Changing Power Steering Fluid

[Ben]

Since we've gotten on the subject of auto lubricants of late, a question for the mechanics among you:

Though I've never changed power steering fluid in vehicles before, I've been reading a lot about how it can be cheap insurance to keep the power steering system from breaking down due to wear via contaminants. I was thinking about just using the "turkey baster method" to suck all the fluid I could get to out of the system and put new stuff in.  

I would like to put synthetic in. Obviously sucking the old fluid out won't get stuff in the hoses and wherever, so it's probably something I'd have to do a couple of times to get most of the old stuff replaced by new. My question (see, I finally got to it!) is: Can it possibly hurt doing the swap to synthetic knowing there will be a mixture of dino and synthetic in the system until after a couple of iterations of swapping fluid? My initial thought is that it would be no different than "synthetic blend" motor oil, but I've been known to make some pretty stupid assumptions in my day...

PS -- I'm a cheap SOB and wanna do it myself instead of paying the mechanic to use one of those exchanger machines.

[Stickjockey]

NOTE: I am not a mechanic nor am I an expert on these things.

A short search reveals that there may be a possibility that certain fluids will damage seals or hoses. As long as you check to make sure that the fluid is compatible with your system it should be okay. Check with a professional first to make sure.

There may also be a compatibility issue between the fluids themselves, as in silicone and non-silicone brake fluids. Again, check with someone who knows.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

My old pickup runs through about a quart of power steering fluid a week. I don't wory about contamination much.

It does keep my driveway weeds down, though.



Check into the Lucas product for power steering, though. It does condition seals and I've had a favorable experience with it.


Regards,
Rabbit.

[Azrael256]

Synthetic oil + old seals = Ka-blamo!

[Ben]

Is that really old seals on a not well taken care of engine, or just seals after "X" years? My vehicles have 34K and 46K respectively and are only 3 and 5 years old. As I said, it's something I've never even thought of doing before, but besides reading about it, 2 of the last 3 vehicles I had needed new power steering pumps in the 100-150K range, and I take really good care of my vehicles, so I'm kinda thinking there's something to this fluid swaparoo thing.

Of course if synthetic does it through the seals, I can just switch to the Rabbit method of adding new fluid...

[Guest]

I observed how to NOT drain Power Steering Fluid when I was younger.  

Fellow disregarded any warnings in regard to putting new fan belts on. Like do NOT use Power Steering to pry against in tightening fan belts.

It drained all right...yep, that it did.

Of course this is the same guy that chained oil and when he went to put fresh in - it went into oil fill and onto his carport.

He impressed his wife, she standing there with drain plug " Honey - did you forget something?"   He is NOT allowed to touch - much less drive her car btw.

Power Steering -  I had mine drained before my 75K mile warranty expired, by the dealer. Only new vehicle I ever bought, so I had them do all this stuff under 'warranty' - let GM pay for it we said.

I have 129k+ now on it...I figure someday I will do the Turkey Baster, use a syphon, or somesuch,and use Factory fill to replace.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

At least he caught his error, sm. I have a friend who took his new Chevy can to the dealer for its first oil change. They drained the old oil, put the plug back in, and turned it back over to him.  He managed to get 6 miles away before the dealership came out to hook it back to the shop for a new longblock.

Regards,
Rabbit.

[Guest]

It is downright scary is it not?

One takes something to an "Authorized Dealer" and one "thinks" they are doing the "right thing.

Darned old human element - always messin' stuff up.

I have seen both dealers and independents remove and install filter, add fresh oil to top off and charge for an oil change.

Both charge for a grease job, and that model did not require it.

Read the ticket for "manual trans fluid flush and fill" for an Auto Trans.

Being a guy and all [ we are stereotyped as being a certain way afterall] Went with mom to have her car serviced at dealer. One item was Coolant flush and fill. I popped the hood and somebody forgot to put the Resevoir back in after cleaning it right there at the service pick up.

"Marty!!" was heard all thru the service Dept...without use of intercom.  Marty don't work there anymore, he is driving a Brown Truck now.

Talk about scary!!

[Stickjockey]

Is that really old seals on a not well taken care of engine, or just seals after "X" years?

IIRC, it's certain seal materials (generally used on older vehicles) that get eaten by certain chemical compounds.

[Sam]

What do you expect to gain from stnthetic in the PS system?  Breakdown in hydraulic systems is negligible, not worth the time or effort.  
PS pumps are a real long term item. Don't see many wear out at all, folks screw them up all the time prying on them and don't look for leaks but a worn out PS pump is pretty hard to come by these days.

Stick with your reg fluid, change it at 100k if you want but don't get too wrapped up on it.

Sam

[Ben]

Only reason I was thinking synthetic is because if I put it in, I probably wouldn't change the fluid again in the time I own either vehicle. If I put dino in, I might persuade myself to change it once more (usually keep my vehicles 10-12 years).

[Phyphor]

myself, I didn't sweat changing the power steering fluid in my Comet until I f***ed up and cut a hose, and it all leaked out.... after kicking my own ass, I changed the high-pressure metal line, and just put in more ps fluid (non-synthetic, )   I'd think you could just remove a hose and run the engine for a minute or two to pump out the fluid, but obviously, do this at your own risk!

[Art Eatman]

Don't recall buit maybe one problem with a power steering pump.  My '85 IROC.  Outside of that, lotsa Chevys without a problem.

My '85 Toyota has some 287,000 on the original pump...

Art

[MaterDei]

I observed how to NOT drain Power Steering Fluid when I was younger.  

Fellow disregarded any warnings in regard to putting new fan belts on. Like do NOT use Power Steering to pry against in tightening fan belts.

It drained all right...yep, that it did.

Of course this is the same guy that chained oil and when he went to put fresh in - it went into oil fill and onto his carport.

He impressed his wife, she standing there with drain plug " Honey - did you forget something?"   He is NOT allowed to touch - much less drive her car btw.

Very funny.  He should have said, "Honey, don't you know that I'm flushing the system?"

[K Frame]

I'm surprised mtnbkr hasn't chimed in on this thread.

He's fanatic about keeping up wtih the fluid changes on his vehicles.

[Guest]

Don't bother with swapping fluids, at least not yet (if at all)

like all the other guys said, wear on PS system is VERY minimal.   I have a 78' chevy with a million miles on it, and i've never swapped the PS fluid yet.

My Fiance's Honda currently has 307k on it, with no attention payed to the PS pump yet, and it works fine. (but the trany is going)

DO NOT run it without fluid in the pump, you'll burn it up.  I've done this before, its an agrivation.

[brimic]

If it aint broke, don't fix it.

The only problem I've ever had with a power steering system was I had a main seal go out on a steering gear box on my pickup truck- it emptied the power steering fluid quickly and pretty spectacularly. I think the reason why it went south on me was that my front end had taken a pretty hard hit a few years before when I skid on some ice and nailed a curb with a front wheel. After replacing the gear box, the power steering pump, the steering arm, and all of the tie rod ends, the system has run flawlessly for the last 100K miles.

[garrettwc]

I'm one of those drive it till the wheels fall off kind of guys. Average mileage when I get rid of one is 150K+. In 20 years I have never drained a power steering system dry. Nor have I needed to.

Have had to change one pump that I can remember. Bolted in on, topped off the fluid, and good to go.

I think you're wasting your money unless you are seeing signs of contamination in the system, like metal shavings or something. Which by the way would mean you have a more serious problem that changing the fluid won't fix.

[Ben]

Okay, if nothing else, I think you guys have me convinced to at least wait 30K or so miles before I think about the subject again...

[crt360]

I wouldn't worry about it.  You might even get more contaminants in there with the turkey baster removal method than it already had.

I have an 85 Toyota that used a bottle about every two weeks for awhile.  Got my worn out steering rack and a few other parts replaced and it's pretty much back to normal.  This is my off-road Corolla that has been put through WRC conditions and the steering and suspension have taken more of a beating than some engineer in Japan twenty years ago could have ever imagined.

Power steering fluid does not contaminate like oil.  It's not exposed to same multi-thousand RPMs, heat, friction, etc. that something like motor oil gets put through.  In my experience, power steering fluid with 50K miles of use looks just as new and clean as the stuff I just poured out of the bottle.  I agree with everyone that said don't run it low.  I've done it and been lucky, but you could burn out a pump easily. Under normal conditions I think they'll last a very long time.