Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
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HOMESERVICE MANUALSMERCURY1991COUGAR LS, 3.8 4REPAIR AND DIAGNOSIS (SINGLE PAGE)STEERINGPOWER STEERINGSTEERING SYSTEM - POWEROVERHAULPINION SHAFT & SPOOL VALVE ASSEMBLYDISASSEMBLY
1991 Mercury Cougar LS, 3.8 4
Pinion Shaft & Spool Valve Assembly: Disassembly
1991 Mercury Cougar LS, 3.8 4SECTION Disassembly
- Clean input shaft valve housing, yoke lock nut and plug, and pinion bearing plug. Mount gear in holding fixture. Do not remove external pressure lines unless damaged. If lines are removed, new Teflon seals must be installed.
- Relieve preload by loosening yoke plug lock nut and yoke plug. Remove pinion bearing plug. Install Pinion Shaft Torque Adjuster (T81P-3504-R on Escort, Tempo, Topaz and Tracer, or T74P-3504-R on all others) on input shaft. Hold input shaft. Using a socket, remove and discard pinion bearing lock nut. Ensure rack does not reach full travel when loosening or tightening lock nut.
- Using a small, sharp chisel, pry input shaft dust seal out of valve housing. Ensure valve housing surface is not damaged. Remove retaining snap ring under dust seal. Attach Input Shaft and Valve Body Puller (T86P-3504-D and T81P-3504-T for Escort, Tempo, Topaz and Tracer, or T78P-3504-B for all others) to input shaft. Turn nut to remove valve. Input shaft seal and bearing should come out with valve body.
- Remove lower pinion shaft seal by inserting part of Lower Pinion Seal Remover (T78P-3504-E2 on RWD, T86P-3504-F on FWD) until it bottoms along with spacer collet.
- Using 2 wrenches, hold large nut and turn small nut until expander fully tightens. Using Impact Slide Hammer (T50T-100-A), pull tool and seal from housing. Using Puller Attachment (T58L-101-B), remove pinion bearing from gear housing.
- Only serviceable components of input shaft and valve assembly are 4 plastic "O" rings. Cut rings off, using care not to scratch valve sleeve. See Fig 1.
RENDER: 1.0x
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- β’ You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- β’ Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- β’ The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- β’ You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- β’ You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.