yoyo8750LX

Tried to post in offtopic section but I ma not allowed to post there.

Grandpas lincoln continental hard ot turn

Its a 2000+ 4. something V8

There are dead spots in the turning like its out of fluid but its not. Fluid does smell nasty. Real odd, turns fine, then hard, then fine, then hard.

They don't have money to take it in let alone get an expensive dealer repair so I gotta see if its a common thing or sign. Maybe a sign of a bad PS pump or maybe the rack?

Can't just through parts at this one or pay to have it looked at.

yoyo8750LX

Wait, wait, slow down, I can't keep it straight if you all reply at once???

Geese are we that snobish about other brands in Ford?

Jfsram

No need for replies like these. Most likely it's because nobody who read your post so far knows the answer. Try posting something like I just switched to Autolite spark plugs and lost power. You'll get answers. I have a thread in General Tech that is slowly getting swept into the archives. No replies and it's probably because nobody that has read it so far has had the same problem.

As for the power steering problem. Same as the other members who did not reply to your post. Never had a similar problem and don't know but if I were to guess. Maybe the belt is slipping, idle is too low or the fluid has gone for a ****.

Check the belt tensioner, make sure it's not bottomed out.
Flush and refill the power steering fluid with some new stuff.
Check the ball joints and tie rods. May have one seizing up.

yoyo8750LX

Ending up being the linkage for the steering shaft, the exhaust heat shields rotted away and cooked it good, but you couldn't really tell by looks alone.
we re-did the pump 2-3 times before figuring it out. It did feel like a bad pump the way the steering studdered.