Repair Procedure - Steps 1 through 51
NOTE:This procedure is in an outline form that you can also use as a checklist for the repair. If you need more details, bookmark the following procedures in the 04-08 TSX Service Manual, or view them online:
^ Power Steering Fluid Replacement
^ Ball Joint Removal
^ Wheel Alignment
NOTE:
To clean the valve body unit, the lines, and the steering gearbox, use solvent and a brush, then blow the components dry with compressed air.
1. Drain the power steering fluid.
2. Make sure you have the anti4heft codes for the audio system and the navigation system (if equipped).
3. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery.
4. Align the front wheels straight ahead, then raise the vehicle, and make sure it is securely supported.
5. Remove the front wheels.
6. Remove the upper steering joint cover.
7. Release the lock lever, tilt the steering column all the way up, and push it all the way in, then tighten the lock lever.
8. To prevent the slider shaft from pulling out, hold the lower slide shaft on the column with a piece of wire between the joint yoke of the lower slide shaft and the joint yoke of the upper shaft.
9. Release the lock lever, and pull the steering column all the way out, then tighten the lock lever.
10. Remove the steering joint bolt, and disconnect the steering joint by moving it toward the column.
11. Center the steering wheel spokes, and install a commercially available steering wheel holder.
12. Remove the center guide (if equipped), and discard it. The center guide is for factory assembly use only. Remove the lower steering joint cover. Be careful not to damage the mating surface on the joint cover and the pinion shaft grommet.
13. Remove the harness clamp and the hose, then remove the bolts securing the hose clamps. Remove the mounting nuts and the strut brace.
14. To attach the engine hanger adapter, remove the clamp bracket (two bolts).
15. Attach the engine hanger adapter to the threaded hole in the cylinder head.
16. Install the engine support hanger on the vehicle, and attach the hook to the engine hanger adapter. Tighten the wing nut by hand to lift and support the engine and the transmission.
17. Remove the cotter pin from the tie-rod ball joint nut, then loosen the nut.
18. Separate the tie-rod ball joints and the knuckle using the ball joint remover.
19. Remove the power steering heat shield.
20. Remove the splash shield.
21. Attach the front subframe adapter to the front suspension subframe. Hang the hook of the front subframe adapter over the front of the subframe, then tighten the front subframe adapter screw.
22. Raise the floor jack, lining up the slots in the arms of the subframe adapter with the bolt holes on the corners of the jack base. Bolt the jack to the subframe adapter securely.
23. Remove the inlet line holder mounting bolt on the front suspension subframe.
24. Remove the inlet line holder mounting bolt and return hose from the gearbox mounting bracket.
25. Place several shop towels under the line connections, and cover the gearbox mounting part to protect it from the power steering fluid. Loosen the flare nut, and disconnect the inlet line, then loosen the flare nut, and disconnect the return line.
NOTE:
Do not loosen cylinder lines A and B between the valve body unit and the cylinder.
26. Seal the inlet and the return lines with a piece of tape to prevent dirt or other material from entering.
27. Remove the front suspension subframe right mid mount bolts.
28. Remove the front suspension subframe left mid mount (three bolts).
29. Remove the steering gearbox mounting bolts on the left gearbox mount, then remove the steering stiffener plate.
30. Remove the front suspension subframe front bracket from the body and the subframe.
31. Remove the front suspension subframe rear bracket mounting bolt.
32. Loosen the two front suspension subframe mounting bolts on the right and the left sides, then slowly lower the jack supporting the subframe about 30 mm (1-3/16 in).
33. Remove the two flange bolts from the right side of the gearbox, then remove the gearbox mounting bracket and the cushion.
34. Move the steering gearbox forward, and remove the pinion shaft grommet from the top of the valve body.
35. Wrap the splines on the pinion shaft with vinyl tape.
36. Apply vinyl tape to the brake lines to protect them from the pinion shaft.
37. Move the steering gearbox to the driver's side, and rotate it so the pinion shaft points toward the front of the vehicle.
38. Carefully move the steering gearbox as an assembly toward the driver's side of the vehicle until the pinion shaft clears the wheelwell opening. Be careful not to damage the brake lines with the pinion shaft.
39. Remove the steering gearbox through the wheelwell opening on the driver's side.
40. After removing the steering gearbox, make sure that no power steering fluid gets on the gearbox mount cushions, the gearbox housing, or the surface of the subframe and the stiffener. Wipe off any spilled fluid immediately.
41. Remove the boot bands and the tie-rod clips. Pull the boots away from the ends of the steering gearbox.
42. Unbend the lock washers.
43. Remove the left and right tie-rod ends using the lock nut wrench and a narrow 22 mm open end wrench.
44. Remove the lock washer and the rubber stop.
45. Loosen the locknut, then remove the rack guide screw.
46. Remove the spring and the rack guide from the gearbox housing.
47. Remove the cylinder lines from the gearbox.
NOTE:
Mark the location of the cylinder lines to ensure they are properly reconnected.
48. Drain the power steering fluid from the cylinder fittings by slowly sliding the steering rack back and forth.
49. Remove the valve body unit from the gearbox housing by removing the two flange bolts, then remove the 0-ring.
50. Remove the stake:
NOTE:
When the steering rack was built, the factory staked the cylinder end to make sure the end stayed secure. Remove the stake by drilling it out, but be very careful not to drill too deep to avoid ruining the steering cylinder end threads.
^ Slide the steering rack all the way in to avoid damaging it.
* ^ Use a sharp 3 mm drill bit.
^ Drill at high speed and frequently check the depth of the hole. Keep metal shavings and debris out of the hole by stopping the drilling process several times to use Acura rust penetrant (or equivalent) to clean the hole.
Stop drilling when the stake is completely removed by drilling a 3 mm diameter hole all the way through the gearbox housing. Be careful not to drill too deep into the cylinder end.
^ Clean the hole thoroughly with Acura rust penetrant (or equivalent) and compressed air before removing the cylinder end.
^ Do not let any metal shavings get inside the gearbox.