Q: what causes fluid to shoot out the top of the power steering reservoir

Hello. We will be happy to help you. This is a common problem with Ford’s of that era. Well I wouldn’t consider it a problem it’s more so of a hassle than anything else. If you turn the steering wheel quickly enough with the engine off Ford’s of that generation will shoot some power steering fluid out of the cap. This is because the steering wheel being turned pushes pressure(fluid) through the reservoir but the power steering belt is not turning the pump. If the fluid is being pushed to the reservoir but the power steering pump is not pumping the fluid through the rest of the system the fluid will have no choice but to escape up through the reservoir like a volcano. You can try to prevent this by limiting the amount that the steering wheel is turns when the engine is off.