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96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer


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Rael
User

Nov 2, 2022, 1:39 PM

Post #1 of 9 (3071 views)
96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

I will try and make this brief. Had major electrical issue lost all power - friend said he would tow it home. 12 foot tow chain and he obviously didn't know how to chain tow. I had about 10 feet between us and all I could see was the back of his big 4x4 tailgate - on country roads and he was doing 35-40 MPH I kept trying to signal him to pull over but he could not even feel my little truck behind him and he was not looking in his mirror, he was watching his rear camera to see the chain. I was going to eat the back of his truck. I kept trying to signal by tapping the brakes but no luck at all - I attempted to stop him again no luck - he couldn't even feel me back there. By the time I did finally get him to back down and pull over there was blue smoke coming from the drivers tire. I assume now I had to do a brake job. Fixed the electrical issue now as soon as I started moving the truck in the driveway if I turn the wheel either direction it shakes really bad but only when turning. going straight seems to be fine. I was thinking I will have to replace brakes and possibly a warped pressure plate. I just went to jack the truck up and the minute I started jacking it up fluid started a major drip drip drip from the steer boot? It could be power steering fluid or brake fluid? Anyone's best guess on this. I dropped it back down for the moment to stop the major leak in the driveway.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 2, 2022, 1:59 PM

Post #2 of 9 (3068 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

If fluid is draining from the steering boot you have a big problem.

First the boot shouldn't have any holes in it to leak from so that's one thing. The other is if there is fluid in there it means it has leaked past the seals in the Rack and Pinion and it needs a new rack.

Just make sure it didn't just spill out of the reservoir above. It's common to pump fluid out the reservoir when you are moving the steering with the engine not running.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Rael
User

Nov 2, 2022, 2:06 PM

Post #3 of 9 (3065 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

Thanks I will check it


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 2, 2022, 2:09 PM

Post #4 of 9 (3063 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

Your title refers to a steering stabilizer but your description describes a Rack and Pinion. Please clarify that.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Rael
User

Nov 2, 2022, 2:37 PM

Post #5 of 9 (3060 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

Sorry, I have never worked on any type of steering issue and not sure of the correct terminology. I is the boot shown in this picture.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 2, 2022, 2:40 PM

Post #6 of 9 (3058 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

Yep, that is the Rack and Pinion. Make sure that's actually where it leaked from.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Rael
User

Nov 2, 2022, 4:28 PM

Post #7 of 9 (3047 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

I will have to check it tomorrow - the power steer fill is right above that and it does look as if there is fluid on the outside of it. Someone told me that since that wheel/brake heated to the point it had blue smoke coming from it before I got him to stop that it may have heated the power steering lines vaporizing the fluid and possible forcing it back up into the reservoir and out the top. Do you have any thought on that??


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 2, 2022, 4:34 PM

Post #8 of 9 (3045 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

No, that's totally wrong.

It is very normal for the fluid to back up through the filler when the wheels are turned without the engine running.

Just clean up the mess and refill the fluid. You gotta stop listening to these people and Dr. Google.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Rael
User

Nov 2, 2022, 4:42 PM

Post #9 of 9 (3042 views)
Re: 96 Ford Explorer 2wd 4.0 fluid coming from steering stabilizer Sign In

Yeah you have a point there LOL - Just never dealt with anything like this. I was pulling and rebuilding engines back in the 70's but as I got older it was easier to pay someone to do it - I no longer have that luxury. The vehicle was chain towed with the engine off for about 4 miles or so, so that could explain the fluid. It didn't appear to be dripping until I started jacking it up. Could have been sitting on top of the boot and I changed the angle. Hope so.






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