1999 Sable High Pressure Power Steering Line Replacement

[DangSable 0]

Hi all,

I'm brand new here and I'm in need of some of your guy's expertise!

I've got a 1999 Mercury Sable, 3.0 DOHC, and it's gushing power steering fluid out of the high pressure line that runs from the pump, behind the back of the motor, to the rack and pinion.

I'm just going to replace the line, but I'm looking for the best way to do that. I really don't want to drop the subframe, so I'm hoping there is a way to do it without dropping it.

Any input is appreciated!!

Also, my apologies for posting this in the 2010 section, I wasn't paying attention. This is a re-post in the correct section.

[Bull Geek 812]

Oh it's a fun job, let me tell you...

First part of the job. Take off the wipers arms, take off the upper plastic cowling, then remove the wiper motor assembly, then remove the lower cowling. Now you have access to the steering rack

Next, remove the serpentine belt. Rent a pulley press/puller from your local Auto Parts store. Pull the old power steering pump pulley off.

Get a line wrench, IIRC it's 18mm, but don't quote me on that...break the bond at the pump. It may be 15mm. Next, position the line wrench on the high side pressure line fitting at the rack. Use the line wrench to break the bond there. Then use a stubby 18mm to finish taking the fitting of. Stubby wrench=work faster. There are three additional points where the line is held in place. One is on the alternator bolt/bracket, there's a bracket around the PS pressure line silencer that holds it down on the alternator bracket. Get 2 ford carpet push pins, because now you are going to break two of them. Remove the metal heat shield positioned next to the rack. Now you will need to remove the 2 bolts holding the 2 brackets that shape the line. 8mm or 10mm I forget. I had to work underneath and up on top of the motor to get these off. Then remove the hose.

Advance Auto had the correct hose for a 96-2000 for under $70 with the plastic o-rings already installed using a coupon code from retailmenot.com and I picked the hose up in store. However, I drilled the rivets out of the old motorcraft pressure hose and swapped out the brackets with rubber isolators to the new one. The new ones were metal only...I feared with time/age the pressure line would rupture if the hose is rubbing on metal constantly.

Hope this helps. Also a good time to vacuum the 90000000000000 leaves behind the wiper motor when you remove it, it'll prevent it from rotting out. I lined the underside of the cowling with screening so I won't have leaves going back in there ever again!

[DangSable 0]

So there is really enough room to weave that thing around the motor with the subframe still in?

[Bull Geek 812]

Heck yea! From the mounting point on the alternator, all the way back to the connection on the rack is rubber hose!

The cowling makes it look like there's no room. Taking all the cowling out gives you the room you need.

[DangSable 0]

Awesome. Thank you!!!

[Bull Geek 812]

Oh ya, and switch over the power steering pressure switch w/o-ring to the new line if it doesn't come with one and reclip the harness!

good luck, keep us posted on how it goes!

[tomykoz 1]

thanks for this info Nick!.....really saved me a ton of time trying to get my rack and pinion out without dropping the sub frame.......havent got the rack out just yet but got the shield/the hose clamp bolts out....... power steering lines going to try tomorrow....i gotta research which size wrench to use and go buy it......but thanks again....your guidance saved me hours.sincerely,tom

Edited November 14, 2016 by tomykoz

[Bull Geek 812]

18mm stubby for the lines. Broke lines loose with big wrench then used stubby as no swing room otherwise. Use line wrench to break loose.

[tomykoz 1]

thanks for the info.

[lynb362002 0]

Yeah, just finished pulling out this line myself. What they always tell you is simply: Replace in opposite order of the way you took it out!

You mean, when I replace it, no spitting, cussing, cursing Henry Ford to Hell. And when my wife offers me iced tea in the middle of it, don't scream at her "I should've married your sister!" Because, THAT is opposite of the way I pulled this line out.

I bought the 18 mm flare wrench, and good thing cause that sucker was tight. Then (As most wrench sets go from 17-19mm) I used a cheap 19mm that I cut in half to use as a stubby. Just, unlike me, be careful pulling it out, and in the long run I found it easiest to pull the back up out of the tray first, then pried the line from pump down, wiggled it down, while going back to right side and lifting up, back to left side, pull down, so on, until I wiggled it all out. (Had to pull rack side out from under flex houses just by prying it over with big screwdriver from the top.) It was a pain, but would've been easier if I had never just tried pulling on it to start with. Gotta finesse it out.

Also to get front tab loose, had to use a wobble-joing with 1/2 inch deep well (Or 13mm) 6 inch extension, at an angle. They put it too close to dang firewall.

Gonna go finesse the new one back in now. Better call Flowers.com first and get those on the way for the wife.

[REDTRUCKCHASER 340]

1 hour ago, lynb362002 said:

And when my wife offers me iced tea in the middle of it, don't scream at her "I should've married your sister!" Because, THAT is opposite of the way I pulled this line out.

You're lucky you're not sleeping in the back seat of the sable....

[Brian_05_SEL 1409]

3 hours ago, REDTRUCKCHASER said:

You're lucky you're not sleeping in the back seat of the sable....

We don't know that he isn't...