Progress Thread Cobra Rack In...Still Have Steering Slop

I know guts interchange. Would have me counting turns as soon as it goes in. I need a new rack for my car and had a rack shop build me a quick ratio rack. That shop is long gone now and I'm hesitant about ordering a new one. It's got some play in the rack at the steering shaft so the gear inside is worn. This is a road I don't want to travel down....but I gotta.
 
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I know guts interchange. Would have me counting turns as soon as it goes in. I need a new rack for my car and had a rack shop build me a quick ratio rack. That shop is long gone now and I'm hesitant about ordering a new one. It's got some play in the rack at the steering shaft so the gear inside is worn. This is a road I don't want to travel down....but I gotta.

If I actually still followed that "other" Mustang Forum, I could have saved myself some hassle. There is a recent similiar thread over there, and apparently everyone has been getting V6 steering racks when ordering the 22-2000 part number. At least I recieved a 2002+ casting. Everyone else recieved 96-98 ones. Maybe it should have tipped me off when the GT rack was more expensive (by like $100) than the Cobra one. Now it's ship it back or run it. Even if it is a V6 rack it should be an improvement over the stock fox rack. I just hate not getting what you ordered, and I am replacing everything from the pump to all the hoses. Oh wait, @Mustang5L5 , you want to make some money? Haha.
 
So I got all the old junk out. The amount of play in the inner tie rods was dangerous and the rack bushings were completely shot. There wasn’t much fluid in the system either, and it was sludge. I was glad to get all this out. Before the new stuff goes in I’m going to get out a brush and get all tHe crud off the k member.

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I have the new SN rack and MM hybrid shaft installed, grab some pictures tomorrow. Connecting the shaft to the column always seems to be a bitch, and don’t get me started on pressing the pulley on the pump. Anyway while removing the old lines I forgot which line connects where regarding the power steering cooler. So does the line from the pump connect to top or bottom of the cooler?
 
Doesn't matter. the cooler is just a hollow tube. FLow direction doesn't matter. In fact, scrapit and just buy a cheap aluminum fin cooler and you'll be better off.
 
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So I thought I was going to get this done today, nope. The female threads for the pressure and return on the rack and pinion were both completely destroyed. It looks like just removing the plastic caps that came from the factory did the job. The qc was non existent. Now I get the joy of return shipping. I ponied up for a motorcraft rack. Just have to wait till it gets here next week.
 
So I buttoned up the install on the rack and pinion today. The good news; real Motorcraft SP-ZM rack, new poly bushings, MM Hybrid shaft, new Motocraft remanned pump that doesn’t make a peep.

The bad news; I still have that damn slop in the steering wheel. I torqued the :poo: out of pinch bolt between the shaft and the column. The slop seems to be in the column or the steering wheel itself, and exists without engaging the steering rack.

Any ideas?
 
So I buttoned up the install on the rack and pinion today. The good news; real Motorcraft SP-ZM rack, new poly bushings, MM Hybrid shaft, new Motocraft remanned pump that doesn’t make a peep.

The bad news; I still have that damn slop in the steering wheel. I torqued the :poo: out of pinch bolt between the shaft and the column. The slop seems to be in the column or the steering wheel itself, and exists without engaging the steering rack.

Any ideas?
The slop sucks. I’ve been considering doing poly rack bushings and a solid shaft, but I would hate to spend all that $$ and still have the slop. How many degrees or play is there before engagement?
 
The slop sucks. I’ve been considering doing poly rack bushings and a solid shaft, but I would hate to spend all that $$ and still have the slop. How many degrees or play is there before engagement?

When the wheel is unlocked there is about an inch or two in both directions.

I needed to replace the rack and pump regardless so I wanted to do a little upgrade. When the rack is engaged it feels tight, nothing like the fox.
 
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When the wheel is unlocked there is about an inch or two in both directions.

I needed to replace the rack and pump regardless so I wanted to do a little upgrade. When the rack is engaged it feels tight, nothing like the fox.
Really wonder where it could come from. usually is that rag joint but you have the mm shaft. My sn gives damn near 30° of loose resistance before the steering comes to life. It sucks
 
I’m wondering if it’s the upper bearing and sleeve in the column When I took the steering column shroud and multi switch off I can see the top part of the steering column shaft, this part is moving with out immediately engaging the lower part.
 
What’s your setup?

03-04 Cobra rack and the MM steering shaft adapter. Tightened the wazoo out of it and it's instant movement at the wheels.


I’m wondering if it’s the upper bearing and sleeve in the column When I took the steering column shroud and multi switch off I can see the top part of the steering column shaft, this part is moving with out immediately engaging the lower part.

If you have long arms, try this. Open the hood and roll your window down. With your left hand, reach down and grab the steering shaft at the joint just outside the fireall. With your right hand. Grab your steering wheel. With the front whels on the ground, the rack shouldn't move. now, rock the wheel gently while feeling with your left if the movement is equal on the shaft coming through the firewall, and on the universal steering shaft, They should all move together. If they do, then the issue is down at the rack connection, or in the rack itself. If you feel slop here, either tighen the firewall bolt up, or see if the colapsible column is worn and has slop.

BTW, i had to use an impact gun to tighten the firewall bolt. Hand wrenches did not get it tight enough and i had slop.
 
03-04 Cobra rack and the MM steering shaft adapter. Tightened the wazoo out of it and it's instant movement at the wheels.




If you have long arms, try this. Open the hood and roll your window down. With your left hand, reach down and grab the steering shaft at the joint just outside the fireall. With your right hand. Grab your steering wheel. With the front whels on the ground, the rack shouldn't move. now, rock the wheel gently while feeling with your left if the movement is equal on the shaft coming through the firewall, and on the universal steering shaft, They should all move together. If they do, then the issue is down at the rack connection, or in the rack itself. If you feel slop here, either tighen the firewall bolt up, or see if the colapsible column is worn and has slop.

BTW, i had to use an impact gun to tighten the firewall bolt. Hand wrenches did not get it tight enough and i had slop.

how the hell did you get an impact gun in there?

I have long enough arms and I’ll give that a try.
 
attachments\50636


Code 85 CANP solenoid - The Carbon Canister solenoid is inoperative or missing.

Revised 11 –Jan_2015 to add warning about vacuum leaks due to deteriorated hose or missing caps on vacuum lines when the solenoid is removed.

Check vacuum lines for leaks and cracks. Check electrical wiring for loose connections, damaged wiring and insulation. Check solenoid valve operation by grounding the gray/yellow wire to the solenoid and blowing through it.
The computer provides the ground for the solenoid. The red wire to the solenoid is always energized any time the ignition switch is in the run position.

If you disconnected the carbon canister and failed to properly cap the vacuum line coming from under the upper intake manifold, you will have problems. You will also have problems if the remaining hose coming from under the upper intake manifold or caps for the vacuum line are sucking air.

Charcoal canister plumbing - one 3/8" tube from the bottom of the upper manifold to the rubber hose. Rubber hose connects to one side of the canister solenoid valve. Other side of the solenoid valve connects to one side of the canister. The other side of the canister connects to a rubber hose that connects to a line that goes all the way back to the gas tank. There is an electrical connector coming from the passenger side injector harness near #1 injector that plugs into the canister solenoid valve. It's purpose is to vent the gas tank. The solenoid valve opens at cruse to provide some extra fuel. The canister is normally mounted on the passenger side frame rail near the smog pump pulley.

Connecting the gas tank vent line directly to the intake manifold will result in fuel vapor being constantly sucked into the intake manifold. There is unmetered fuel that the computer cannot adjust for. The result is poor idle and poor fuel economy.

attachments\58191


It does not weigh but a pound or so and helps richen up the cruse mixture. It draws no HP & keeps the car from smelling like gasoline in a closed garage. So with all these good things and no bad ones, why not hook it up & use it?


The purge valve solenoid connector is a dangling wire that is near the ECT sensor and oil filler on the passenger side rocker cover. The actual solenoid valve is down next to the carbon canister. There is about 12"-16" of wire that runs parallel to the canister vent hose that comes off the bottom side of the upper intake manifold. That hose connects one port of the solenoid valve; the other port connects to the carbon canister.

The purge valve solenoid should be available at your local auto parts store.

Purge valve solenoid:
smp-cp402_df_xl.jpg



The carbon canister is normally mounted on the passenger side frame rail near the smog pump pulley.
Carbon Canister:
903_AIRTEX%20_pct_2F%20WELLS_7310014_1.jpg




Codes 44 & 94 - AIR system inoperative - Air Injection. Check vacuum lines for leaks, & cracks. Check for a clogged air crossover tube, where one or both sides of the tube clog with carbon.

Revised 21 Sep 2012 to correct the description of the process that sets the code and include Thermactor Air System diagram.

attachments\50636


If you have a catalytic converter H pipe, you need to fix these codes. If you don't, then don't worry about them.

Code 44 passenger side air not functioning.
Code 94 driver side air not functioning.

The TAD solenoid/TAD diverter valve directs smog pump output to either the crossover tube attached to the cylinder heads or to the catalytic converters.

The O2 sensors are placed before the catalytic converters, so they do not see the extra O2 when the smog pump's output is directed to the converters or the input just before the converter.

The 44/94 code uses the O2 sensors to detect a shift in the O2 level in the exhaust. The smog pump provides extra air to the exhaust which raises the O2 level in the exhaust when the smog pump output is directed through the crossover tube.

When there is an absence of increase in the O2 levels when the TAD solenoid/TAD diverter valve directs air through the crossover tube, it detects the lower O2 level and sets the code.

Failure mode is usually due to a clogged air crossover tube, where one or both sides of the tube clog with carbon. The air crossover tube mounts on the back of the cylinder heads and supplies air to each of the Thermactor air passages cast into the cylinder heads. When the heads do not get the proper air delivery, they set codes 44 & 94, depending on which passage is clogged. It is possible to get both 44 & 94, which would suggest that the air pump or control valves are not working correctly, or the crossover tube is full of carbon or missing.

Testing the system:
Note that the engine must be running to do the tests unless stated otherwise. For safety’s sake, do test preparation like loosening clamps, disconnecting hoses and connecting things to a vacuum source with the engine off.


Disconnect the big hose from smog pump: with the engine running you should feel air output. Reconnect the smog pump hose & apply vacuum to the first vacuum controlled valve: Its purpose is to either dump the pump's output to the atmosphere or pass it to the next valve.

The next vacuum controlled valve directs the air to either the cylinder heads when the engine is cold or to the catalytic converter when the engine is warm. Disconnect the big hoses from the back side of the vacuum controlled valve and start the engine. Apply vacuum to the valve and see if the airflow changes from one hose to the next.

The two electrical controlled vacuum valves mounted on the rear of the passenger side wheel well turn the vacuum on & off under computer control. Check to see that both valves have +12 volts on the red wire. Then ground the white/red wire and the first solenoid should open and pass vacuum. Do the same thing to the light green/black wire on the second solenoid and it should open and pass vacuum.

Remember that the computer does not source power for any actuator or relay, but provides the ground necessary to complete the circuit. That means one side of the circuit will always be hot, and the other side will go to ground or below 1 volt as the computer switches on that circuit.

The following computer tests are done with the engine not running.
The computer provides the ground to complete the circuit to power the solenoid valve that turns the
vacuum on or off. The computer is located under the passenger side kick panel. Remove the kick panel & the cover over the computer wiring connector pins. Check Pin 38 Solenoid valve #1 that provides vacuum to the first Thermactor control valve for a switch from 12-14 volts to 1 volt or less. Do the same with pin 32 solenoid valve #2 that provides vacuum to the second Thermactor control valve. Turning the ignition to Run with the computer jumpered to self-test mode will cause all the actuators to toggle on and off. If after doing this and you see no switching of the voltage on and off, you can start testing the wiring for shorts to ground and broken wiring. An Ohm check to ground with the computer connector disconnected & the solenoid valves disconnected should show open circuit between the pin 32 and ground and again on pin 38 and ground. In like manner, there should be less than 1 ohm between pin 32 and solenoid valve #2 and pin 38 & Solenoid valve #1.

The following computer tests are done with the engine running.
If after checking the resistance of the wiring & you are sure that there are no wiring faults, start looking at the solenoid valves. If you disconnect them, you can jumper power & ground to them to verify operation with the engine running. Power & ground supplied should turn on the vacuum flow, remove either one and the vacuum should stop flowing.

Typical resistance of the solenoid valves is in the range of 20-70 Ohms.

See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host)

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif

http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/88-91eecPinout.gif

If you have a catalytic converter H pipe, you need to fix these codes. If you don't, then don't worry about them




The following are diagrams courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 91-93 Mass Air Mustangs

Engine mounted fuel injector harness

5.0 wiring diagram for Fuel Injectors, Sensors, and Actuators

See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring; http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/ Everyone should bookmark this site.


TFI module wiring for 94-95 Mustang GT
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/Mustang-94-95-IgnitionControlModule.gif

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 94-95 Mustangs

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 91-93 Mass Air Mustangs

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-90 Mass Air Mustangs

5.0 wiring diagram for Fuel Injectors, Sensors, and Actuators

Main body EFI wiring harness

Ignition switch wiring

O2 sensor wiring harness

Vacuum diagram 89-93 Mustangs

HVAC vacuum diagram

TFI module differences & pin out

Fuse box layout

Mustang 5.0 Lights and Radio schematic, by TMoss:
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxLights-Radio_diag.gif

87-92 power window wiring

93 power window wiring

T5 Cutaway showing T5 internal parts

Visual comparison of the Ford Fuel Injectors, picture by TMoss:

Convertible top motor wiring
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustang88VertTopMotorCkt.gif

Engine mounted fuel injector harness

Location of the TPS, IAB, and the 10-pin connectors on a 5.0, picture by TMoss:

Starter circuit

Alternator diagram for 94-95 Mustangs.