After adjusting lash, replacing freshly painted battery tray, and topping off power steering fluid with in 1 ½â€￾ of top of filler, I headed out for a test drive to see how she ran, and gather some vacuum data.

After about four miles of 2500 rpm (45 mph) driving to get engine warmed up, and to observe vacuum readings it was time to test at higher rpm range. A passing lane became available on a rather steep hill with a sweeping curve near the top of the grade, and two slow-pokes were putzing their way around a guy pulling a large camper trailer. Nearing the halfway point the two pokes slid over to the right, and I opened her up in second to 5200 rpm at WOT pushing past 70 mph.

Suddenly there was a pop, or some kind of different sound, hard to hear anything but exhaust note, and the steering became heavy and reluctant to keep the car in its prescribed ark & lane. In a second or two, I realized that just the power steering assist had given up, and must have lost a belt. Continued a mile, and pulled into a snowplow turn to see what was up.

As I came in for a landing, copious clouds of coolant vapor exited the hood, and temperature gage was well into the hot zone. Great, I’m thinking, broken belt, and blown radiator hose as I open the hood.

What I found was confusing. Power steering belt was missing, not surprising, over flow hose popped off of radiator and had puked water causing cloud, alternator belt still there but off pulleys, and under alternator the power steering belt in mint condition.

Of course I had no tools on board, five miles from home… I was able to manually re-fit the alternator belt by working the fan, but as I tugged at the fan the car kept rolling to the rear… Odd, because it was in park. Come to find out, the gear shift linkage parted ways with the gear selector lever on the transmission as well, which was held in place with a washer & cotter pin.

Attached the linkage with a paper clip from a car show ribbon that was in the trunk, and re attached the over flow tube, started her up and drove home. For the five miles it ran in the normal zone, and I beginning to think I like my steering with out power assist.

After cleaning all the coolant & some power steering fluid from engine compartment in preparation for tomorrow’s car show, and a quick re-check of vacuum levels in park sitting in the garage, I noticed several puddles of power steering fluid mixed with rinse water on the floor.

For some reason, my power steering pump is leaking since topping it off this morning, and refusing its drive belt at high rpm.

Did I over fill the pump by having fluid up in the fill neck area?

Linkage disconnection was most likely due to PS belt whacking the transmission cooler lines when it came off its pulley, which in turn caused the other end of the cooler lines to sharply hit the linkage rod, in turn braking the too light cotter pin holding it. The cooler lines and shift rod are quite close where that connection is located.

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Found two problems with the power steering pump:

1. The connection or weld between filler neck & oil reservoir has a crack & leaks badly when oil gets warmed up. Been wondering why oil gets flung all under the battery & K member after a top off, and than just stops after a while…

2. I think there is too much end play in pump shaft, which may have helped to de-rail belt at high rpm. That baby slides in and out about 1/16 inch with a nice clunk when pushed in.

I can either run with low fluid and sane rpm levels as it has for some time now, or just pull the belt so it is not running. She is a bit stiff turning at low speeds, but much easer to control a set in long sweepers at speed without power assist. The steering box has a bit of slop, about 4 inches total of wheel turn, or 2 inches off of center in each direction.

Probably time for a rebuild, or my first choice: a new pump. A Firm Feel box is on the “To Get Listâ€￾ once my old house sells.

Got a 170 mile round trip to a car show Sunday morning, I be starting out at 6:00 am eastern daylight time headed to Farmington, Maine.

Any advice welcome,

Bill

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Bill,

I had a power steering pump that was like yours....very worn out. It was always leaking. I would replace it right away.....or drive it with the belt off.

Can you adjust the slop out of the steering box? I would loosen the lock nut and take a crack at tightening up the box, then re-lock it down. Have your wife wiggle the steering wheel back and forth while your tightening the adjuster. You can feel when it starts to firm up, then lock it down.

Sounds like you got a monster under the hood!

When power steering belt launched it must thrown off the alternator belt. Obviously the miss-alignment is significant enough to cause the upset.

_________________
Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

If the box itself is worn out, you will not be able to adjust the play out of it. You can crank it down until the steering wheel is locked up and there will still be play in it. If this is the case, you can consider replacing it with a manual box and column. They are not expensive, but it is a bear to replace. I replaced the box and pump on mine a few years ago, and at that time replaced the drag link, idler and pittman to the big bolt pattern parts. I purchased new parts from a manufacturer in the midwest. I don't remember who, but could probably look it up for you. The cost at that time was about $450 for the box.

A friend of mine was replacing the steering box on his BMW 5 series at that time. A used one ofr his car was $2500. That kind of put my $450 steering box cost into prespective. I have not complained about the cost of Mopar parts since. Good luck.

Sam

_________________

Sam:

[quote]steering box on his BMW 5 series at that time. A used one ofr his car was $2500.[/quote]


Another Euro Trash sob story…LOL You should see what a brake job on a late 60’s to late 80â€￾s Rolls goes for--- yikes!!! Squared.

A fellow slanter PM’d me last night with an offer of a low mileage pump & possibly a box from the same car that I can’t refuse.

My box is not only sloppy, but leaks. Fortunately the rest of the front end is like new.

This steering box is about the last deficient chunk of iron that needs to be replaced on my car. Mechanically she is getting close to finished for now. Next is body work.

Bill

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC