Windstar steering line fitting dilemma

Hello, I have a 1998 Ford Windstar 3.8L.

The dilemma is this. I pulled the power steering lines out to fix a leak. I thought it was the pressure line leaking, but it turned out to be the low side line. Easy fix, then upon reinstall, ran into problems. There was no problem installing the high line on the upper fitting hole of the rack, but the lower fitting for the low line didn't want to cooperate. It came out easy enough, no problems, but didn't want to start when reinstalling. After trying for a while, it finally started and I threaded it slowly until it stopped....... HALFWAY! It popped out with a little bit of the rack's threads, just a little though. For some reason, it crossthreaded. I didn't force it and took my time, but it still resulted in this.

Being under the car in a tight and compromising position, trying to wiggle in tight spaces, didn't make this any easier. I pulled out the line and the male fitting portion of the threaded line is near perfect. I can't see in the female portion, but it didn't appear to take out much threadwise. After trying to install it again, it will only thread down real tight halfway and I fugred out that wasn't going to cut it after starting it and seeing the fluid come out.

So the reason of my post is simple. Does anyone have any tricks of the trade to help me with this. I was thinking of trying to tap the female rack hole. It's dicey anyway you slice it. But a reman rack is not the way I want to go, yet nice to know it's only a hundred or two although it looks not so fun to install that thing. Any real world ideas would be greatly appreciated because I'm mulling over my options/possibilities.

Thanks.

I don't have any tricks for you. I would suggest that the damage may have been done by whoever installed the hoses before you. Its tempting to overtighten those fittings. They are o-ring fittings and don't require much torque (at least, this is so on my '99). If they were previously overtightened, the rack threads could be fractured and misshapened.

Like you suggest, a new rack won't be so bad. Be sure to try the hose connections before installing the new rack just to see if they fit up OK.

A new rack is do-able, but it's the $$ issue. I may try removing the high pressure line and trying THAT fitting in the lower hole, as I believe they are the same size. Equivelant to trying to clean out the female portion of the rack if it works. So far, it doesn't appear to be cracked on the rack, just dinged inside the female threads. That is the only option I can think of since I don't have a tap to fit the 16mil by 1.5 metric orifice.

I pulled both hoses off and threaded the known good pressure hose on the low side to do as I said above and clean the female portion of the rack low side orifice. To my surprise, it went in without a hitch. The whole time, I was waiting for it to stop halfway, but it didn't and went fully in and bottomed out. The low side fitting has an ever so slight ding halfway, but I didn't think it would be of any consequence since it was almost nil. Apparently, it may be playing a part in that dreaded threaded issue. I'm going to get another end and see what we have.

On a side note, when I pulled the pressure hose out of it's normal hole, a flattened plastic looking overworn O-ring came out with it. I'm guessing an O-ring sits down in the rack hole and seats the fitting. It might not be a bad idea to get two new ones of these and insert them first.

By the time you see this ,the problem might be solved. First thing I did was to cut the low pressure tube about 5" from the rack.This allowed me to get the correct angle to screw in the fitting.Prior to that I removed as much fluid as I could on the rack threads,and used a little J B weld on the threads and screwed it into the rack. I then used a brass compression fitting to put the line back together.You don't have a lot of room to work with,but it can be done . The time it takes to tighten the compression fitting is forever,but it beat dropping the rack,and it worked for me. Bob in Wichita

By the time you see this ,the problem might be solved. First thing I did was to cut the low pressure tube about 5" from the rack.This allowed me to get the correct angle to screw in the fitting.Prior to that I removed as much fluid as I could on the rack threads,and used a little J B weld on the threads and screwed it into the rack. I then used a brass compression fitting to put the line back together.You don't have a lot of room to work with,but it can be done . The time it takes to tighten the compression fitting is forever,but it beat dropping the rack,and it worked for me. Bob in Wichita

Thanks Bob. Yes I got that line on a few months ago. What I did was splice the lowside line and I too also did it about 6 inches from the rack, repaired the leak and got a few other line end pieces from the boneyard. They screwed in just right. Must be the original one just got fubared too much to reuse. But, as I have in another thread, I was experiencing the darn line blowing off. Wasn't sure if I had swapped the lines around by mistake when reinserting them into the rack. I couldn't find any diagrams identifying which hole on the rack was for which line. I called around to a local dealer, but they didn't have anything identifiable either. Just that the guy thought the high pressure line was the lower port on the rack and that went up front down around to the cooler. Now I'm searching what is the correct routing because I've been under it more times than I'd like to and am quickly becoming a pro at removing and reatatching the power steering lines. It's easy enough to do now, I just need to identify which line goes where, from rack to front or pump etc.

If you could somehow get under and look exactly where each goes from rack to top/pump/cooler, I'd be extremely greatful.

I took a look in my shop manual (section 211), ....the upper port is the "in" port ... I assume the line most direct from the pump.

Wonder why Ford couldn't have used two different size fittings here. ??

I took a look in my shop manual (section 211), ....the upper port is the "in" port ... I assume the line most direct from the pump.

Wonder why Ford couldn't have used two different size fittings here. ??


Why make things easy.

If I read you right, the top port of the rack, the "in", goes to the top of the pump, correct? I believe that is the way I have it. And I have the bottom fitting in the rack, going right up along to the pump but goes right past and down under the front to the cooler. So then I assume on the rack, the upper is the high and the lower is the low. I've repaired the line numerous times, but it still kept blowing off, too much pressure. I may get a new line and try it. Thanks for looking it up.

I think you have it correct. Your rack may have damaged hose fitting threads ... and may never stand up to the pressures.

I think you have it correct. Your rack may have damaged hose fitting threads ... and may never stand up to the pressures.

Sorry, just to clarify. It wasn't blowing off at the fitting, but where I spliced the metal line and inserted rubber hose. Even double clamping only6 held it a few days. I did flare one side and clamp it on. Shoulda done the other side too, but didn't. The repaired piece is part plastic too and I'm just going to get a new section of low pressure side hose to make it easier than making, forming and bending to a new line.

OK... now I understand

Might be that you just need the flare in the metal line, as you mention.
On my '96, which had the resevoir mounted onto the side of the pump, it was very obvious which one was high pressure, metal line mounted into the pump, and which one was low pressure hose mounted into the bottom of the resevoir.

Another person.....in another post this week mentioned not knowing which line was which on the rack.....and switched them......and he said that the steering wheel was shaking when he started it up.......so he knew that he had it wrong.
The alldata diagram, for the '96, looks like the high pressure line is higher of the 2 on the rack, but the diagram was not clear enough for me to rely on it completely.....as their diagrams have been incorrect in the past.

Thanks to all for the info,I switched the lines,and there was no doubt about it... The steering wheel started turning from left to right so violently I could not hold it... Another note,there is a check valve in the Hi Pressure line at the rack.

Thanks again
Bob in Wichita

Nice to see all the responses. What I plan to do now, is get a new low side line, because the repaired one has metal, plastic and rubber. Might as well get the new piece in and be done with it. It's always about money though. The new replacement has just rubber and metal, no plastic. Atleast when I get that one in, there will be no doubt to whether it is still leaking or not and can continue, if needed, from there.

It is surprising that we can't find a specific diagram anywhere noting which port is which exactly. I can't be the first person to be unsure, nor the last. But, if it shakes when misinstalled, then I must have it on right. Doesn't hurt to double check though.

I appreciate all the responses and will update when I get a chance to repair/replace the line. I've been sick for the last two weeks. Tis the season. Merry Christmas to all.