Drain and Refill P/S Fluid?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
84
Location
CA, United States
My mother's Toyota calls for Dexron ATF as Power Steering Fluid.

I noticed at my parents house two bottles of regular Power Steering Fluid, one STP P/S fluid, and the other Valvoline Synthetic P/S fluid (non-Dexron). I asked my dad and either me or him added STP or Valvoline fluid, probably a few years ago. I'm thinking it was me and I probably added the Valvoline Synthetic...but no more than 0.5 to 1.0 ounces.

No adverse effects in performance seen, but the color resembles used motor oil after a few thousand miles.

Should I flush it out and replace with the appropriate Dexron ATF?
 
You can use Dexron III or Valvoline max life ATF works great as well. I use a fluid extractor (like a pella) to do mine. I've also removed the clamp to the hose at the bottom of the reservoir and stuck the vacuum extractor down the hose to get most of the fluid out.

Option 2 is to use an oil suction gun like the one at this link to get the fluid out of the reservoir without making a huge mess.
http://www.harborfreight.com/oil-suction-gun-95468.html

Regards, JC.
 
I did it with a turkey baster once. Took a while, but it was easier than removing the front bumper...
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
I did it with a turkey baster once. Took a while, but it was easier than removing the front bumper...


I have a turkey baster and a small HF fluid pump (hose with squeez ball pump) on the shelf for just this reason.. its easy enuff.
 
Im omits smart to do once in a while when you think of it and have spare time.

I'm not sure what the difference between the standard psf and a standard d/m ATF is, but I thought I once read that psf was mainly an undyed ATF. That may be wrong, as for example in MB diesels, folks often spring leaks running ATF when the systems are perfect on psf. I think in the MB sheets, some psfs are indeed undyed dexron ii fluids, but not the newer stuff.

In my ps systems, from what I can tell, the reservoir is part of the flow path of the fluid, so anything in the reservoir is actively passed through the system continuously.

So what I do is either pull the entire content of the reservoir, then refill and call it a day, or if I can do so, do this once, then get the wheels moved side to side and repeat a few times.

IMO ps is a benign enough system that just replacing the fluid in the reservoir is sufficient pm for good life. I've never had a noisy ps pump, knock on wood.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top