Gotta change a PS pump tomorrow

[clovishound]

Power steering on my old Taurus started whining last week. Tried cleaning the strainer in the reservoir without success. Ordered the pump yesterday. It'll be in tomorrow.

Been looking at how to do this. Man I miss the days of RWD. Everything out in the open. No need for doing a rubic's cube plan for getting something in and out. Guess I'll need to flush the system after. Fluid looks pretty nasty.

I really hope there's no issue with the rack. I looked at the procedure for that. Have to lower the engine off the top mounts to get enough clearance to snake your arm up in there and remove a couple bolts and lines.

[Old Syko]

I wish you luck and hope you don't end up throwing good money after bad. Contamination is now also inside the rack and this didn't happen overnight. Usually if one goes the other goes soon after and destroys the other which is why it has always been suggested the pump and rack are changed together. Yes they are a pain to change and not cheap either.

[markiver54]

Don't forget, there is a pressure hose going to the pump!!

[fortyshooter]

Lots of luck! I have always done my own automotive work but now give up on the front drivers as it is a pain getting to most things.
I can't even see the drive belts on our 2011 Ford Edge and will let the dealer stealer do that.

[Old Syko]

Don't forget, there is a pressure hose going to the pump!!

Hoses are simple enough to rinse out with denatured alcohol or some quick drying solvent as long as they are unhooked on both ends but with them still attached to the rack it's another story. Back flushing through the proportioning valve in the rack seldom turns out well though.

[clovishound]

Got the new pump in Thurs. It whined and leaked like a sieve. Took it back down, checked and tightened all the fittings, still leaked like a sieve. A final try, I took it back down and used teflon tape on the high pressure hose connection. Still no joy.

Talked to the folks at the parts store, and got a replacement pump. Put it in yesterday. Quiet and leak free (so far).

Man I'm getting too old for this.

On a positive note, I've gotten very good at replacing power steering pumps on this engine.

[Old Syko]

I really hope it works out for ya. I just wanted to warn ya about the reputation the silly things have.

As to getting too old for such things, I still do my own stunts but in my case I've found I do a better class of work because I'm willing to take my time from the beginning.

[BigAl52]

Gettin to old I said that the last time I was crawling around on the floor in the garage changin oil on my 2014 Ford F-150. I cant believe someone couldnt figure out a better place to put an oil filter than where Ford put it on there ecoboost engines.

[markiver54]

Gettin to old I said that the last time I was crawling around on the floor in the garage changin oil on my 2014 Ford F-150. I cant believe someone couldnt figure out a better place to put an oil filter than where Ford put it on there ecoboost engines.

Was put there by design is my take. Used to do ALL my own maintenance.They collectively don't want us to be able to service our vehicles any more.

[Redthies]

Gettin to old I said that the last time I was crawling around on the floor in the garage changin oil on my 2014 Ford F-150. I cant believe someone couldnt figure out a better place to put an oil filter than where Ford put it on there ecoboost engines.

Try doing it on a 2014 Cummins 6.7... I have to remove the intake from airbox to turbo and it’s still a total pita. If I were a single man, I’d be driving a ‘92 W250 Cummins with a P-Pump. Almost the same power can be had as I have now, but with a one wire engine that you can work on with a Crescent wrench and a hammer.

Vehicles are for the most part (and I mean trucks/4x4s as I have no use for a car) much more comfortable to drive these days, but the complexity and short useful lifespan really suck. The real trick is calculating the cost/benefit ratio of old vs new. I’ve done both in the past 10 years, and old nickel and dime you to death vs new and the monthly payments. Pick your poison I guess.

Here’s hoping your PS pump stays quiet!

[BigAl52]

I have the Cummins in a 2006 3500. But its a piece of cake to take off the turbo intake to the airbox hose. Mark I have a 2016 Jeep thats a breeze to change oil in. Easy drain plug to get to and filter is on top of the motor.

[Old Syko]

I have the Cummins in a 2006 3500. But its a piece of cake to take off the turbo intake to the airbox hose. Mark I have a 2016 Jeep thats a breeze to change oil in. Easy drain plug to get to and filter is on top of the motor.

Buddy of mine has that same truck. Had to change the lift pump at somewhere over 400,000 and that was a year or so ago. Truck's about shot but the engine is just fine.

The Jeep is simple to service alright and with today's technology it doesn't have to be done nearly as often but wait until you need to change plugs (@ 100,000 miles) and you have to pull the plenum and all else off the top of the engine to get to them. Can't complain though cause there is nothing like a Jeep. Mine's a '14 and I love it.

Most who think things are more difficult to work on now than they used to be have simply forgotten what it used to be like and we don't cart our vehicles off to the yard at 100,000 miles nowadays either. Changing oil every 3,000 miles nowadays is a serious waste of time and money also. Today if we feel the need for a little more horsepower it's a simple matter of programming rather than spend thousands of dollars and countless hours revamping the mechanics.

[BigAl52]

Ours is a 2016 and my wife loves it. It only has 20K on it and it doesn't get driven much. Plug change could be a long ways away.

[clovishound]

Most who think things are more difficult to work on now than they used to be have simply forgotten what it used to be like and we don't cart our vehicles off to the yard at 100,000 miles nowadays either. Changing oil every 3,000 miles nowadays is a serious waste of time and money also. Today if we feel the need for a little more horsepower it's a simple matter of programming rather than spend thousands of dollars and countless hours revamping the mechanics.

I agree wholeheartedly that the cars last longer and require less frequent maintenance. I would have to say that the new cars are a nightmare to work on compared to the older ones. I could swap a transmission on my 65 Mustang in a little over half a day. My 91 Celica took 2 days with help.

A timing belt on my 72 Pinto was 20 minutes.

The biggest culprit in my opinion is FWD. There are now three major components crammed into the same space, or less, than one on a RWD. Add in the fact that things like A/C and PS were much less frequent. Also, everything requires an electrical connection these days.

[Old Syko]

I agree wholeheartedly that the cars last longer and require less frequent maintenance. I would have to say that the new cars are a nightmare to work on compared to the older ones. I could swap a transmission on my 65 Mustang in a little over half a day. My 91 Celica took 2 days with help.

A timing belt on my 72 Pinto was 20 minutes.

The biggest culprit in my opinion is FWD. There are now three major components crammed into the same space, or less, than one on a RWD. Add in the fact that things like A/C and PS were much less frequent. Also, everything requires an electrical connection these days.

I agree with everything you've said here but let me tell a little story. In the 90s I worked in a shop with a guy just a bit older than me who always complained about the new cars of the era and mostly about front wheel drive that was still relatively new. He constantly preached that the new stuff was nearly impossible to work on. We had a guy bring in a nicely restored 57 chevy with an engine problem and the engine was going to have to come out. The place that did the restoration certainly didn't know engine work but it sure looked like new on the outside. I gave the job to this guy and he just beamed and said it was right up his alley. Long story short, he could have pulled the engines out of 3 new cars in the time it took to pull that one and putting it back in was no easier. After that he still complained, I think out of habit, but with a different tone and I prodded him every chance I got from then on.