Power steering leak

   / Power steering leak #1  

lorandroehl

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
26
Location
East Central Minnesota
Tractor
Ford 3600 Diesel. Kubota L4701
A leak developed on my 1978 Ford 3600 diesel where the pressure tube connects to the 90 degree elbow at the bottom of the power steering pump/reservoir. Started slow and became a steady stream of power steering fluid. Connection seemed tight. Took the connection apart and cleaned it well. No help.

Ordered a new tube and elbow. Installed the new tube on the old elbow. Still leaked badly. Loosened the pump/reservoir and installed the new elbow and new tube with the flared fitting. Much better, but still leaks. A drop about every 10 seconds. All other connections are not leaking.

Did I error by installing the new tube on the old elbow? Should I put something like teflon tape on the fitting to prevent the leak? Never have used teflon tape before. I don't think I should need it.

Other suggestions? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
   / Power steering leak #2  
That elbow is brass and is subject to wear against the steel line.
So yes, you will want to install the new elbow.
The problem was likely caused by not having the lines fastened down properly.
There should be a bracket right where the hood meets the cowel that holds both lines fast to the sheetmetal of the tractor. There is also a plastic clip that clips the two lines together just above the pump. All to often they did not get put back on if the tractor was worked on. But it is important to keep those brackets/clips in place. Depending on how original you want to keep your tractor or whether you care about looks you can just make some brackets of your own or buy new ones at a New Holland dealer. You just want the lines to be fastened down so they don't vibrate.
 
   / Power steering leak #3  
You have to really check with the dealer when it comes to those lines, Ford uses different fittings and connections some use an "O" ring, between the nut and the flare, some a Teflon washer. Sometimes the fitting has an "O" ring inside the inverted flare nut and then a new accumulator hose assembly is needed.
Ford is know to use small lots of parts in building their products. a serial number is important.
Just a thought!
 
   / Power steering leak
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks for the replies.

Ultradog MN. I did initially installed the new tube on the old elbow, but then when it continued to leak I installed the new elbow. Leak is much improved, but still drips. Could I have damaged the new tube by doing that? I tried to be careful installing the new brass elbow and don't think I damaged it during installation.

Neither retaining bracket or plastic clip are present on my tractor. Will have to fix that.

Also no "O" ring or teflon washer present in the new fittings. I ordered them from Messick's. They didn't say anything about these at the time of order.

This leak is frustrating. Especially with new parts.

Any other suggestions are certainly welcome.
 
   / Power steering leak #5  
you sure could have printed a track on one side of the flare..

My 4600 leaked int eh same place.. fitting was damaged and a new one didn't fix it as the flare was cracking.

teflon tape? please.. save that for plumbing yer house.. has no place in that power steering system... it's a metal to metal fitting.
loosen the connection and make sure it lines up perfect and re snug it and see what it does.

soundguy
 
   / Power steering leak
  • Thread Starter
#6  
On close inspection with a bright light it look like fluid was coming from both the elbow/pump connection and the line/elbow connection. Loosened the flared fitting from the line to the elbow and cleaned it very well. Also loosened the PS pump and removed the new elbow from the pump. "O" ring looked like it had an abrasion so I put in a new "O' ring and put the elbow back in. Tightened up the pump mounting. Reattached the pressure and return lines and snugged them tight. Filled the pump with PS fluid and started the tractor. Voila. No leaks. Turned the steering side to side to bleed the lines and addded fluid until no more air escaped. Nice to have that problem solved.

Also I believe I read elsewhere that it is OK to use universal hydraulic oil in the power steering system. Is this correct? I replaced this with power steering fluid, but have plenty of hydraulic oil on hand and would use it if it is Ok.

Thanks.
 
   / Power steering leak #7  
power steering oil.. atf, 10w30 oil.. 30w oil.. all work. UTF would likely be preferred...

soundguy
 
   / Power steering leak #8  
My 73 Ford 4000 has long had a leak at the fitting under the pump housing at the left front of the engine. It seems to be between the brass/bronze elbow and the steel line with the flared end and compression nut. I tightened it too much and stripped the threads on the brass elbow. Is there a better setup than this one?
 
   / Power steering leak #9  
probably not brass.. probably a plated steel hyd jic fitting.

o ring seal ont he other side I believe.

if the elbow is stripped.. it's gotta come out.

is the flaired end damaged?

if so.. i'd repair that as well.

you can cut that elbow and then unthread it and go back in with a straight oring connector and then adapt that over to a fitting and connect to the damaged line that you will renew before connection.

this saves from having to remove the pump.. etc.
 
   / Power steering leak #10  
Thanks Soundguy,
I have since removed the whole thing including pump and found out the steel line had a fracture thru half the diameter right under the compression nut. I couldn't see it till I completely removed it. All my tightening would have never worked. Since ordered replacement parts and found this happens a lot on this tractor. I am logging and get pretty rough with rolling over trees, must have gotten slapped hard by a stiff limb.
 
 
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