RE: TV Question for the Mechanics

[Miss-Teri]

 
I m about to pull my hair out!  We are supposed to leave for Florida on the 29th of this month, and I m starting to wonder if it s going to happen.
 
 We have a  99 Ford Windstar minivan.  I took it into the shop because I would occasionally hear a " clunk" ing sound, sort of like I was running something over.  They test drove it, then looked at it and found a bolt that was loose and they tightened it up for no charge.  As I drove off, my power steering which had always made a slight humming sound was sounding much louder.  I was thinking that I wasn t sure whatever they tightened should have been tightened.  By the end of the day it was making a screaming sound rather than a hum.  DH was furious when he got home from work, saying he thought the guy that test drove it had held the wheel over to the right or left, causing the power steering to go out.
 
 OK, so we have no proof that they had anything to do with it, so I take it back to get a new power steering pump (they were the least expensive place at $200).   I drove it home and it handled and sounded like a brand new vehicle.  Next day it was whining again.  They said to give it 500 miles to let it bleed properly, which I did.  By the time the 500 miles was up, I had no power steering left at all as I was constantly out of fluid because pressure would build up so bad it would blow the fluid out through the lid.
 
 Got a new one yesterday.  It s screaming again today!  I took it in and they are going to order a rebuilt Motorcraft rather than going with the same brand - we ll have to pay the $100 difference - no labor.  
 
 So my question is - do you think that s going to do it?  Or is something else going on?  If this one doesn t work, looks like our trip to Disney World that we ve been saving for for 3 years is shot because we re gonna be out of time pretty quick.  Is my original thought that they tightened something they shouldn t have a possibility?  
 
 Thank you very much in advance for any help or possibilities you can give me!!!

[AustinBoston]

 Miss-Teri
I am not an expert, but the first thing with screaming hydraulics is to check for air in the hydraulic fluid.
 
 The first time, I would have suspected a leak.  When the replacement went through the same symptoms, I would have been 99% certain there was nothing wrong with the first pump (at least at first), that both problems were caused by leaking fluid.
 
 It sounds to me like you have a leak of power steering fluid where they are failing to detect it.
 
 I m also very surprised that they don t stand by their labor.  When we take our (out-of-warrany) van to our dealer, the specific repairs are coverd parts/labor for 12 months or 12,000 miles.
 
 Austin

[mike4947]

 Miss-Teri
It s funny here I sit looking at a bill for a power steering pump for my  97 Ford Ranger.
 I used to do all this stuff myself but 2 heart attacks and quintuple bypass tell me if I can afford to get someone else to do it, let them do it.
 A few things 1) you can t " blow"  a power steering pump by holding the wheel all the way to lock. There s a bypass that opens up relieving the pressure. It sounds like hell but it won t damage the pump.
 2) if fluid is coming out the top there s a problem. That fluid isn t under pressure it s just sitting in a reservour on top of the pump.  3) Return line collapse is a problem that can cause your systems. Causes the pump to cavitate and can ruin a pump in just a few minutes running. This is really fresh in my mind because that s what happened to mine.  Pump and both hoses replaced and he showed me the return hose before he replaced it; it would collapse the minute you started turning the steering wheel. I hadn t driven the truck more than 5 miles after the sound started but the pump was toast.

[luvourjayco]

 Miss-Teri
There is some gasket that goes also in that system esp if the wheel has been turned too far too often. A good mechanic should have found it if that is where the noise is coming from. This gasket will cause your power steering to run dry too.

[mikewilley]

 Miss-Teri
I don t know your TV, but the problem you described sounds suspiciously like a bad belt tensioner.  This is a spring loaded pully that keeps your belt tight enough but not too tight.  If this was putting too much load on the belt, you could damage the bearings in your power steering pump or water pump, causing them to leak fluid and fail or even sieze.  I think I would get an opinion from another shop.
 
 good luck.

[Miss-Teri]

 Miss-Teri
Thank you, everyone.  They are putting the Motorcraft in it today - if it follows the same pattern it will be squealing again by tomorrow.  I will bring up some of your ideas when (okay if, but I tend to agree with Austin that they should be discounting the pumps by now) that happens.
 Again, TY!

[Miss-Teri]

 Miss-Teri
Update.  They got the Motorcraft put on this morning (the one that was $100 more).  Ran beautifully for about 30 miles, then started up again - no surprise.  [:@]  I pulled back into the shop and fluid was pooling out under the van.  Now they tell me it s a seal on the rack and pinion.  They said they will pay for it just to get this possessed van out of their sight.  I called another mechanic and asked his opinion (since they are scheduled to fix that on Tuesday and we are supposed to leave on Thursday.  He said that s about all it can be at this point - but he acted more like it was the rack & pinion itself rather than the seal and it was blocked up causing the seal to leak.  I will bring up some of your ideas when I drop it off Tuesday to make sure they check some of that out before they end up replacing the entire van piece by piece.  [&:]
 Hopefully by posting this update, someone else won t have to go through all this, but can have the r&p checked to begin with.