Tech tips Power Steering '61 to '69 Continentals: problems with power steering pumps. As we all know the 1961-1969 Continentals all had a crankshaft driven power steering pump. I am sure we all have added new words to our “cuss word” vocabulary trying to get these things to work right. Well, here's the deal with the power steering system. The Lincoln division engineered this crank driven system to eliminate vibration and make the ride quieter. Probably not keeping in mind that more than 40 years later there would be a strong following for these awesome automobiles. Now, the key to keeping this system working properly is: KEEP THE FLUID LEVEL AT PAR AT ALL TIMES! If your power steering pump has not begun to make noise now, it is IMPORTANT to keep an eye on the fluid level. Also make sure the tire pressure is kept to specifications. This will not only put less strain on the pump but also make it quieter and smoother to steer. Note that ONLY type F fluid is to be used in this system to prevent damage to the internal components. So, what happens when there is low or no fluid in the reservoir? I have experienced this phenomenon first hand. When the fluid gets low, the pump starts "groaning" and more effort is required for steering. This is what the driver will notice. On the inside, the mechanical parts of the system start heating up (since there is no lubrication) and the steering is harder because of lack of hydraulic pressure. If you are very unlucky you will not notice a leak from the front seal of the pump, which happens in 90% of cases. Instead, the power steering fluid will leak into your engine’s crank case through the back seal. NOT a pleasant experience. In the worst case the rotor shaft, which is supposed to move freely back and forth while rotating on the crank shaft, suddenly heats up and seizes to the crankshaft causing total loss of steering assist, and also a nice job of “unseizing” the rotor shaft from the crank shaft! So if your pump is groaning, get it rebuilt or get a kit and rebuild it yourself. The longer you wait the worse your pump gets. No good cores mean you need to get a replacement pump costing you lots of $$$$$. We recommend you check your steering fluid level before every trip you make and to make sure your tire pressure is good.