How to tell if powersteering system has air in it?

[Carnoobie]

My [censored] mech about a year ago (who did my first PS flush) by undoing the hose clamp and draining all the PS out and refilling, never got me to turn the wheel 20x all the way to the left then right. He just filled it and thats it. Idiot.

Since then, i just change the PS fluid by draining the res and refilling with new. My fluid is clear. But how can i test to see if theres air in my system and if it needs to be bleeed?

Was told if theres air, it will sound like a monster when turning the wheel but I only get a light sound when turning all the way to one direction and if i hold it for 1sec and longer. Usually i dont as i know this is bad for the pump.

You think i should have it bled in case? Dont want any damage.

 

[Chris142]

It's self bleeding and is bled 5 minutes after you filled it back up.

 

[Carnoobie]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
It's self bleeding and is bled 5 minutes after you filled it back up.


You sure? I was told you have to turn the wheel all the way both directions at least 10-20x.

 

[hate2work]

Basically, if you're driving the rig, the air purges itself to the reservoir. So if the level is right, there is no air in the system.

If the level is low, just add fluid to the max line and drive it, making sure you turn the steering wheel lock to lock several times, then check the level again. Keep doing this until it stays at the full mark

Bleeding is the wrong term, nothing gets bled in your PS system.

 

[Carnoobie]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Basically, if you're driving the rig, the air purges itself to the reservoir. So if the level is right, there is no air in the system.

If the level is low, just add fluid to the max line and drive it, making sure you turn the steering wheel lock to lock several times, then check the level again. Keep doing this until it stays at the full mark

Bleeding is the wrong term, nothing gets bled in your PS system.


So technically youre saying turning the wheel to the left and right after draining and filling is not needed?

My PS level in the res is at max right now. Should I drain it, refill and then crank the wheel few times?

 

[Carnoobie]

found this

You could also have air in the system and not realize it. One test is to run the engine with the power-steering reservoir cap off. If you shut off the engine and fluid spurts out the reservoir, there's probably an air pocket that's getting compressed while the pump is running. Once the pump stops, the pressure on the air is released and it shoots out the fluid. Follow the bleeding steps to remove it.

Read more: http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/s...l#ixzz2APoG8Zi5

 

[daves66nova]

Does this apply to any vehicle? I have a 95 Camry that i want to do a ps change on.So,break a line open,refill and it'll self purge of air?

 

[JHZR2]

You turn left to right all the way to get plenty of fresh fluid across the rack at the far ends. It just verifies that you have full flow at all points in the travel of the rack.

 

[Danh]

Originally Posted By: daves66nova
Does this apply to any vehicle? I have a 95 Camry that i want to do a ps change on.So,break a line open,refill and it'll self purge of air?


The easiest, least-invasive way is to just suck the fluid out of the reservoir (tukey baster/fluid extractor), refill and drive for a couple days. Repeat two or three times until the fluid looks fresh. While not every ounce of old fluid will be removed, neither is it in a typical automatic transmission fluid change.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

Originally Posted By: Danh
Originally Posted By: daves66nova
Does this apply to any vehicle? I have a 95 Camry that i want to do a ps change on.So,break a line open,refill and it'll self purge of air?


The easiest, least-invasive way is to just suck the fluid out of the reservoir (tukey baster/fluid extractor), refill and drive for a couple days. Repeat two or three times until the fluid looks fresh. While not every ounce of old fluid will be removed, neither is it in a typical automatic transmission fluid change.


After an atrocious time of doing the turkey baster, I just unclamp the hose now and let it drain. I now refresh the reservoir every OCI needed or not. ATF is cheap enough.

 

[440Magnum]

Don't overthink things. PS fluid doesn't need extreme flushing in the first place- you don't have to get EVERY drop of old fluid out unless a pump grenaded itself or something.

And as for purging air- a couple of lock-to-lock turns of the wheel does it. No need to stress components to the max by jacking the wheel back and forth '20 times'.

 

[djb]

I think that the original poster believed that the system needed to be bleed right away, else the air would magically stick in there.

That's not the case.

The only reason to turn it stop-to-stop immediately is to get the correct fluid level. Any significant air bubble is removed the first time turning, with remaining air will be purged after a minute or two of normal driving.

I'm curious why the original poster thought that the fluid needed to be flushed. It's pretty much a "lifetime" fill. Putting in fresh fluid every decade or two, to remove any
dissolved or super-fine particles.

 

[Kestas]

Carnoobie didn't mention which car he's working on. Some cars, like my 01 Mercury Sable, are difficult to purge the air from the ps system after service. They take a long time to bleed the air out, or they need to be vacuum bled.

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
It's self bleeding and is bled 5 minutes after you filled it back up.


This is pretty much how it is^. The reservoir is the high point, and self bleeds.

But some are stinkers. Ford has a complicated purge technique for some cars that is ludicrous, and often doesn't work.

 

[beast3300]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Originally Posted By: Chris142
It's self bleeding and is bled 5 minutes after you filled it back up.


This is pretty much how it is^. The reservoir is the high point, and self bleeds.

But some are stinkers. Ford has a complicated purge technique for some cars that is ludicrous, and often doesn't work.


yes @ Ford!

 

[Carnoobie]

Its for my car civic.

I know PS fluid generally doesnt need a flush, but i never really had a flush anyways. All I had was dump from the res and undo couple hoses and there you go, got about 75% out. Then in few months, noticed it got bit dirty from mixing in with the other stuff that didnt come out so I sucked out the fluid from the res with a suction gun and now its all clear.

The first time doing it, after refilling, I didnt know I had to turn the wheel left, right so i just went off, driving. And the [censored] mech didnt mention anything. So i dont even know how long it took for me to even do the 10x wheel cranks or if i even reached it at all.

If you dont do the wheel cranks, cant air get in the system?

Wondering what i should do now to double check theres no air in my system.

If there is air woudlnt there be bubbles in the res? Or do these bubbles only occur when the wheel is being turned? I ask because it says to get a helper to turn the wheel but no ones here to help and if i could do this myself by cranking the wheel, then immedaitely getting out and looking in the PS res for bubbles ill do that.

 

[Carnoobie]

Started the car, cranked the wheel both directions few times. Popped hood, took cap off PS res. Shut off car. Checked res after to see if any PS fluid squirted out and none, but one small bubble.

Did it again, no bubbles

 

[eljefino]

You have no air.

If you had it the pump would make an obnoxious noise, worse than fords even. If you opened the cap it would look like a milkshake-- strawberry if you used ATF, vanilla if you used plain PS fluid.

They say they use anti foaming adds, jeez, I'd hate to see it without.

It settles down quick when the noise stops.

 

[Volvohead]

Bleeding a PS system?
Is this thread for real?

 

[daves66nova]

Originally Posted By: Volvohead
Bleeding a PS system?
Is this thread for real?
Carnoobie post