1988 Cadillac brougham - Power Steering fluid

[momo]

Hi all, I checked the PS fluid in my brougham and I noticed that is brownish not pink as tranny fluid. So, I am wondering what is your recommendation for flushing and the type of oil I should use? I just purchased the car last year and I have no idea if PS fluid was flushed or not. The car currently has ~72k miles. Thanks in advance,

 

[CT8]

The PS uses Dexron ATF . The system needs a flush and fill.

 

[eljefino]

I would just extract what you can with a turkey baster, refill the reservoir, and drive it for a day. Repeat a few times.

 

[901Memphis]

Suck the reservoir and fill with fresh fluid every day you drive it. After you run through a couple quarts it should be looking good. There's lots of household items that will help here Turkey basters work okay as well as marinate needles and dial hand soap or other bathroom soap pumps. Anything like that with a long enough tube to reach the reservoir will do the trick. I usually use a soap pump into an empty oil bottle then when it's full put it with the used oil jug. They make actual oil hand pumps for this such as gear oil pumps or fluid extraction pumps but recycled household items are free DexronVI will work as well as any other mineral dex/merc you can get your hand on.

 

[momo]

Dexron vs. DexronVI? Does it really matter which one I use?

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: momo

Dexron vs. DexronVI? Does it really matter which one I use?

DexronVI is the only licensed product and it supercedes Dexron 2 and 3. If you buy a product labeled Dex/Merc you should buy one from a major company as they are unlicensed. That being said power steering systems aren't very demanding, if the unit originally called for Dexron, then DexronVI is the correct fluid now. DexronVI has the same frictional properties as DexronIIIH except it starts out at a lower viscosity and doesn't shear like DexronIII would. So even though DexronIII would start at 7.5 cSt @100C it would fall below 5 cSt in short order while the DexronVI starts around 5.8 cSt and stays there. I am not sure what the unit originally called for, because some GMs use regular power steering fluid and in that case regular Prestone power steering fluid works great. I've used Prestone psf, DexronVI and now Maxlife in my Buick psf and usually don't notice much difference

 

[mjoekingz28]

Why aren't you using psf? Sounds like that is what is in it, and it appears so far into my research that that is what it calls for.

 

[momo]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

Originally Posted By: momo

Dexron vs. DexronVI? Does it really matter which one I use?

DexronVI is the only licensed product and it supercedes Dexron 2 and 3. If you buy a product labeled Dex/Merc you should buy one from a major company as they are unlicensed. That being said power steering systems aren't very demanding, if the unit originally called for Dexron, then DexronVI is the correct fluid now. DexronVI has the same frictional properties as DexronIIIH except it starts out at a lower viscosity and doesn't shear like DexronIII would. So even though DexronIII would start at 7.5 cSt @100C it would fall below 5 cSt in short order while the DexronVI starts around 5.8 cSt and stays there. I am not sure what the unit originally called for, because some GMs use regular power steering fluid and in that case regular Prestone power steering fluid works great. I've used Prestone psf, DexronVI and now Maxlife in my Buick psf and usually don't notice much difference

Thanks for your explanation!!!

 

[momo]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

Suck the reservoir and fill with fresh fluid every day you drive it. After you run through a couple quarts it should be looking good. There's lots of household items that will help here Turkey basters work okay as well as marinate needles and dial hand soap or other bathroom soap pumps. Anything like that with a long enough tube to reach the reservoir will do the trick. I usually use a soap pump into an empty oil bottle then when it's full put it with the used oil jug. They make actual oil hand pumps for this such as gear oil pumps or fluid extraction pumps but recycled household items are free DexronVI will work as well as any other mineral dex/merc you can get your hand on.

Wont that damage the pump as it starts to run dry and air gets in? How do I know when to stop sucking the fluid with turkey baster before damage starts to the pump?

 

[meborder]

Originally Posted By: momo

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

Suck the reservoir and fill with fresh fluid every day you drive it. After you run through a couple quarts it should be looking good. There's lots of household items that will help here Turkey basters work okay as well as marinate needles and dial hand soap or other bathroom soap pumps. Anything like that with a long enough tube to reach the reservoir will do the trick. I usually use a soap pump into an empty oil bottle then when it's full put it with the used oil jug. They make actual oil hand pumps for this such as gear oil pumps or fluid extraction pumps but recycled household items are free DexronVI will work as well as any other mineral dex/merc you can get your hand on.

Wont that damage the pump as it starts to run dry and air gets in? How do I know when to stop sucking the fluid with turkey baster before damage starts to the pump?

You do it with the engine off.....

 

[901Memphis]

Yes engine off while sucking the reservoir!

 

[901Memphis]

It probably does call for regular PSF but many people have switched to ATF and they usually don't mind either way they are simple hydraulic systems not very dependent on friction like transmissions are they just need a certain viscosity range and basic add pack

 

[momo]

Great! I will try to find from local part source if they carry PSF, if not will go with ATF. Thank you all for the input, really appreciated.

 

[Falcon_LS]

If it's not leaking, and you're not experiencing any issues, I would use CHF-11S and forget about it for a good while.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

I would just extract what you can with a turkey baster, refill the reservoir, and drive it for a day. Repeat a few times.

This. In a week you'll have new fluid throughout the system.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Kuato, I think it took me about a gallon in my truck. I would draw out the reservoir ( about a pint) and refill and go awhile. Repeated that for awhile and got tired of buying individual quarts. So I bought a gallon, and guess what, now it is as clear as new- so I have about 1/2 gal sitting in my shop. My truck had 160-170k when I did all of this and 12 years old, so I figure 10 years and 100k miles is probably the upper end of when to change the psf.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28

Kuato, I think it took me about a gallon in my truck. I would draw out the reservoir ( about a pint) and refill and go awhile. Repeated that for awhile and got tired of buying individual quarts. So I bought a gallon, and guess what, now it is as clear as new- so I have about 1/2 gal sitting in my shop. My truck had 160-170k when I did all of this and 12 years old, so I figure 10 years and 100k miles is probably the upper end of when to change the psf.

I'd agree, around 10 years for a lot of fluid exchange, or every 5 years just drain and refill the reservoir. Now I've got this newfangled electromechanical power steering, no fluid required....with a bunch of extra power steering fluid in the garage.....

 

[DoubleWasp]

I have a bunch of GM power steering systems I need to stay on top of, and use Valvoline Maxlife ATF in every single one.