Power steering fluid flush

ZX2_racer · Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:38 pm

How is is done? Last time I had my car in for scheduled matinence they said the fluid looked "dirty." I thought they were full of shit, but recently it has been hard to steer at times, more so then normal. I almost hit a BMW yesterday in Plymouth because of it, so I need to figure it out. If it's the pump itself, I could care less, warranty work is bomb, but if it's just bad fluid as they said, I will have to do it myself, and have no clue what would be proper procedure.

I'd assume that you take some out, put some in, run, repeat until it looks like the correct color? Thanks guys!

focinite · Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:22 am

the most common way is to use a pump that can suck on one side and another pump that pushes from a holding tank.....this is the most bu@# $h!t way of doing it. if you are loosing assist its either you have no fluid( ie, its low or there is a leak on the pressure side) or you have a vss issue( vss= variable speed sensing). my guess is the pumps bad, its the most common, but i have seen alot of rack seals go bad. the best way to see if the racks bad is to pull the crossover tube and let one side hang, if fluid comes out its smoked.

iminhell · Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:10 pm

What I do is buy an ass load of fluid, pull the return hose (upper on on the res), start the car and let it idle, keeping the fluid topped off and let it go 'til it pumps out clear. Maybe not the proper way but fk it, it works. BTW I use ATF and not power steering fluid.

ZX2_racer · Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:24 pm

^Busy this week? Wanna gimme a hand?

focinite · Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:11 am

iminhell wrote:What I do is buy an ass load of fluid, pull the return hose (upper on on the res), start the car and let it idle, keeping the fluid topped off and let it go 'til it pumps out clear. Maybe not the proper way but fk it, it works. BTW I use ATF and not power steering fluid.

the best way to do it is basicly this way, draw system to a total vaccume and then allow this vaccume to pull new fluid in, alls you need is a threaded two nippled check ball fitting that screws into the pressure side.. and atf, p/s fluid....hydraulic fluid is hydraulic fluid. ford reccomends atf, dodge says atf, i say atf, it keeps the system cleaner due to the detergants in it and it has a better heat tolerance., where p/s fluid is just straight hydraulic oil.