Anyone manually flush a power steering rack?

[Bailey28]

Got a 2013 Dodge Charger. I rebuilt the hydraulic portion of the electric power steering pump and installed a new reservoir. The previous owner advised the power steering stopped working and the fluid leaked out. Upon disassembly the old fluid inside was a dark gooey grey. The pump internals looked very nice with very little wear.

I don't want to just install the pump and force the old gooey fluid from the rack into the newly rebuilt pump. I want to manually flush the steering rack through the feed and return hoses.

Here is what I am thinking: Use a mityvac to pull fresh fluid through the rack by submerging the feed hose into the new fluid then pull a vacuum from the return side. I may have a helper move the rack from lock to lock while pulling the vacuum.

Or would a better method be to back flush and pull a vacuum from the inlet hose with the return hose submerged?

I am guessing the rack is full of old gooey fluid and I don't want to run that through the rebuilt pump. Thanks in advance.

 

[Kira]

the old fluid inside was a dark gooey grey

That description makes me think a 'leak stop' product was used.

You should touch samples of that grey goo to various solvents to see what would dissolve or loosen it best.

A cooling system I cleaned was full of grey leak stop products. Houshold cleaners didn't touch it.
I got the idea to rinse the core with gasoline and that worked.
I realize a modern steering rack is not to be compared to an old truck cooling system BUT flushing coolant through that system wouldn't have accomplished anything.

 

[GR_CoB]

The way I replace PS fluid on my Toyotas is add new fluid to reservoir, while turning the steering wheel lock-to-lock. (For that the wheels are up in the air and engine is off, so that it's easier to steer and no mess.) The return hose is disconnected to go in drain pan, and I just plug the return nipple on the reservoir. I keep adding new fluid and going lock-to-lock until fluid coming out of the return is as clean as new.

So just keep fresh fluid on inlet side, and run the rack lock-to-lock until you get fresh fluid out of the return side. Long hoses and deep funnels help minimize the mess.

 

[Kurtatron]

The way I replace PS fluid on my Toyotas is add new fluid to reservoir, while turning the steering wheel lock-to-lock. (For that the wheels are up in the air and engine is off, so that it's easier to steer and no mess.) The return hose is disconnected to go in drain pan, and I just plug the return nipple on the reservoir. I keep adding new fluid and going lock-to-lock until fluid coming out of the return is as clean as new.

So just keep fresh fluid on inlet side, and run the rack lock-to-lock until you get fresh fluid out of the return side. Long hoses and deep funnels help minimize the mess.

I do the same exact procedure to my vehicles.

 

[Bailey28]

Kira, Chlorinated brake cleaner was the only chemical that worked on the grey goo. The old reservoir and pump were coated in it. "Goo" may be misleading as it wasn't sticky, it was more like thick oil, a gear oil / motor honey type thickness. I agree this is most likely stop leak.

GR_CoB, so by moving the rack from lock to lock by hand with the wheels off the ground this will be sufficient to draw in new fluid and expel the old fluid? No vacuum needed? Sounds fantastic!

Although the Chrysler MS-11655 spec fluid is very expensive. I would imagine at least a quart needs to go through the rack to clear out most of the old fluid. The fluid is $20/quart lol.

If this rebuild works it will save tons of $$, the Dodge/Chrysler electric steering pump is not cheap.

 

[Bailey28]

Pics of the reservoir and pump

 

[Bailey28]

All of this cleaned up nicely with the clorinated brake parts cleaner. I did install a new replacement reservoir and o rings however.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

Never replaced PSF manually. Jacked up front wheels, warmed up fluid, used a huge syringe made for oils, and just started pulling fluid from reservoir while turning steering wheel lock to lock. Never disconnected hoses either. Just kept pulling, adding new, turning wheel, rinse and repeat until it came out clean. The syringe was clear in color. Probably got 95% of the old stuff out. Good enough for me. Never had problems with pump or rack. Used whatever fluid the cap said to use. Used about a quart total.

 

[ATex7239]

Cheap turkey baster, suck out all the old fluid, put new fluid in it, go hit up an empty parking lot and do donuts lock to lock, repeat until satisfied. I prefer to do steering wheel turns while moving so I don’t rub bald spots onto the tires.

 

[nwjones18]

I do the same exact procedure to my vehicles.

+2

 

[Kira]

do donuts lock to lock,

Those would be "Figure Eights", no? (ha-ha)

 

[GR_CoB]

GR_CoB, so by moving the rack from lock to lock by hand with the wheels off the ground this will be sufficient to draw in new fluid and expel the old fluid? No vacuum needed? Sounds fantastic!

Yup, that's all that was ever needed in the dozens of vehicles I did this to.

 

[Bailey28]

Got the rack flushed. Used a Mityvac, one feed and one drain can. About 5" hg pulled fluid through nicely. Here is the setup.

 

[ATex7239]

Those would be "Figure Eights", no? (ha-ha)

Not the way I do it

 

[VolvoZ]

As a backup, perhaps add a PS fluid filter of some sort to the system to catch any remaining stuff. Something like the Edelman 70699. Not endorsing this particular filter or RockAuto here, but this does seem to check all the boxes with various hose size adapters, magnet, cleanable element, etc.

 

[CapitalTruck]

The way I replace PS fluid on my Toyotas is add new fluid to reservoir, while turning the steering wheel lock-to-lock. (For that the wheels are up in the air and engine is off, so that it's easier to steer and no mess.) The return hose is disconnected to go in drain pan, and I just plug the return nipple on the reservoir. I keep adding new fluid and going lock-to-lock until fluid coming out of the return is as clean as new.

So just keep fresh fluid on inlet side, and run the rack lock-to-lock until you get fresh fluid out of the return side. Long hoses and deep funnels help minimize the mess.

This is how I do it also. I’m always amazed at how much better the steering feels when I’m done.

 

[Bailey28]

That Edelmann looks trick! I couldn't find how many microns it filters down to but that looks like it might make a great fuel filter as well.

 

[Paco Pena]

I do the turkey baster method. One drain and fill per week for enough cycle's to run a liter through it. Repeat every couple years.