PS Pressure Hose

theterminator93

theterminator93

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1997 Thunderbird 4.6, 1998 Mark VIII LSC
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When I replaced the PS pump on the Mark 2-1/2 years ago, the seal inside the nut (not the teflon seal, the unserviceable O-ring inside) at the pump got mangled a bit and has had a very slow leak since. The underside of the K-member on that side of the engine has had a thin coating of PS fluid (ATF) on it and I catch a whiff of it burning off the exhaust every once in a while. The leak is so slow I've yet to notice much of a change on the fluid level in the reservoir, but it still bugs me and I finally bought a new pressure hose off RA ($4 in the clearance bin!) last week. The question now is how long will I procrastinate until I install it... :rofl:

This is new territory for me, but I've repeatedly read tales of how rack replacement is a nightmare because of how hard it is to get at the pressure hose at the rack. If all I'm doing is replacing the hose without needing to remove the rack, how much pain and suffering am I really signing up for? Can I do it in an afternoon without K-member lowering or lifting the engine?
 
It can definitely be done in an afternoon. It should only take about an hour, but it will be a miserable hour. Get yourself a crows foot, a flex head ratchet, a short extension (like 1-2”) and a stubby wrench. If I remember correctly, the nut is a 17mm. Break it loose with the crows foot on the extension, then work it loose with the stubby wrench until you can spin it the rest of the way off by hand. Also make sure when going back together that you do the rack side of the line first. If you first start the pump side, the bends in the line will make it hard to get the threads started, you’ll be cursing and throwing things trying to get it in place while ATF drips down your arm!
 
Agreed. It has been a few years, but I recall the crows foot and stubby wrench being key. I think I unbolted the rack and dropped it down a bit. I did not lower the subframe or raise the engine. It's not that bad of a job, but it does take some patience.
 
The steering rack is a bitch, you can't get your hands on the fittings. I'd pay someone.
 
It is a royal PIA, yes, but you can do it.
 
The pressure hose to the elbow isn’t that bad, it’s the elbow to the rack that sucks the most(and also the part that makes the rack replacement suck), but if your just replacing the line itself it’s dare I say no worse than changing the oil filter, I actually get at it from the top, moving the fuse box out of the way
 
Yeah I don't think I need to replace the elbow. I'll have to take a closer look at it with everyone's suggestions in mind. :)
 
Ah, eh... I'm the optimist. I've done 2 dozen of these racks and PS hoses. I keep a shorty box end wrenches handy for this job. If I recall corectly, the factory PS hose has an 18mm hex. The aftermarket ones have 17mm.
I've always removed the PS pulley. Remove the oil filter for some room. If you are not changing the elbow it's not horrible.

I've removed several of these racks with the factory elbow still attached. The pain in the ass there is the fact that the aftermarket version of the elbow is not EXACTLY the same. It's a hair longer in an Inconvienent direction. So all the aftermarket elbow parts i've encountered you simply cannot install the elbow first then install the rack. Unless of course you want to cut a path in the subframe. Which I have actually done on 2 cars. not really that big of a deal.

All that said. I've done a bunch of these pressure hoses. Even in Mark8's. Spent about 90 minutes tops. Just have your PS puller kit ready to go and the shorty combo wrenches.
 
I would also advise being carful with removing the PS pulley. When I did my rack I had leaks under pressure and needed to remove the pulley multiple times to tighten everything up. Then the pump started leaking at the shaft seal. :bangwall:
 
The puller I have doesn't put any pressure on the pump seal at all.
 
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