Power Steering Fluid Change '04 Buick Rendezvous

[radtech91]

2004 Buick Rendezvous - 81,000 miles - PSF never changed

I have decided I am going to use AMSOIL power steering fluid for my car. I've also decided I am going to do a complete drain and refill.

I haven't had a chance to put it up on ramps to look underneath or look in the car manual on where everything is at.

How do I do a complete drain of the PSF?
Where is it more than likely at for me to drain this under the car?
Also, any tips for doing this procedure?

Thank you in advance.

 

[pbm]

I can't answer your questions but I can say you are doing the right thing by changing your PSF. I neglected changing it in my Buick until about 80K and it was moaning like a porn queen.
I ended up using Auto-RX and changing it a few times and it's quiet as a church mouse now.
I would do 3 or 4 D&Rs (over a month or two) with a turkey baster rather than disconnecting the line.

 

[hate2work]

Do you mean a complete flush and refill? These are the steps.

Jack up the front of the car and put it on jack stands. Make sure the wheels have room to turn.

Locate the PS fluid reservoir. Take off the cap and suck out the old fluid. There are usually two hoses going to it, remove the top hose and then plug the fitting that comes off the reservoir(just so it doesn't leak). The hose you've removed is where all the old fluid will come from, so direct it down into a bucket under the car. You'll probably have to put that hose into a larger hose that goes to the bucket.

Now fill the reservoir with fresh fluid, then go and turn the steering wheel all the way one way then stop( it doesn't matter which way you start). Now go back and you'll see the old fluid going into the bucket, and the fresh fluid you just put in is down quite a bit. Keep repeating this pattern( refill, turn the wheel, refill, etc ) until you have all the old fluid out and fresh fluid in. Re-attach the upper hose, remove the bucket and lower the car.

TIP- It really helps to have two people, one to keep refilling and the other to turn the wheel back and forth.

Make sure you turn the wheel all the way in each direction, and make sure you never let the reservoir go empty, as that will let air into the system.

Take it for a test drive, turning the wheel lock to lock several times, then come back and check the level one final time.

ANOTHER TIP- Have lots of old rags around, this job can be messy.

Grab a beer and congratulate yourself on a job well done

 

[radtech91]

Originally Posted By: hate2work

Do you mean a complete flush and refill? These are the steps.

Jack up the front of the car and put it on jack stands. Make sure the wheels have room to turn.

Locate the PS fluid reservoir. Take off the cap and suck out the old fluid. There are usually two hoses going to it, remove the top hose and then plug the fitting that comes off the reservoir(just so it doesn't leak). The hose you've removed is where all the old fluid will come from, so direct it down into a bucket under the car. You'll probably have to put that hose into a larger hose that goes to the bucket.

Now fill the reservoir with fresh fluid, then go and turn the steering wheel all the way one way then stop( it doesn't matter which way you start). Now go back and you'll see the old fluid going into the bucket, and the fresh fluid you just put in is down quite a bit. Keep repeating this pattern( refill, turn the wheel, refill, etc ) until you have all the old fluid out and fresh fluid in. Re-attach the upper hose, remove the bucket and lower the car.

TIP- It really helps to have two people, one to keep refilling and the other to turn the wheel back and forth.

Make sure you turn the wheel all the way in each direction, and make sure you never let the reservoir go empty, as that will let air into the system.

Take it for a test drive, turning the wheel lock to lock several times, then come back and check the level one final time.

ANOTHER TIP- Have lots of old rags around, this job can be messy.

Grab a beer and congratulate yourself on a job well done

Thanks! How many of the 16oz bottles do you think I should buy?

 

[HTSS_TR]

You need at least 2 16oz bottles, buy 3 in case you over drained the old fluid, also the third bottle is for top off if needed.

Hate2work's procedure is the good way to completely flush out the old fluid, the siphon and fill 4-5 times in several weeks will remove more than 80% of old fluid and much less messy.

 

[radtech91]

Ok thanks. One more question: How often should I change it after this change?

 

[hate2work]

I like to do a complete flush every 40k with good fluid. That may be overkill, but it's great preventive maintenance and it doesn't cost much.

 

[sciphi]

2nd on the Auto-RX working to quiet down PS systems, if you happen to have a nearly-empty bottle laying around. Some just got dropped into my Buick's remanned PS pump along with a complete flush with new PSF. 60 miles later the "remanned pump whine" is only noticeable under the hood at idle, and the steering is working much smoother. I'd expect the pump whine to lessen further over the next 1-2k miles.

Good call on the synthetic PSF. It should keep the system clean longer.

At least on my Buick, the hose clamp on the return hose was put on at an impossible-to-undo angle with the pump attached to the car. Draining/filling was the only option available to me.