Quick Way of Flushing PS Fluid

[asand1]

Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Jack the car, open the return line and put vehicle in ACC (to power the pump)

Engine turns the PS pump, how is acc going to do that?

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: asand1
Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Jack the car, open the return line and put vehicle in ACC (to power the pump)

Engine turns the PS pump, how is acc going to do that?

oooh, tough crowd.
But yessir, without the engine running a pump equipped vehicle is going to have a hard time pumping anything.

But the advice is very bad, running the rack with no fluid is a recipe for seal failure. And the tag line about "Ford Junk" really destroys the credibility...

 

[MaximaGuy]

Originally Posted By: asand1
Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Jack the car, open the return line and put vehicle in ACC (to power the pump)

Engine turns the PS pump, how is acc going to do that?

ACC unlocks the steering column rather than power the pump (correction).
Now I have read through enough literature on racks (not pumps) to determine that w/o the pump running there is no way a seal is going to be blown. On the same note, I am not a rack expert, but it has worked for me on numerous vehicles minus the Maxima (Nissan truly makes junk and the one and last Maxima I would own was a lemon and a complete eng failure).

Good luck.

 

[asand1]

So how are you going to flush PSF without a turning pump? Gravity bleeding? You fail at feigning automotive knowledge.

My 96 maxima has 307,000 miles on original engine and trans, I'd have to think your failures were operator error.

Merry Christmas. *<;-)

 

[LotI]

Turning the steering wheel when the engine is off will force fluid to move back to the reservoir. From there it can be drained/suctioned.

Maxima's opinions are his own but at least his PS knowledge is good.

Merry Xmas.

 

[gogozy]

he also mention jack up the car, so it take the load off. I recall Honda's instruction is to disconnect the return pipe and dump it into bucket, use a power tool and spin the pump without starting the car.

 

[LotI]

Originally Posted By: gogozy
he also mention jack up the car, so it take the load off. I recall Honda's instruction is to disconnect the return pipe and dump it into bucket, use a power tool and spin the pump without starting the car.

According to the '10 Accord service manual p. 7-28, removing the return line then starting the car is just fine. While running you should turn the wheel from lock to lock and immediately shut off the engine to prevent damage. System capacity is 1.1qts, the reservoir holds .34qts.

You would have to remove the accessory belt to spin the pump without the engine. I believe they went to electric PS in '13.

 

[Kestas]

Those instructions in the Accord manual are the same ones recommended by PS rack rebuilders, to flush out any contaminant debris after installation.

 

[riggaz]

And when you change your engine oil you should first drain the oil and then start up the engine until the oil pump runs dry, then refill with oil - job done

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: riggaz
And when you change your engine oil you should first drain the oil and then start up the engine until the oil pump runs dry, then refill with oil - job done


You don't see the difference between running your engine after you have drained the oil and running your PS system briefly to pump out the fluid? Really? Do you think you know more than the Honda engineers?

 

[Turk]

TALL Shampoo Bottle Pump.....

Works great & it gets deeper than a turkey baster!

 

[riggaz]

They also say to shut down immediately after turning lock to lock to prevent damage (when the pump runs dry)

If you have someone keep the reservoir full then there is absolutely no chance of damage occurring.

It is also a better way of flushing as the detergents in the new fluid you are pouring in is flushing the old fluid out.

 

[SHOZ]

You don't need to run the engine to get the fluid out. Just pull the cooler hoses off. One drains the reservoir and the other drains the rack. Running the engine will pump it dry so fast you can't keep it full if trying to flush it.

If the fluid is black then the internals are coated with the gunk anyway. This will not come off by just running some fluid through it. It takes several fluid changes over time to dissolve the stuff.

 

[Smcatub]

Here's how I did mine. Worked out pretty well:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/3446631/Searchpage/1/Main/168267/Words/Smcatub/Search/true/Re:_Post_Your_Latest_Power_Ste#Post3446631

 

[asand1]

Wow, so much misinformation. I was able to fill mine and start it for like five seconds at a time without running the reservoir empty. Even turning lock to lock. I think this is what Honda is sayng, to shut it off before runing dry and causing damage.

I don't know how anyone could think its OK to run the PS empty, besides, once the pump is empty there is no pressure to empty the rack.

You need to keep adding fluid in order to flush.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Laugh all you want, I've done it this way before and it works just fine.

I got some really nice metal ones from Walmart for $1 on clearance!

 

[riggaz]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
You don't need to run the engine to get the fluid out. Just pull the cooler hoses off. One drains the reservoir and the other drains the rack. Running the engine will pump it dry so fast you can't keep it full if trying to flush it.

If the fluid is black then the internals are coated with the gunk anyway. This will not come off by just running some fluid through it. It takes several fluid changes over time to dissolve the stuff.


We've done it the way I said about 100 times in our workshop with a variety of brands, it works, every time.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: asand1
Wow, so much misinformation. I was able to fill mine and start it for like five seconds at a time without running the reservoir empty. Even turning lock to lock. I think this is what Honda is sayng, to shut it off before runing dry and causing damage.

I don't know how anyone could think its OK to run the PS empty, besides, once the pump is empty there is no pressure to empty the rack.

You need to keep adding fluid in order to flush.


Perhaps you should read and quote the Honda FSM instead of speculating about what you think Honda is saying. No one, including Honda, says it is ok to operate a dry PS system. But, it is perfectly ok to operate it for the time it takes to empty the system. At the point all of the parts are still protected by a film of fluid. Personally I like to empty the system manually but I have also followed the FSM procedure and it works fine.

 

[asand1]

Yeah, I'm not going to download an FSM just for the sake of an internet argument.

All I'm saying is there is no need to run it dry. Running the engine to flush old fluid out with new is possible and won't do any harm.