1990 SHO huge oil leak

[Terrorizer]

My car has always leaked a bit of oil and smoked now and then, I think I scratched the area by the cam sensor when I did the 60 k, but I'm pretty sure there are other oil leaks that I have just lived with for the last 4 years while driving this car.

A few weeks ago I pulled into my driveway and noticed a lot more smoke than usual coming from my engine. It wasn't steam, I knew it was burning oil. There is now a puddle of oil under my car near the rear of the engine. most of the oil seems to be behind the rear cylinder bank. I'm not sure where its coming from. I did the upper and side 60k about 20k miles ago.

Any ideas what it might be? I'm in an apartment complex so i can't jack up my car and take a closer look.

 

[Irish Pride]

Coming from the rear of the motor would be either the rear valve cover gasket, rear cam seal, or possibly your oil pan gasket. You really need to get under there and see where its coming from to get an idea as to whats causing it.

 

[ShadetreeSHOguy]

Get a large piece of cardboard and put it under the engine bay of the car. See what part of the engine it is coming from. That's a good starting point

 

[rbruso]

Another option is the low oil sensor. If it fails, it can dump a lot of oil.

+1 on the cardboard, but if you can jack it up and get under there you could try to get an eyeball on where the oil's coming from.

 

[rubydist]

but look carefully, because the valve cover gasket or cam seals do not result in a leak that will drip directly to the ground from the leak - they dribble all over that part of the engine first, making it a little challenging to determine exactly what is leaking.

 

[ShadetreeSHOguy]

but look carefully, because the valve cover gasket or cam seals do not result in a leak that will drip directly to the ground from the leak - they dribble all over that part of the engine first, making it a little challenging to determine exactly what is leaking.

A good example is the rear cam seal. The bracket for the power steering pump acts as a leaking oil cup! lol

 

[Terrorizer]

The cardboard thing is a good idea. It sucks now that I live in an apartment I have no room to work on my car, and its not driveable I don't think. I'll probably have to have my parents tow it with their trailer back to their house so I can get a really good look at it.

 

[Terrorizer]

if its the oil sensor do i have to replace the actual sensor or just a gasket?

 

[TimboSHO]

if its the oil sensor do i have to replace the actual sensor or just a gasket?

It depends if it is leaking through the rubber grommet of the sensor itself, or just the gasket to the oil pan.

 

[Terrorizer]

Under further inspection it appears the major leak that is going on is power steering fluid. It doesn't look like its the resiorvoir

 

[rubydist]

the largest power steering leak I ever had on any SHO was the o-ring between the pump input fitting and the pump. It had shrunk all up from being heated up a bajillion times and just leaked like mad. Be sure to look there.

 

[kevinspann]

the largest power steering leak I ever had on any SHO was the o-ring between the pump input fitting and the pump. It had shrunk all up from being heated up a bajillion times and just leaked like mad. Be sure to look there.

Pretty sure I had one leaking there as well...it would leak with the car off and sitting.

One of the reasons it got crushed (mainly rust)

 

[Terrorizer]

Turns out its the steering rack. There is a lot of play back and forth with each wheel. Looks like a PITA to replace.

 

[tompumped]

It's not as bad as it looks. It can come out through the driver side wheel well by turning it as you pull it out to avoid whatever is in the way.

There are three ten millimeter bolts to remove the cover inside the car for the steering wheel attachment point and one bolt to remove the steering shaft from the rack. Two nuts holding it to the subframe, two lines to remove and the tie rod ends. Before I knew what I was doing I thought it was a nightmare, but now it's cake. You might have to pull off the heat shield also.

Make sure it's the rack first and not a hose or teflon o ring. The lines going to the rack use teflon o rings. If the new rack doesn't come with them dorman makes power steering sealing washers. You can pull off the boots on either end to determine if it's leaking from there also. Either way with the play i'd replace it. My first sho had play in the rack.

 

[Terrorizer]

There is a ton of play but I've heard those o rings can be the culpret as well. I'll look into that. I haven't been really checking on things for the past year since I live in and appartment. At first glance I also need a motor mount and cv axles. I may just do the rack since I've been thinking of selling the car anyways and don't want to put a bunch of money into it.

Thanks for the suggestion though. It looks like a major pain but the way you describe it sounds like it could be easier.

 

[Terrorizer]

It's not as bad as it looks. It can come out through the driver side wheel well by turning it as you pull it out to avoid whatever is in the way.

There are three ten millimeter bolts to remove the cover inside the car for the steering wheel attachment point and one bolt to remove the steering shaft from the rack. Two nuts holding it to the subframe, two lines to remove and the tie rod ends. Before I knew what I was doing I thought it was a nightmare, but now it's cake. You might have to pull off the heat shield also.

Make sure it's the rack first and not a hose or teflon o ring. The lines going to the rack use teflon o rings. If the new rack doesn't come with them dorman makes power steering sealing washers. You can pull off the boots on either end to determine if it's leaking from there also. Either way with the play i'd replace it. My first sho had play in the rack.

Does a new steery rack come with tie rod ends? I think mine are bad.

 

[rubydist]

it should come with new inner tie rod ends and tie rods, but will likely not have new outer tie rod ends.

 

[tompumped]

No, only inner tie rods. You also have to check how many wires are going to your steering rack. It will let you know whether or not you have vaps (variable assist power steering).

Also you can buy a regular taurus rack, the sho rack is way more money because it has spacers on the inside of the inner tie rods to compensate for the wider tires. I installed a regular taurus rack on my car. I don't know if they offered a vaps rack for a regular taurus.

I think you could also check under the dash for a vaps module, I don't know I never owned a car with vaps, but when I went to get a wiper governor out of a continental I found a vaps module.

There's also a check valve in the rack, but I damaged mine and I don't think I found another when when I installed the last rack. I damaged the first rack because the check valve wasn't seated all the way in and when I tightened the line it bent the valve rendering it inoperable. I know it seems like a lot, but I figured i'd cover everything.

 

[rubydist]

The later Taurus LX and Sable LS had vaps also, just not with the spacer to limit the turning angle.

 

[Terrorizer]

Is there anything else I will need besides the correct rack and possibly the o rings?