Where, oh where, to find missing part for 1998 Taurus
Q: Because the engine light is on in a 1998 Ford Taurus V6-182 3.0L OHV, I got a rejection sticker. It needs the steel tube for the left side secondary air injection valve. The part is not to be found anywhere on Earth! My sister put money into parts and bodywork to give it to my parents (they've got a 1995 Taurus). I really don't want them to have to junk it.
A: The part can be found at www.junkyarddog.com. Be very careful removing the old one. I would suggest soaking it overnight first. If it still won't let go, a decent shop with a set of torches should be able to get the pipe out for you. Another option would be to remove the pipe intact, take it to a plumbing shop and have them make you a new one out of black iron pipe.
Q: I have a problem with my 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis (53,000 miles). I have had this steering problem for most of the summer, but the shop couldn't find a problem. My car doesn't have R/P steering; it has a gear box and the steering pump. The problem is the steering gets hard to turn, and the steering wheel won't return by itself when released. It stays there, and you have to turn it all the way back. This doesn't happen all the time, and you never know when it will happen. What would be the more likely area to check first — the pump or the steering box? Have there been other problems like this with the Mercury Grand Marquis? Is this a very expensive repair?
A: More than likely, the pump is the culprit. Before going out to replace the pump, why not consider a power steering flush? BG Systems has a network of facilities that are capable of flushing the power steering system. This will get rid of all the contaminants that may be affecting your steering and compromising the safety of this car.
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Larry Rubenstein is a master technician who owns a North Shore service station. E-mail Larry at scanauto@aol.com.
