Recent content by Greg Bohn

I got a response. It says: "Our ATF products are not marketed as power steering fluids. Due to the nature of the application, power steering systems are considered safety related systems by the OEM. To ensure optimum performance, most OEMs have very demanding (and unique) fluid specification...

Originally Posted By: Garak I wouldn't worry. My G37 calls for Dexron-VI as PSF, not a Dexron-VI that talks about power steering on the label. I guess I'm a little gun shy since its been my experience that the stuff they leave out is sometimes as important as the stuff they put in on the...

Hi; I've been using Mobil 1 'Synthetic ATF Multi-Vehicle Formula' in my Toyota Power steering for years (The manual/reservoir cap specifies to use Dexron III). It came in a silver bottle and on the label says 'Recommended for use in any power steering unit where a DEXRON or MERCON fluid is...

I was recently trying to decide between M1 0W-40 or GC 0W-30. I was concerned about the M1 being too thick during warmup, so I did a few quick experiments trying to determine the relative thickness of the oils at various temps. by timing how long it took for the oils to pour out through a hole...

I have a 2002 Toyota with a V-6 1MZ-FE engine (referred to by some as a 'sludge Monster', at least in it's prior year incarnation...). I've always had UOA reports show a 'thin' viscosity since it was new (usually in the 7.6-8.0 cSt range for 5w-30 'dino' oil with only about 2K miles/ 4 months...

My 2002 Avalon came with 'non-red' fluid in the power steering, and I faced a similar dilema of what to replace it with. Since the manual/reservoir lid calls for ATF/Dexron, I figured I couldn't go wrong (warranty wise) with Mobil-1 ATF (which claims to be Dex-III certified as far as I can...

It comes down to how much of the original fluid you want to leave. As it turns out, a while ago I created some graphs showing how much of the original fluid is left over after a series of partial changes. This graph (in theory) shows how much of the original fluid is left (in %) verses each...

I recently changed the PS fluid in my 2002 Toyota Avalon. The reservoir says to use 'Dexron type fluid' (but strangely the factory fill was a light amber color instead of red). I first replaced it with Valvoline Dexron III (plain old D III-G), but later changed it again to Mobil-1 synthetic...

I am currently faced with the same dilema (what to use in my 2002 Avalon's PS system. Is ATF appropriate for just top-off, or both top-off and total replacement?). And as it happens, I have a UOA of the used 'Amber' Factory fill, one from my Factory fill transmision (presumably with Dexron...

What is the Outside Diameter of the tubing you are using? I ran into a Saturn that had some sort of constriction in the Dipstick tube so that the 0.25 inch O.D. tubing I was using wouldn't work. It would make it partway down, but stop just short or where it needed to go. I used some 3/16" O.D...

Don't know if this helps you as a reference, but I initially had 264 PPM silicon! I have a '02 Toyota Avalon with a 1MZ-FE V6. My first UOA at 1,500 miles showed 264 PPM silicon. The next change dropped to 64 at 2,700 miles, and is now 23 PPM at 6,500 miles. They seem to use something in the...

I use both Blackstone and Herguth labs , and I've generally been happy with both. I've tried a few others and have been less happy with my expieriences with them. Each have their strong and weak points (Blackstone is usually the hands down fastest, while I think Herguth has a nicer output...

I have a1MZ-FE in my 2002 Avalon, and the results I've gotten so far have always shown a lower than expected oil viscosity. Doing a few UOA's I've come to suspect that (at least in my case) fuel dilution seems to thin the oil very quickly in this engine (I do frequent short trips). To see what...

I have a 2002 1MZ-FE in my Toyota and have been trying to figure out why the oil reports always come back with the oil flaged as too thin. I've noticed the results seem to show the TBN and Viscosity aren't what you'd hope for. My results are: In two cases, supposedly 'young' oil only 195 and...

I don't know if this will help you or not, but a friend of mine has a '92 Saturn SC with 1.9L engine and about 90K miles. He was running Mobil 1 and having a comsumption problem. He switched to 10W-30 Valvoline Maxlife and says the oil consumption is much better. (I'm not sure if his engine...