearing. Buying a jug of powersteering fluid is gonna get expensive if I have to do it everytime I go somewhere.

So what I want to know is if the pump isn't working does it hurt anything to just let it run dry? Will it hurt the rack and pinion or whatever other parts there are?

 

[NutBucket]

Running the pump dry is the fastest way you can ruin it. Is there any way you can disconnect the belt?

 

[Toastedlightly]

Head to a junkyard and find a used replacement, install it yourself... profit!

I would take off the belt of the pump (if possible) if it won't connect anything else. Just better safe than sorry.

 

[episodic]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Running the pump dry is the fastest way you can ruin it. Is there any way you can disconnect the belt?

I don't know it is a serpentine belt.

The PUMP is already ruined. I just want to make sure nothing else gets ruined if it runs dry.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Shouldn't hurt anything. Only issue is that the gearing in a power steering rack has much less mechanical advantage than in a manual rack, which makes it more difficult to turn the wheel.

ZV

EDIT: If the pump died, there may well be other problems. But just driving it without the pump won't hurt things.

yeah but it will be nearly impossible. you gotta have some seriously manly arms to drive a power steering car with broken power steering.

 

[episodic]

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly
Head to a junkyard and find a used replacement, install it yourself... profit!

I would take off the belt of the pump (if possible) if it won't connect anything else. Just better safe than sorry.

I have no idea how to do mechanical work and lack tools. I just am not the mechanical type. How I wish I were.

The only time I ever tried to fix something myself, I ended up having to call the wrecker to come get it.

I'm so broke it is pathetic

 

[Ornery]

Yep, remove the belt, but I can't believe you can actually drive it that way. Manhandle is an understatement!

I'm so broke it is pathetic...

That's the reason I learned to do my own work. Being broke will do that!

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Shouldn't hurt anything. Only issue is that the gearing in a power steering rack has much less mechanical advantage than in a manual rack, which makes it more difficult to turn the wheel.

ZV

EDIT: If the pump died, there may well be other problems. But just driving it without the pump won't hurt things.

yeah but it will be nearly impossible. you gotta have some seriously manly arms to drive a power steering car with broken power steering.

Free workout? Who needs the gym when you can get completely ripped manhandling your car into parking spaces?

 

[thechinesehero]

just buy a new car

 

[Vette73]

I would not drive it. You will only add more junk to the fluid and that can damage the rack and/or lines in the process. A power steering pump is not that hard a job. pump is about $50 or so and another $4 for a quart of fluid.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Shouldn't hurt anything. Only issue is that the gearing in a power steering rack has much less mechanical advantage than in a manual rack, which makes it more difficult to turn the wheel.

ZV

EDIT: If the pump died, there may well be other problems. But just driving it without the pump won't hurt things.

yeah but it will be nearly impossible. you gotta have some seriously manly arms to drive a power steering car with broken power steering.

Thanks for the compliment, but it's not THAT hard.

I even parallel parked it every day

Running the pump dry WILL kill it quickly. However, depending on your leak, sometimes you can get away with driving for a while...like, it will leak until the pressure drops below a certain amount, then it will stop leaking (and stop working) even though there is still enough fluid in the system to keep the pump from dying.

 

[episodic]

Ok, some ppl seem confused.

The pump is connected now.

The pump does NOT work at all now.

Somewhere (I can't find it for the life of me) I am leaking fluid.

The local mechanics told me that not only do I need a the power steering pump replaced (at around 200$ cost) that I will probably need to replace the entire rack and pinion due to the fact that is where it is 'probably' leaking from. They said this is expensive.

I am more than strong enough to steer the car - been doing it for 2 days now.

What I want to know is if the BROKEN PUMP goes dry - will anything ELSE break?


I've already put almost a quart of stop leak through it. No effect.
Thanks!

 

[BobDaMenkey]

Originally posted by: episodic
Ok, some ppl seem confused.

The pump is connected now.

The pump does NOT work at all now.

Somewhere (I can't find it for the life of me) I am leaking fluid.

The local mechanics told me that not only do I need a the power steering pump replaced (at around 200$ cost) that I will probably need to replace the entire rack and pinion due to the fact that is where it is 'probably' leaking from. They said this is expensive.

I am more than strong enough to steer the car - been doing it for 2 days now.

What I want to know is if the BROKEN PUMP goes dry - will anything ELSE break?


I've already put almost a quart of stop leak through it. No effect.
Thanks!

It shouldn't because of that. But it is a Ford, so it's hard to tell. (Pop shot at american cars, sorry)

Seriously, nothing else should be affected by that. It's like asking if my A/C breaks is it okay to keep driving the car? Yes, it's a seperate system that only makes life better and easier for the driver/occupants.

You'll just get stronger Might break your will to park though.

 

[getbush]

Trade it for a corolla.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I'd just be worried about the pump locking up running dry and taking the belt with it. There is probably a way to bypass it with a shorter belt with a little redneck engineering.

 

[nodoubts2k]

correct me if im wrong, but couldnt he not take the pump off anyway? If his car (dunno much about the taurus) has the belt connected to the pump and alternator and crank, then wouldnt he have to get a new belt in order to remove it?

 

[episodic]

update bump

 

[Vette73]

15 or 16 inch wheels?

rack is not to bad to replace on that car.

 

[episodic]

15 inch


The rack is like right at 300 with tax, and the labor I'm getting quoted from EVERYWHERE is about 300$.

 

[mchammer]

Well if the pump and rack are already broken then there is nothing else left to go bad. So drive it until you have the money. Perhaps you can get some by entering arm wrestling competitioons

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: episodic
15 inch


The rack is like right at 300 with tax, and the labor I'm getting quoted from EVERYWHERE is about 300$.

If i did it it would be around $350 for the parts and labor for the rack.

But if you do it, it would only be a little under $200 for the rack and other small items (fluid anf such)