Power Steering Fluid - Changed Mine

[Beachbumcook]

Changed my power steering fluid today and boy... what a difference in color... still runs well... but at least I feel better adding new fluid.

I plan on changing ouot 1 qt of power-steering fluid every 2 days for a total of 4 qts. I hope that this will net me a 100% fluid change or at least enough new fluid to ensure proper protection?

Here is what I am doing/procedure:

1) Buy either 4 qts or 1 gallon of Mercon ATF fluid (as called for in my manual).

2) Buy a new cooking/basting bulb to suck out old fluid in resorvoir - $2.00 @ Walmart.

3) After driving (hot fluid), I suck out the resorvoir completely dry with the baster and filled up an old 1qt oil container I had (curious as to capacity of resorvoir).

4) Upon sucking dry, I refilled with 1 qt of fresh Mercon ATF fluid.

5) Repeat steps 1 through 4 every 2 days of driving until I have done 4 times (I bought a 1 gallon jug of fluid... so this is why I am flushing 3 times and leaving the 4th time in as the final refill.


If there is any dirt or sediment in the system I can only hope it is suspended due to the fluid being hot (after driving)? I am fearful of removing hoses and flushing due to getting air trapped in the system.. and my dealer tech stated that it happens and it may moan/groan for a period of time if air gets trapped.... so I am taking the "safe way" out for doing this procedure.

Now what we need is a power-steering fluid filter (full-flow or by-pass) just like the oil by-pass or coolant by-pass filter systems many people have!!! My 1987 300D Mercedes had one!!!!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I agree with you about the power steering fluid filter... my steering groans every time because of the sediment in the system.

Ryan

 

[Fellro]

actually wouldn't be all that hard to install one, if you can find something, probably a remote trans filter would work.

 

[Brian_B]

People change that fluid? As far as I know, my old ranger (89) still has the original lines, pump, and fluid in it. My brother drives it every day that way...

Timebomb waiting to happen?

 

[Fellro]

It is recommended to do so, but few do, kind of like rear diff oil...Actually, it is recommended to change every fluid on the car at some point. Changin brake fluid is so much fun, I tell ya... Actually did do a few while working for a dealer.

 

[blacksnapon]

The BG (brand name) company came in with all their flush machines, and we've started doing them. We have brake fluid, trans, differential, coolant, and power steering flushers. Some are all right, some are snake oil (thats an old turd tech talking). We also have fuel induction cleaners (notice I didn't say injection?). And finally, a diesel injector cleaner (I'm reserving my opinion about that one.)

 

[Beachbumcook]

When looking down at the power steering resorvoir, what are the hoses I see conencted and which ones are high-pressure and which ones low-pressure?

What I see.....

1) Small diameter hose going to the master cylinder

2) Small hose - do not where it goes?

3) Large hose that appears to go to the steering gear box?

If I were to install an in-line full-flow filter, which of the three hoses above is a low-pressure hose... or is there a different location than the three I am seeing to install such?

What I found on the internet is this... it looks simple and not too expensive... and is made for power-steering systems.

US DISTRIBUTOR FOR SITE BELOW:
http://www.bossproductsusa.com/products.html

CORPORATE WEBSITE:
http://www.magnefine.com/

Question is... what is the hose diameter for the small hoses on my system and would the filter above spice in-line very well... and which hose is low pressure and where?

Thanks,

 

[Fellro]

Sounds like you have a hydraulic boosted master... anyway, the low pressure line is the one from the back of the pump and goes to the steering box, in this case, goes where you don't see it. High pressure hoses have the crimped ends... From what I read, those are only good for removing the metal particles, nothing else.

 

[Kep4]

My truck is two years old next month and I'll be changing out the PS fluid as well. I didn't consider adding a filter but I guess a hydraulic fluid filter would work. Hmmmmm.......

 

[Beachbumcook]

When looking at my resorvoir, the three hoses (2 small and 1 large) do NOT have crimped end, just compression clamps that hold the hose to the nipples on the tank.

In another forum, someone stated that the large hose from the gearbox to the resorvoir is the low-pressure return line... but the others do not appear to be high-pressure either.

If the low-pressure side is the large hose, then the filter referenced above would not work unless I had some sort of adpater that allowed fitting the filter to the large hose diameter?

The brakes get pressure or are hydro-boosted from the master cylinder, so having clean fluid in my system affects a lot of others.

 

[Fellro]

Many times, the low pressure line does not have a threaded fitting, just a hose clamp. I'm a bit surprised the high side doesn't have some kind of compression fitting holding the hose, quite a bit of pressure there...

 

[Beachbumcook]

One year ago I started this thread and brought up the discussion of an in-line P/S fluid filter...

Here it is one year later, and I have installed one.

Check out the thread I started right after I installed it (includes pictures of the install).

http://www.fordtruckfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3516

You may want to consider this P/S filter (works on any car or truck) and costs between $15.00 - $26.75/ea (depends on where you buy it from).

 

[eco]

The BG (brand name) company came in with all their flush machines, and we've started doing them. We have brake fluid, trans, differential, coolant, and power steering flushers. Some are all right, some are snake oil (thats an old turd tech talking). We also have fuel induction cleaners (notice I didn't say injection?). And finally, a diesel injector cleaner (I'm reserving my opinion about that one.)

They had all that BG stuff at the Chrysler dealer I worked at. For some reason nobody ever had much luck with the coolant one. The sevice writers loved to sell those serviced because each time they sell one they get ONE DOLLAR!