[Radman]

I put a Mustang II style rack from Flaming River in my Tempest. I finally got it to the wheel alignment place and we were trying to bleed the rack tonight. We put fluid in the system and ran the steering from lock to lock a bunch of times. There was the normal burping air into the resevour. The parts that I am using are: GM remote resevour, a Borgeson pressure reducing kit (GM 1350psi, Ford rack 1000psi), and the Flaming River Mustang II style power rack and pinnion. Now here is where it got strange. When we hooked the pump belt up and started the car, the wheel would go from lock to lock by itself if you tried to stop the wheel from turning. You could not stop the motion, just slow it down. If you let go of the steering wheel it would jerk back and forth about 1/2 of a turn. I talked to the company. They said that the lines were on backwards, the lines should go from the pump to the input fitting marked pressure. We double checked the lines, they were correct, pump outlet to the pressure input. All of the symptoms said that we have the hoses on wrong. We switched the hoses, pump to the return fitting at the rack, the pressure fitting at the rack to the resevour. We cranked the steering back and forth lock to lock until we did not see any air bubbles. Then we started the engine. The steering worked, we could control the steering wheel, and it would sit and not turn by itself if you let go of it. We turned the wheel back and forth and got the normal air purging bumps and jerks at the wheel. Everything was starting to feel smooth and easy on the steering wheel. Then when the wheel was turned to the left lock, we had a loud pop and a huge cloud of smoke from power steering fluid hitting the header. The seal at the steering column entrance into the rack is blown.
I am calling the company tommorrow. Any other ideas or suggestions?

[GaryK]

Don - How do you knw if the pressure reducing kit was working? Why cant you use a Ford pump and fab brackets? Unless you just had a faulty seal.
Gary

[Radman]

Up-date on the rack. I called Flaming River warrenty department. They have given me an RMA number. The guy there said that the seal blowing out us always due to having the hoses hooked up backwards. I told him about the steering wheel moving by itself, and that I was told to reverse the hoses. And that after I reversed the hoses that the power steering worked properly for a short time. His statment was "I will tell them to check the valve assembley also. That should not have happened." Right now the car is on the way to the upholstery shop. When they are done, we will pull the rack and return it for the warrenty work. I will keep you posted.

[blueghoast]

Hurry up and wait, That sucks don't it.
Hope it works out well for ya.

GT.