Leaking power steering gear

[challenger]

I know I've been piling on here with all the problems I'm chasing. Last evening I found another. The power steering gear has been leaking for a long time but I haven't been able to see where the leak was coming from until last evening because the leak was so small. I got under the car and I can see that it's leaking from the cross (sector) shaft oil seal on the end opposite the pitman arm . My FSM shows that this can be replaced while the gear is still in the car but it seems to only show the seal on the end with the pitman arm. I'm a bit confused, is there perhaps NOT a seal for the end of the shaft opposite the pitman arm?
I'm going out now to clean it all up and get a better look. It's only about 98* outside with 99% humidity so I guess the gunk is already half way to steam cleaned? I can't stand working on greasy gunked up undercarriage parts but it may be unavoidable. I'll soak and blast what I can but the nooks and crannies are numerous.
BTW, this all started while making an innocent attempt to pretty up my road wheels. I got the left one ready for the argent silver Repaint and the skies opened up. The car was half way out of the garage with the top down so I had to quickly throw the wheel back on and pull it in. While doing so I noticed the small puddle under the steering gear. Pulled the car in and the rain stops. Pulled it back out and jacked it up and found the most likely spot that it's leaking from. If I had left the wheels alone I doubt the leak would have bothered me all that much.

 

[saylor]

i dunno what kinda car you are wrenching on but I opted for a reman unit as the swap was easy and way less hassle.

i hear ya about the weather its same here in DFW mowin th yard yesterday was like mowing in a sauna

 

[C Body Bob]

I have a 68 Fury that's got one that shows no sign of leaking. I'm over near Raleigh if you to pull it. It's in a nice shady area. I can string a fan up too if you like. $50 engine is out also so easy to get to

 

[challenger]

Thanks, I'm going to see what it looks like after I clean it. The engine compartment has likely NEVER been clean and I just finished the first degreaser application and sprayed it off. Maybe it's 70% cleaner but that's misleading because the remaining 30% is located exactly wherever I decide to place my fingers . I'm going to take the front wheels off and finish repainting them while it dries and then I'll hit it again with degreaser, rinse and repeat.
Thanks for the offer on the box. I may take you up on it. I've read a lot of bad reports about reman units AND some not so great reports about the two big rebuild era so I'm hoping to get mine squared.
DFW? I've been there and it's pretty much next level hot compared to SE NC. I can't stand being inside so I get out and work in the heat and I get acclimated after maybe 2-3 weeks of doing this. I don't know if I could hang in that heat you have for 10-13 hours a day. I'm a beekeeper so I HAVE TO work in the heat but there? I think I'd let the bees fly away and sit in the house

 

[C Body Bob]

You get use to it. The first week it's in the 80's I'm about wiped out. And as it climbs I get ok at it. All the way up. Just take breaks & stay hydrated. Winter is the same. First week in the 40's I'm about to freeze. Then all the way into the mid 20's I'm out there no problem.

 

[saforwardlook]

There are two likely sources of power steering gear leaks, the input shaft seal where the steering column attaches and above the pitman arm (leaks sometimes occur around the adjusting slider on top the gear, but these are less frequent and can be addressed with the gear in the car too). Both of the most frequent sources of leaks are not that hard to change, and in fact, the upper one at the input shaft takes about 15 minutes, in the car, with the proper special tool Chrysler recommends. The lower one is more of a pain, but requires the special tools, altough some have avoided them and used improvised tools to get the job done (but they usually remove the snap rings, and turn the steering wheel in the car back and forthbuilding up maximum pressure, until the seal sprays out in a rush of power steering oil all over the ground -this latter approach doesn't always work, but sometimes). I have found the tools to do the job well worth the investment, and have saved me a lot of money buying rebuilt steering gears when there was nothing else wrong with my gears except the seals. Try to find the special tools and read the service manual carefully. The first couple times you do the job, it is challenging, but after a couple times, it goes fast. If you don't do this often, then maybe a rebuilt unit may seem less painful, but removing and reinstalling these relative heavy units is no fun either. Good luck.

 

[challenger]

Well I got things cleaned up and dried off. I started the car and moves the wheel back and forth maybe 180* both ways. It started pouring rain again so I pulled it inside and jacked it up. The seal at the input shaft is doing almost nothing. Fluid is practically draining out. This car is going nowhere until the seal is fixed.
So I need to buy a seal kit? I'm sure I could cross the seal number to something readily available but don't know the specs so I may have to buy a whole kit. Where do I look for the tool? EBay etc? If I knew what it looked like I'm sure I could make it.
Good news is the rain cooled things off a lot.
As for winter I hate the cold. If it's under 60 I'm not liking it. I'll take 95+ all the time rather than be cold. Unfortunately that's not an option.

 

[C Body Bob]

Try Rock Auto & your local NAPA. Also a company Lars Corp advertises in Hemings a lot

 

[challenger]

Thanks, I'll try them..
Anyone know what the availability if the special seal tool or a photo of one?

 

[Wollfen]

You are two hours south of my place, you could o a round trip if you go to Bobs.

 

[Davea Lux]

Many times, seals fail because the bearings in the gear are worn out. Grab the input shaft and try to shake it, if it moves up and down at all, the bearings are most likely shot. You can do the same with the lower shaft by shaking the steering linkage in close proximity to the pitmann arm. If it moves inside of the steering gear, most likely the bearing is shot there as well. You can try adjusting the steering gear lash adjuster to see if this helps with the slop on the shafts. Most of the time if something is leaking, it is too late for the adjustment to help. New seals will not correct a problem with worn out gear bearings.

Dave

 

[saforwardlook]

Here are some photos of the 1969 service manual for Chrysler/Imperial showing the tools. For the worm shaft seal, the upper one, the tool(s) would be fairly easy to make if have the equipment to do so. Tools for the lower seal are more involved and involve multiple tools in the tool set. The tool numbers for the remover/installer for the upper seal are C3638 and C3650 while the lower seal tool set number is C3880. Hope this helps.

 

[challenger]

Thanks all, I have 1970 FSM that shows the same photos. Unfortunately the photos don't show enough detail for me to try and duplicate but I'll look closer to see how the tool works.
I highly doubt the bearings in the steering gear unit are worn. What I think caused the seal to fail was my ignorance. I had taken the instrument cluster out and, while doing so, I lowered the steering column. I don't think that's a problem IF the steering wheel rests on the front seat as the FSM says to do BUT I removed the front seat and the steering column was stupidly left to hang for weeks. I'm pretty sure this screwed the seal. I'm also going to change the parts inside the coupling.