Steering problem
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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Steering problem
I have a 1998 F-150 4x4, 4.6 engine. Yesterday when I stopped my steering got real stiff and started to grind a bit. Sounds as if I have a bad power steering pump. I just replaced the belt a couple of weeks ago. So I put it in the garage picked up a new pump and tool to pull the pulley. Now when I got out into the garage this morning I see that I have a major leak. I got up underneath and started to investigate. What I see is the pump is totally dry, the lines are totally dry. But where the pitman arm (think that what its called) attaches to the steering box is where it looks as if the fluid is coming from. Is there fluid in the steering box? Maybe this is a dumb question but I'm not mechanic or anything like that. It looks as if it starts there. This is the highest point, and I don't see anything over top of this as far as a leak. I have two lines from my resevoir, one goes directly into the steering pump and the other comes out the pump on the bottom and runs overtop the box and back upto the resevoir, I think? It doesn't appear to go into the box.
Anyone with any advice I would certainly appreciate.
Thanks guys
Anyone with any advice I would certainly appreciate.
Thanks guys
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 356
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So there is fluid in the gearbox. I was just looking online and found that they do make a new seal kit for the pitman. Two questions, Is it worth it doing it that way or just replace the whole thing. Seal Kit $22.00 and the entire gearbox is $200.00. Two, how and where do I look to see if this has 8 or 9 splines. Maybe a dumb question but I don't know.
thanks
thanks
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
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the pump pushes the oil to the stering box. the high pressure applies more force than you can by hand so you get "power steering". the oil lruns out the other side of the grea box and back to the pump suction side. you can have a cooler or long steel tube wound around the axle area that acts as a cooler and storage for more oil.--- the rod sticking out thru the seal lis splined and the "arm" alignes to the splines. i did not know they had different models, but that is where the splines are..--- i would put a quart of oil back in the pump start up. turn the wheel while you watch. it is much more common for the steel fitting on the gear box to leak at threads, or the rubber line to fail or crack. seal is the last bet.
