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Mercury sable(99) - Bleed power steering

iwannadie

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Gilbert, Az
I replaced the high pressure line on my moms sable and refilled the fluid and I tried bleeding it. I first with the car off, ignition on, wheels off the ground and worked the steering lock to lock for a minute or so. Checked the fluid and it didn't go down at all. Then, disabled the ignition, cranked the motor for a few seconds and fluid still didn't go down much if any. Had someone start it and turn it right back off, it sucked the fluid dry instantly. I refilled and we started it again and worked the wheels, fluid bubbled a lot. We let it run for a few minutes working the steering but it never really stopped bubbling / foaming.

Is there a different way to bleed the fluid on this thing? Should it be fine and work the air out on its own? Will it damage the pump with that much air trapped in it?
 
I replaced the rack in an older Taurus we had, and I remember it taking a while. The lines are rather long, up and down over the engine. Typically, the pump needs to be running in order for the fluid to push the air out. Have the front wheels off the ground, just to keep from over-working the system. Start the engine, and turn the wheel gently lock to lock, and most of the air should come up into the pump. Keep an eye on the fluid level, and listen to the pump as you go back and forth. The bubbles will diminish, and for the next few days, drive it normally, checking the fluid often. Fords tend to be over-boosted, hence the pump works harder than some other brands.
 
Ugh steering on Tauruses/Sables. I had a leaky rack and every few weeks, the power steering would "explode" PS fluid all over the exhaust manifold. That would send me scrambling for the fire extinguisher and trying to figure out where the ps fluid cap went.

Mine never caught fire, but my uncle's girlfriend had a Taurus that did the same thing. That one ended up burning to the ground at a gas station from a PS fluid explosion.
 
Scary stuff, I decided to replace the pump, it is pretty cheap and with all the racket the old pump is making it can't last much longer. I got a fresh pump that I installed a new pulley on the other day sitting on my bench waiting to go in. I read a bunch of people having a nightmare of a time putting the pulley on. I even saw a few guys said the sanded down the pulley shaft to get it to fit. Mine went on just fine with a pulley installer and some muscle. It is a tight fit but it should be ha.

I really don't like these cars though, the fitting on the new line was an 11/16th and everything I read online confirmed that size. Well, the fitting on the old line at the rack would not take an 11/16th wrench at all, the wrench was just a hair to tight. I could force it on but it took a lot to get the wrench on and still didn't fit on fully. I tried 5 different 11/16th wrenches including a flare nut wrench that I intended to use. I think I ended up using a 17mm(may have been 18mm I am forgetting now) and it was the best fit but still loose. I was scared to round off that fitting and it is in the worst possible place to try and reach but I got it broken loose thankfully. The 3 mounting straps on the pressure line were all 3 different size bolts too of course.

Back to the bleeding, the new pump gives no specifics on anything special to bleed the system. They claim just normal driving will expel any trapped air.
 
I replaced the high pressure line on my moms sable and refilled the fluid and I tried bleeding it. I first with the car off, ignition on, wheels off the ground and worked the steering lock to lock for a minute or so. Checked the fluid and it didn't go down at all. Then, disabled the ignition, cranked the motor for a few seconds and fluid still didn't go down much if any. Had someone start it and turn it right back off, it sucked the fluid dry instantly. I refilled and we started it again and worked the wheels, fluid bubbled a lot. We let it run for a few minutes working the steering but it never really stopped bubbling / foaming.

Is there a different way to bleed the fluid on this thing? Should it be fine and work the air out on its own? Will it damage the pump with that much air trapped in it?

I work as a mech and i replaced one of them today. Listen to the tank when the car starts. Make sure it doesn't sound like it is draining all the fluids and replace with air. Pour some in while the car is running so the fluids can caught up. takes about half qt to fill new high pressure line.
 
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