I have a few issues that need addressing on my 2000 Expedition (and due to my lack of wrenching skills, I will have to pay to have them done professionally). Unfortunately, since I just got finished buying new tires and a new manifold, I'll have to have to schedule these jobs one at a time over several months:
1. Low power steering fluid due to leak in power steering pump. Steering still works fine for now, but I have no illusions about where this is going.
2. Left & right outer tie rod ends torn, with some early-stage rust in the joints. Technician says I can wait till my next oil change, but that's 5,000 miles from now.
3. Replacement of high-pressure AC hose and orifice tube, along with 60-ounce R134A recharge. Maybe I can just use the vents and lower the windows for a while? I don't mind driving without AC until summer, but this is Texas.
Anyway, what order or priority should I assign to these jobs? Thanks.
Leak: go to walmart and get Trans X power steering stop leak of if not there just get trans X trans stop leak. ADD to power steering fluid....use 8 oz to start.
It works wonders.
Tie rod boots are irrelevant!!
Forget about them you will get new ones when the tie rods get slop in them and you replace them which could be years.
For now get some Lucas Chain Lube ans spray the inside of them good. Stick the little red tube into a hole in them and fill them up.
If grease fittings- grease them- but I assume there are none on them.
Then forget about them.
NO one should replace tire rod ends due to torn or bad or even missing dust boots/ covers.
That is mechanic doom and gloom scare tactic crap there.
AC hose.
Are you sure hose is bad? I thought ford stopped putting a non removable orifice tube in the hoses way back in early 90s.
Is is leaking or empty from a leak.
I am an AC man for decades but on a lot of various ones so I don't know what they are intil they are in front of me.
If high side restriction and not getting cold due to high head pressures and no flow then you need orifice tube....but did you have a comp fail? Sometimes replacement ones get clogged again too.
Simple to do.
Remove any refrigerant form system and use the spring loaded connector fuel line etc removal collar tool to release lock and slide the line apart at orifice tube location.
Pull tube out with thin needle nose pliers or strong tweezers noting the direction it went it.
Replace with new tube and oil o-rings with some Pag46 or replace with new green ones form kit at parts store and push line back together until it gets past click locking part.
Then use rented for free at parts store vacuum pump to pump down system with manifold set (in a pinch you could actually get by without and pump each side down but you would need hose to connect) ...but I think they rent a manifold gauge set too.
Then recharge with R134a. Rural King has it for 3.99-4.99 a can and walmart is also cheap. DO not pay parts stores prices of over DOUBLE or higher!
Won't take 60 oz BUT they will charge you for it.....I HATE SHOPS!!!
Even with rear air I have NEVER seen one take 5 full cans and that would be 60.
Every one I ever do takes 3-4 to get it charged fully.
If you are near Dayton, OH I will do it for you just to take it way from a shop. They sicken me.
oh yes...they need to make a living too....********!
I make a living and survive better than some and I NEVER RIP PEOPLE OFF! EVER!!!!
Their ENTIRE industry (and many others) are indoctrinated and conditioned to believe they are FAIR and not rip offs. They rationalize and justify.
They can stick it!!
