Taurus Power Steering Fluid FOAMING

[autobuff]

OK, so my Taurus decided to deconstruct at 80,000 miles. Just had transmission rebuilt, now check engine light is on, yesterday the PS pump started squealing like my mother in law when you put a plate of macaroni and cheese in front of her.

Checked the PS pump and the fluid is foaming. I have never seen this before. Any ideas as to the cause? If power steering pump needs replaced does removal entail removing pulley and then removing pump? Any idea what puller I would need? And I guess I would need an installer as well?

Does the Ford power steering pump/system require flushing? Seems the service department at Century Ford in Mt. Airy MD do not believe that flushing the PS system needs be done. However I have seen info on the web that anticpiates doing this.

Any help with this would be appreciated.

[Dan_in_WA]

If the fluid level in the pump gets too low, the pump will aerate it and cause the foam you're seeing. Let it set overnight, then check the level when cold. Add fluid as necessary.

Check for PS fluid leaks. It's going somewhere! Can you see it on the ground?

[pctoyou]

Ok, lets start with the foaming... if you fill the power sterring pump to full, when you shut off the vehicle, does the pump overflow? Foaming of most 97-2002 Taurus and Sable is a slow leak within the rack and pinion unit that is very hard to detect as the bellows of this particular rack can hold a quart of fluid each and swell to larger sizes as well! Air then enters the power steerign system, causing a compression within the power steering lines that forces the fluid to foam and overflow from the system, usually through the power steering pump resorvoir cap. Let me know if itr is overflowing or just foaming please.
--thomas

[SinASCII]

I have this same exact problem, I tried changing the power steering pump, and it still does the same thing. I bled the lines and it seemed ok for a while(about 5 miles), then it started foaming and making the noise again, brought it in to a shop, and they put pluid in and bled it, like I already did, charged me 89.99 and it did the same thing about 5 miles down the road. Air has to be getting in there some how, whats the best way to find out where it's coming from. I read the response about the rack and pinion, and this is why I am writing. mine foams while running, you can look in resevoir and watch fluid cycle thru and see it begin to foam after a minute or so, if you add fluid noise seems to go down, but then you have to much fluid in there and it comes out the top, I have looked under car and there is never any fluid leaking on floor. Would like to fix myself and save the bucks, but am about ready to bring it in. I would appreciate any help as well. will watch for response. Thanks.