Power steering wining and some smoking.

1999 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
165,000 MILES • V8 • FWD • AUTOMATIC
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MISSYALICIA
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My 99 Lincoln Continental has been making wining sounds when I turn the steering wheel. I've had frothy steering fluid. I drained out the fluid in the reservoir and put new in and it was really quiet for a few days. Today it was wining again so I put more in and drove around some, then it started sounding really bad and I went home and checked it and there was no fluid in the reservoir and there was smoke coming from between the engine and the wall of the engine compartment. Any suggestions for what I should look at to see what's happening?
Apr 21, 2011 at 12:59 AM
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RASMATAZ
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Find the leak and fix it then bleed the power steering pump and see what happens
Apr 21, 2011 at 1:08 AM
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WRENCHTECH
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The smoke is the fluid leaking onto the hot exhaust.
Apr 21, 2011 at 1:21 AM
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MISSYALICIA
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Do you know where on the engine picture I could find the power steering pump?
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Apr 21, 2011 at 1:29 AM
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WRENCHTECH
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Follow the hose from the reservoir to the pump. Your leak isn't necessarily coming from the pump though. the lines and rack can leak also.
Apr 21, 2011 at 1:32 AM
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MISSYALICIA
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Ok, so there the leak is coming from what looks like a boot on the passenger side front wheel. Would you be able to offer any more direction to what I should be looking for within that area?
Apr 21, 2011 at 6:42 PM
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WRENCHTECH
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If it is a boot around the tie rod end, then that would be a bad rack and pinion and the whole unit will have to be replace and the car aligned.
Apr 21, 2011 at 10:23 PM
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MISSYALICIA
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I'm going to replace my rack & pinion, strut rod bushings in the lower control arms and the sway bar links in the front and rear. I found the rack & pinion. I also found what I am guessing is the right parts for the bushings and sway bar links; however, I'd like someone to confirm that I am looking at the right parts and will the parts listed below be all I need to replace the suspension components listed above?

Lower control arm strut bushings - http://www.jcwhitney.com/strut-rod-bushing/p2022280.jcwx

Left Bar Sway Link (Will this work for front & back?) - http://www.amazon.com/Moog-K8734-Sway-Bar-Link/dp/B000C544TG/ref=au_pf_ss_6?ie=UTF8&Model=Continental|704&n=15684181&s=automotive&Make=Lincoln|55&Year=1999|1999&carId=002

Right Bar Sway Link (Again, will this work for front and back?) - http://www.amazon.com/Moog-K8735-Sway-Bar-Link/dp/B000C5454K/ref=au_pf_ss_5?ie=UTF8&Model=Continental|704&n=15684181&s=automotive&Make=Lincoln|55&Year=1999|1999&carId=002
Apr 24, 2011 at 9:09 PM
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WRENCHTECH
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I seriously doubt the same links will work in both front and rear. The rear is likely a different part number.
Apr 24, 2011 at 9:17 PM
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MISSYALICIA
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That's what I thought, but I am having a hard time finding any site that specifies front and rear.
Apr 24, 2011 at 9:22 PM
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WRENCHTECH
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Why are you messing around online at all. If you just hit the local auto parts stores, you won't have to worry about returning them if necessary.
Also, I just verified that rears are different.
Apr 24, 2011 at 9:29 PM
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MISSYALICIA
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Thank you. I'm a computer geek and I can usually find parts online for nearly 1/4th of the price of the local auto parts store.
Apr 24, 2011 at 9:57 PM
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WRENCHTECH
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I am too but I don't buy auto parts online unless they are not available elsewhere.
Apr 24, 2011 at 10:01 PM