rack and pinion steering problem

[kubtastic]

Ford Focus, maybe an '02,

Fluid leaks out of the rack system, through the boot. It drains the system in just minutes. Leaks without pressure as well.

My diagnosis is that the seal on the shaft that connects to the tie rod is shot. All I can find about this kind of system is that it is best to replace the entire unit. Thoughts? Re-man racks are over 200, pick-n-pull is under 100. Are those even worth the trouble? It still drives, but essentially no power steering. I think it'd be damaging the pump in the meantime while going dry.

 

[JohnX]

I would just get the reman and get it over with. Rebuilding a rack isn't worth the trouble and you will likely have to do it more than once to get it right. I use a company called Cardone that rebuilds them, although they might only be local?

And yes, you can damage the pump by running it dry for extended time. Do it asap.

 

[Matthew Currie]

If it's that new, you might check for service bulletins or hidden warranties, because steering racks are usually pretty long-lived. Assuming there's no obvious common fault with these particular racks, I'd opt for the junkyard unit, and if you've been running it like this for a while, you might consider throwing in another pump too. A junkyard pump should be in the 50 dollar range. I'm right now working on a Jetta for one of my kids that had a similar problem, though the leak was slower, caused by wear from a torn boot. When the pump runs dry, it can last a while, and may even pump pretty well, but the internal damage will make it noisy, and it won't get better.