replace entire PS pump or just the gaskets, etc?

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Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
11
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Location
Taylorsville, UT
My Car
'72 convertible; triple white; 351C-2V - all original save for top and interior door panels.
Last time I did my "winter startup" a month ago I noticed a good amount of red fluid on the floor. I checked the both AT and brake fluid levels, seems OK - and even the PS pump shows a fair amount of fluid left in it.

The pump has been fine to date and gave no indication of bigger issues, so I think a gasket kit will solve my problem as I'm preferring the keep my survivor with its OEM parts intact as much as possible. Any dissenters? Any other place the red fluid might have originated?

Thanks, everyone!
 
If it was working fine, I'd just re-seal it. Typical leak location is the thin gasket, and thin nut, on the high pressure side that seal the pump to the reservoir. Chuck
 
As Chuck say, most likely place is the gasket at the back of the canister and HP outlet.
The other likely place is the O ring where the canister meets the cast body. Wipe the underside of the canister and check later to find the leak. If it IS the rear seal, try tightening the thin nut gently. That may be all it needs to reseal it.... for now!
However, it is not an easy job to do as you'll need a pulley puller/installer (Harbor Freight) to strip the pump down. I'm assuming you have the Ford Thompson (big round) pump. It is doable and the kit is cheap (RockAuto). If it is the rear seal, the original was a rubber and metal gasket that is no longer available. It is opposite in construction to the type used on oil drain plugs. The paper gasket now sold in the kits is not thick enough, but a good bead of "The Right Stuff" both side of it will seal it. There are some good and some not so good videos on YouTube.
Anyway let us know what you find and we'll get back if needed. There was a post recently on this very subject, do a search.
 

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