Power steering fluid?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 182
Likes: 1
From: Statesboro, GA
Power steering fluid?
I blew the pressure line fitting at the pump turning tight into a parking spot. What fluid goes back in our trucks? I hear Mercon V ATF, just verifying since my cap says "Power steering fluid ".
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 182
Likes: 1
From: Statesboro, GA
I understand that Mercon/Dextron and Mercon V are not interchangeable.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,109
Likes: 1,538
From: western SD
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 182
Likes: 1
From: Statesboro, GA
Shouldn't there be some sort of excess pressure bypass or something so you can't blow a hose when you crank the wheel? Just wondering if there's something going on with my truck that caused this to happen.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 664
Likes: 129
From: Columbia, MD
Probably not "excessive" pressure, just age and metal fatigue. The high-pressure line has a coolant loop on it, and much of the loop is cantilevered off the pump fitting. So movement from vibration concentrates at the pump fitting, the tube fatigues over time, and finally cracks there.
Hard-over wheel may have blown an already-damaged line that was just looking for an excuse to let go, but unlikely you got an out-of-spec pressure spike that blew an intact line.
Unlike rusty brake lines, this failure point probably won't show any signs on a visual inspection. Probably a good idea to replace the high-pressure side if you think it's still original, before a failure. Mine blew from fatigue, and I recollect hearing of a couple of others.
Hard-over wheel may have blown an already-damaged line that was just looking for an excuse to let go, but unlikely you got an out-of-spec pressure spike that blew an intact line.
Unlike rusty brake lines, this failure point probably won't show any signs on a visual inspection. Probably a good idea to replace the high-pressure side if you think it's still original, before a failure. Mine blew from fatigue, and I recollect hearing of a couple of others.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 182
Likes: 1
From: Statesboro, GA
The failure was the fitting right at the pump on the pressure hose when I was cranking it againt the bump stops to get into a tight parking spot. Cars usually "bump" off the bump stops when you go full lock before something gives way like this.
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 664
Likes: 129
From: Columbia, MD
Wheel hard over against the bump stops did drive up your line pressure, but my point is that this would not have blown an intact line or fitting. The design concentrates stress from vibration at the pump fitting, so over use the line and fitting there weaken. Somewhat like bending a paperclip until it breaks. In your case, wheel against the stops was enough extra pressure to finally pop the weakened part. Mine let loose in normal highway driving on a curvy road. My thought when I got a look at the part after replacement was "that's a fatigue failure waiting to happen". It's not a pressure relief issue, it's the line and fitting weakening until they can no longer hold designed pressure.
But the other thing to consider is, 20 years and a couple of hundred thousand miles or so of service on a pressure part, maybe not so much to complain about. I advocate replacing the high pressure steering line if it is suspected to be original, before it fails.
But the other thing to consider is, 20 years and a couple of hundred thousand miles or so of service on a pressure part, maybe not so much to complain about. I advocate replacing the high pressure steering line if it is suspected to be original, before it fails.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bob Crain
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
5
May 19, 2005 04:59 PM