New to the forum. Greetings. Even though I have read another thread about the type of oil to use in the steering box, on that thread the talk was about possible leaks around the "sector". I am not sure which that is. Mine is leaking at what my shop manual calls the worm bearing adjuster lock nut or the worm bearing adjuster. My eyes are not good enough to distinguish exactly which of these is leaking because they are adjacent to each other. So, is there a way to stop it without removing the shole thing? If the answer is, replace the oil with thicker oil or STP, then how do I get the oil that is in there out?
WELCOME ! I hear you about the poor eyes thing , I find a trouble lamp helps a lot . You don't need to drain the current oil out , just use a small funnel to dribble in the STP . Unless the locknut and adjuster is loose , I don't see how it could leak from there , the usual spot is the output shaft that sticks out through the frame on the left , will drip quite a bit of oil there when that seal goes bad . Sometimes , you can put a teaspoon of fresh _brakefluid_ in the steering box to soften up the seal and slow but not stop , the leak over a few months time . Whatever you do , DO_NOT use grease in the steering box ! that will ruin it . Changing the sector shaft seal is do-able @ home but can be tricky as it requires re-centering the steering box , this is done gently and with a degree wheel , the paper ones available On-Line for free work just fine . A shop shouldn't chanrge over $100.00 TOPS for this job , less if you de-grease it before hand .
Thanks, Nate. I guess I am lucky in that the output on the side does not leak. It is leaking at the front of the steering gear and running down the frame to the bumper bracket. It is a slow leak but, over time, it will accumulate dirt and grime and look like a huge leak. I will trythe STP. Thanks again, Bill
