Practically Classics Forum

hi i have an 1989 orion 16i ghia and was looking to fit power steering. has anyone done this if so what parts do i need and from what vehicle or model do i need to use

There might be an escort/orion forum out there with the information already there.

Whenever I get a "new" car, the first things I do are buy a Haynes manual and pop down the net to look for such forums.

This approach has worked very well for me since 2003 with Sierras, Saab 9000's and Peugeot 106's.

With Fords this sort of thing will have been done loads of times using bits got from the scrappers and there should be no shortage of good advice from those who have done it before.

There are aftermarket electric power steering kits available, but these are usually priced in limbs and appendages. Not knocking them - I have no doubt the quality is superb, but why go this route when you can have something designed for your specific requirement by Ford for a fraction of the price and a lot less hassle to fit.

There was a bit of kit a Ford Dealer in South Wales were doing in the mid 90`s called "easy steer" but I wouldn`t have advised fitting it.

It consisted of

1 small metal box
4 or 5 bits of wire (your choice of colours locatios etc)
2 bits of fuel hose routed from the metal box down to the steering rack where they were attached with sealant
pumping the tyres up to 65psi...

The wifes mk2 golf sufferred with non pas heavy steering and I found that when it started getting heavy either the tyres were down on PSI or alternatively the tracking was out. It might be worthwhile checking these before getting involved in anything more involved.

Escorts of this era came with a PAS option, so why not remove the parts that are tailored to fit your car from another Escort at a breaker's yard?

Or go for a new one for peace of mind. The PAS rack - split new - for yours is around £70 just now, the pump and pipework a similar amount for reconditioned parts.

JPB wrote:Escorts of this era came with a PAS option, so why not remove the parts that are tailored to fit your car from another Escort at a breaker's yard?
Or go for a new one for peace of mind. The PAS rack - split new - for yours is around £70 just now, the pump and pipework a similar amount for reconditioned parts.

I dont think that they did have a PAS option at least in UK - until the Mk5 in the 90's. As I recall though, at that time some Escorts /Orions had heavy steering, others were lighter. I didnt fathom out why - but mine (an 85 Orion Ghia i) was heavy. I tried a larger steering wheel briefly, but resorted to blowing up the front tyres a few psi (that often helps) and developing my forearm muscles.

Sorry Ed, but in fact the MK 4 did have the option of PAS on Ghia models and Escort convertibles. Those were on the option list for the UK however Channel Islands Pop Plus models had PAS fitted as an option by the Jersey hire company's supplying dealer and PAS was also an option on all MK4s supplied to Motability customers.

Although I was still working for the Subaru network at the time, all of our hire cars were Escorts and Orions bought as imports through ADT and the old Tyne Tees auctions in Shields where now stands the big Tesco, we'd get them at typically six months old with around 3000-5000 miles on the clock, put them on our fleet for a further six months and sell them on at one year old, still with a lower than average mileage. Several of our repeat used car customers came to us simply because we were able to supply the Pop+ with PAS where Henly's and Patterson's (both Ford main dealers down in Newcastle at the time, Henly's where Student City apartments now stand - not far from Manors, Patterson's premises on Scotswood Road, now an Arnold Shark place) could only supply that option on Ghias and they, of course, were more expensive than our tightarsed punters would stand.

John - of course I should have known. Not about Fords & PAS but that you actually, really, truly are a mine of such fantastic knowledge & detail. Sorry John - keep up the good work.

I've just looked in Ford parts,and there's no power steering for the MK4,but there is for the MK5. As mentioned,find the parts off a MK5

sierra3dr wrote:I've just looked in Ford parts,and there's no power steering for the MK4,but there is for the MK5. As mentioned,find the parts off a MK5

The MK5 bits require a modification to the n/s chassis leg to fit. Use the MK4 bits from a Ghia, maybe update your parts info?

JPB wrote:The MK5 bits require a modification to the n/s chassis leg to fit. Use the MK4 bits from a Ghia

It's an interesting task. I did a PAS conversion on my 1.8 pinto,using the goodies from the 2 litre pinto

JPB wrote:maybe update your parts info?

It's beyond my powers similar to this http://autopartmaster.com/en/?action=ca ... dded_=FORD Легковые