Steering assembly inspection and replacement

[E95]

90 Festiva L/ EFI/5spd/Hatch/No AC/Manual Windows/No Pwr. Steering/250k miles/

Have a 90 Festiva with 6" of steering wheel play and this car never had an alignment according to the past owner. For a short while the steering worked but then at 1/2 a turn to the right the wheel felt like it does when turned all the way to the right. 20 feet after this while riding off the road and into the shoulder the steering changed to no maxed out feeling, no 6" of play (this is 3" on either side), and able to steer normally; except the steering wheel is 180 degrees and upside down. And a loud popping sound when turning the wheel beyond 1 full turn either way. Got home without a tow but this feels like a replacement will be needed. Have an '88 Festiva for a parts car but how do I do this?
Have done all that Haynes says to do except: "Separate the intermediate steering shaft from the steering gear input shaft... " . What does this steering shaft and the gear input shaft look like, will they be on the engine firewall side or on the inside firewall areas, and if up inside of the loose rubber opened on one side boot how to get to them without tearing the boot?
Tried to give y'all a good description but it looks a little long to me.
Any advise, help here.

[gomer]

The first thing I'd check is to make sure that the mounts for the steering rack haven't broken/rusted loose...

[E95]

All bolts are in good shape as are the clamps too.

[mechanicaldj]

Re: Steering assembly inspection and replacement

90 Festiva L/ EFI/5spd/Hatch/No AC/Manual Windows/No Pwr. Steering/250k miles/

Have done all that Haynes says to do except: "Separate the intermediate steering shaft from the steering gear input shaft... " . What does this steering shaft and the gear input shaft look like, will they be on the engine firewall side or on the inside firewall areas, and if up inside of the loose rubber opened on one side boot how to get to them without tearing the boot?
Tried to give y'all a good description but it looks a little long to me.
Any advise, help here.

in other words separate the universal joint from the steering assembly --- inside the car under the dash at the firewall (procedure #4)

[E95]

Steering assembly replacement +Frozen pinch bolt

Thanks for the earlier help concerning my steering assembly replacement.
All worked out ok except the frozen pinch bolt in the bottom half of the steering u-joint section. This bolt looks new without corrosion of any kind. The head is beginning to strip so I wanted to go easy on it. Been using new sockets and closed wrenches to eliminate stripping it . Even tried a butane pencil torch with two refills of fuel and heating it this way. Don't have any access to a torch for the Red Hot heating level. And the butane just didn't get it hot enough to do much. I don't want to drill, etc. it out. Is there anyway to take apart the rack/pinion to small enough parts passable through the fender wells? Not alot of room down there for the drilling out work.
Any advice here is welcomed.

[mechanicaldj]

and you are using quality tools?

and METRIC tools? 12mm and 14mm wrenches and sockets

[E95]

Steering assembly replacement +Frozen pinch bolt

mechanicaldj,
yes siree, the socket & closed wrench both 12mm for that pinch bolt (lower bolt) are not beginning to strip just the bolt head. Instead of a torch removal what other methods to remove this bolt would you use; say first through .... ?
I'm sure you understand how much room there isn't down there to say swing a heavy hammer for loosen blows.