Wal-Mart Supertech is baaaaad stuff !

[j_mac]

about 6 years ago I bought Supertech or whatever the Wal-Mart brand is of power steering fluid. Topped off my Mustang and topped off my girlfriend's Mustang. Both cars started to whine loudly (even for a Ford) and the PS fluid got all foamy. About totalled out both cars' systems. After a long and expensive flushing regime with a name brand fluid everything was back to normal. I saved what was left of the suspect bottle for a few years in case there was a lawsuit that popped up over it, but never saw one.
About a year or so later my buddy bought Wal-Mart brand 50/50 mix antifreeze. Kept it in the trunk of his car because he had a slow coolant leak. When he needed it, he got it out of the trunk and the bottle was FROZEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These two incidents told me to stay away from Wal-Mart branded petroleum products. Wonder what other catastrophes this sort of thing has caused?

 

[Audi Junkie]

Well, if you had to top the PS system, that tells me there was a pre-existing issue. People always blame the fluid.

 

[HangerHarley]

Supertech is fine. its SM

 

[finalyzd]

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Well, if you had to top the PS system, that tells me there was a pre-existing issue. People always blame the fluid.


+1

that part about the frozen coolant though I dunno

 

[HangerHarley]

Originally Posted By: finalyzd
Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
Well, if you had to top the PS system, that tells me there was a pre-existing issue. People always blame the fluid.


+1

that part about the frozen coolant though I dunno


Oh its simple.. he used some, put Water in it (happened many times) and it froze.

If it was 50/50 pre-mixed, it would have to be -34 or so to "Freeze?" So unless he was deep in the heart of Alaska ...................

Im going with Water, someone used it, put the cap on real nice, and he never knew the difference.

 

[sw99]

ST products are fine. They are often the same as you would buy from brand name products.

 

[HangerHarley]

Originally Posted By: sw99
ST products are fine. They are often the same as you would buy from brand name products.


Supertech IS some goooood stuff!

 

[musicmanbass]

Ford has been speccing merc3 and above for ps fluid for some years now. Maybe that is part of your problem, in addition to the fact that your systems both were leaking fluid?

 

[Audi Junkie]

 

[j_mac]

I don't understand your guys' logic. So, if you're right then, when my car uses a quart of oil before it needs to be changed and I add a quart of motor oil to it, then I'm just asking for trouble.
This is a nonsense point of view.

The two mustangs I'm talking about were older 5.0 Liter Mustangs. They did not take a special spec power steering fluid. In fact I replaced the SuperTech poison with STP brand generic power steering fluid and the problem was fixed.

What's the big deal with adding a little power steering fluid as make-up for what had been lost over the years? Nothing of course.

And no, my friend is not a complete moron. He called me immediately when he found the FROZEN Supertech antifreeze bottle with the FOIL SEAL still undisturbed. Thats why I found it to be so shocking and I've never forgot it.

I won't use anything for a car with the Wal-Mart brand label because of these two incicdents.

In fact it even makes me wonder when I buy a Wal-Mart labeled generic food item. But I'm hoping there are tighter government regulations on food than automotive chemicals.

Why do you think this post was so funny Audi Junkie ?

 

[dave1251]

He thinks this funny because this is hard to believe.

 

[j_mac]

OK, so I took my good friends word that the antifreeze still had the foil seals in place. The first thing I thought as well was that soemone had used the contents and replaced with water somehow and he said "I thought that too, but the aluminum foil seals were not broken!" But I was not there when it happened so I'll give it to you guys that it isn't a foolproof story.

BUT...

One thing that I can assure you of is that a few ounces (maybe 6 oz.) probably more like 4 ounces in TWO DIFFERENT CARS nearly killed the power steering systems. Its wasn't a problem with the cars. The Supertech PS fluid reacted with the fluid that was in the system. It actually caused the fluid to foam. And the pumps both made the same loud whining sound.
Upon flushing and replacing with a different brand, the problem stopped.

 

[L_Sludger]

supertech atf+4 fixed a whining dodge power steering pump. (2007 grand caravan, dealership had been giving owner a serious run-around - and a simple siphon and fill CURED IT)
i take exception to your thread

 

[mechanicx]

I could believe some of the Supertech stuff is marginal. Some of it seems to be OK. I don't personally use it as I don't see it being that much of a value.

 

[j_mac]

I'm not suggesting that all Surertech items are bad, but I am suggesting that the quality control that goes into those products is seriously lacking.
I am afraid to use any Supertech products.

 

[The_Jeff]

Ford power steering pumps have always had that nasal whine. Any dealership will have hundreds of TSBs going back into history about the orifice design and how they won't warranty pumps for noise. My rebuilt pump on my F150 had a big label on it about how it was normal for it to make a racket. Nick is having PS noise issues with 4k miles on his Ford!

 

[jrenkas]

Originally Posted By: j_mac
I don't understand your guys' logic. So, if you're right then, when my car uses a quart of oil before it needs to be changed and I add a quart of motor oil to it, then I'm just asking for trouble.
This is a nonsense point of view.

The two mustangs I'm talking about were older 5.0 Liter Mustangs. They did not take a special spec power steering fluid. In fact I replaced the SuperTech poison with STP brand generic power steering fluid and the problem was fixed.

What's the big deal with adding a little power steering fluid as make-up for what had been lost over the years? Nothing of course.

And no, my friend is not a complete moron. He called me immediately when he found the FROZEN Supertech antifreeze bottle with the FOIL SEAL still undisturbed. Thats why I found it to be so shocking and I've never forgot it.

I won't use anything for a car with the Wal-Mart brand label because of these two incicdents.

In fact it even makes me wonder when I buy a Wal-Mart labeled generic food item. But I'm hoping there are tighter government regulations on food than automotive chemicals.

Why do you think this post was so funny Audi Junkie ?


Actually, your car specs Type F ATF for the power steering system. Flushing your powersteering system will usually help quiet the pump down a bit.

 

[Scienceman]

Ive used Supertech countless times on various older Fords for a top-off and they are just fine.....

 

[Scienceman]

Besides, you did this 6 years ago?

 

[Pablo]

I'll stick with the coolant. IF the bottle was unopened and it froze, that's fairly classic.