Manager Forum

My father in law owns a reconditioning shop. He has put 4 pumps on this Taurus. 2 from Auto Zone and 2 from NAPA. All leak out the front seal before the car gets out the drive. Steering operates fine and there is no pump whine. He is using an installation tool, not a hammer to install the pulley. I have never heard of this condition. I do know the pump is of the earlier style with the plastic reservoir on the back side of the pump.

Motocraft

Maybe something in the rack or a kinked hose. I don't know how the relief valve is setup on those, but if there is something restricting the pressure, the front seal will be the path of least resistance.

Well, I'd be checking the pressure output of the pump before I install another one just to make sure there isn't a restriction somewhere. And, I do not like to reflect on any parts suppliers but I will not use the brands named above, There is better options than those, the dealer being one of them.

Well I'll pass this on to him. I have never seen front seals leak at this rate. I will get a pressure reading and get back with you.

Yea, if a pressure test is ok, then we have to assume that the pumps you are getting are faulty. By the way, pressure reading for a 95 Taurus is 150 psi at idle. Relief valve will open at 1450-1500 psi. Not sure what year you have but that is the specs for a 95 model.

Come to find out he decided to blow air through the lines in order to check for a restriction. There was a tiny hole squirting fluid at the bottom of shaft! New hose and no leak.

That's funny. So the seals were fine all along. Never would have guessed.

I worked for Ford for 12 years. Rebuilt racks and pumps until they decided to send assemblies. There is very little pressure on that seal, but when you hire $8.00/hour high school kids it's the best lesson they can learn.
Thanks for the input guys.

neat at least it was simple