Flushing power steering fluid - random thoughts.

[phatmonk]

Hi All,

Long overdue is flushing the power steering fluid.

First random thought - Why is it called "power steering fluid" when it is an oil? It's an oil right?

Last random thought - I'm reading the how-to's and ways people have been flushing the system. Why not pop the suction hose into a 5ltr bottle of Dex III and the return into a bucket and bypass the reservoir. Turn the car on, turn the steering wheel regularly and wait until clean fluid comes out? I've over simplified it alot with not much though into the air intake (AFM) and how to run the hoses etc - but in principle to me it's sound. Shoot me down, what have I missed?

Off topic-ish. The previous owner on the return hose had installed a MangneFine filter - http://www.magnafilter.com.au/magnefine.html. Replace after 12 months or 35,000kms. "... guarantee the removal of 99% of hard wearing ferrous metal particles, from sub-micron level to above". I'm of the opinion these are a gimmick. May as well install a Turbo-Zet. I've put 50,000km on the car, who knows when the filter was installed. The filter is in the bin.

Cheers!

[BillyCorgi]

Okay, so you want to flush your fluid.
(BTW, oil is a fluid, too)

For a Gen4 GT Turbo car.....
Remove your fluid reservior and disconnect the suction hose at the PS pump.
Clean and flush all the debris from the reservior, noting that there is a screen mounted in the moulding of the reservior bottle about half way.

Remove your air filter box.
Place half a 5ltr oil bottle (empty) temporarily where the air filter box was.
Direct the disconnected fluid return line from the reservior into the oil bottle (to catch the fluid)

Lift the car at the jacking point under the engine to get the front wheels off the ground

Holding the fluid reservior in the air, temperarily reconnect the suction line to the pump.
Fill the reservior with fluid. Have a reserve of fluid ready to refill the reservior when required.

DO NOT START THE ENGINE

Have a friend slowly turn the steering from full lock, to full lock.
The fluid reservior will need to be topped up after every left to right and every right to left stroke.
turn the wheel from one lock to the other and back, a total of three times.
Every time the wheel is turned, there will be old fluid pushed into the oil catch bottle.
Three full lock-to-lock and return movements will require about 1 litre of fluid to be flushed through.

When complete, reconnect the fluid reservior, mounting it back in the car, reconnect the return line to the reservior and reconnect the oil suction line to the pump correctly.
Reconnect the air claener box.
Now you can start the engine and finish bleeding the power steering hydraulics.

[phatmonk]

Okay, so you want to flush your fluid.
(BTW, oil is a fluid, too)

True, and it is totally semantics. But why isn't it power steering oil?

For a Gen4 GT Turbo car.....

Thanks for the write up. I struggled to find the jacking point, but jacked it up a side at a time and used stands. Will pay more attention next on a hoist.

I followed your steps with some exceptions. An old spark plug was used to plug the return hose at the hard line end. A piece of hose was slipped over the hard line and directed to an old oil bottle. While turning the steering wheel from lock to lock the reservoir was kept full until new oil came out the return. Did three more lock to lock after seeing new oil.

Reattached everything, filled the reservoir did several more lock to locks keeping the power steering levels in check.

After that lowered the car, re-attached the air box and started it. Let it idle, took it for a drive. Saw no bubbles and haven't had to add any more power steering oil besides after lowering/leveling the car.

I did look at the screen filter and it seemed clean, so didn't take off and clean the reservoir. Maybe it was the MangneFine filter at work! Subatomic and all that jazz.

Thanks for the help!