flush your powersteering fluid.

[JustinH]

I don't get why people think I'm crazy that I flush my power steering fluid every two years in all my fords.

My fords use mercon III fluid and its very easy to dump and pump it a couple times and keep the system clean. It saves for troubles down the road.

Anyway, my buddy brings his crown victoria over the other day and the power steering pump is squeeling like **** and making all kinds of noise.

He comes over to ask me to help him put a new pump in it. I tell him, there is a chance we can solve this problem with four dollars.

I drive him up to walmart, and we pick up a gallon of supertech merconIII fluid, we get it home and drain the fluid in the system. It is similar to chocolate syrup. Thick and black. It is the original fluid and the car has 180k miles on it.

Anyway, we flush a few quarts through it until it starts to get clean.

Sure enough the pump is quiet and my buddy saved his money he was going to spend on a pump.

If you do it once a year you can just drain the container one time and refill it, and that will be enough to keep the system clean.

I keep a gallon of supertech merconIII around just for using in the ford powersteering systems. My trans takes merconV so thats all I use it for.

 

[brianl703]

You can also use Mercon fluid for power steering on the Ford vehicles that say to use Type F with no problems at all.

Disconnecting the return line seems to be the easiest way to drain the system on some cars, especially the ones with the pump and the reservior in one unit.

 

[digitaldrifter91]

just make sure u dont starve that pump!

i did that learned the hard way...

it was a accident.

 

[Alan]

I used ST Dexron ATF in my last PS flush,worked very well.180K with no flush

,ya should of gave him one of these

.

 

[unDummy]

I siphon/refill my power steering reservoirs at every oil change. I've shown plenty of people how to do this. Its quick, easy, cheap, and could prevent costly pump/rack repair in the future.

All my power steering fluids are as clean and clear as it was when poured out of the bottle of ATF.

A pint of fluid, a hose, gravity, and a couple of minutes is all that is needed.

 

[Ken2]

Ummm...there is no such critter as Mercon-III. You have Mercon, or Mercon-V, or Dexron-III. Most brands of ATF are combination Dexron-III & Mercon specs.

I use synthetic ATF for power steering. It takes heat better, and just a quart or two doesn't cost that much more.


Ken

 

[TheTanSedan]

I use REDLINE now, as well as a DERALE cooler and MAGNEFINE auxiliary filter.

Use a helper to flush by getting front end up on jackstands, run vehicle while flushing -- keeping pump filled -- while helper slowly rotates wheel from full lock to full lock, pausing for a count of about "3" before coming back. Engine shut-off if it gets ahead of me.

These are directions I got from a major rebuilder in our area when my wife was arranging a loan for them. Works very well with these SAGINAW components.

Am changing because 30k (filter life) has gone by and system has seen some extensive heavy use. First, a dose of A-RX for about 1000-miles, then as above.

Fluid remains as new.

 

[Ed]

Unless the manual is very very specific about using ATF in the power steering I wouldn't use any product that doesn't say "Power Steering" on the container, and furthermore specify Approval by the car manuf.
The Manual for my 98 Grand Cherokee is very specific: NEVER use ATF in the PS pump.

So far I've had excellent resuts with Valvoline Synpower P.S. Fluid.
I know, P.S. fluid and ATF are both hydraulic fluid but I can't imagine why you would want ATF friction enhancers in a power sreering pump.

 

[tmorris1]

The original post was about a Ford. Ford specs ATF in their power steering systems.

 

[outrun]

Your not crazy.

I am sick of people looking at me stupid when i request fluid changes...ie brakes, power steering, trans etc.

Consider yourself part of the car care elite.

Clean Auto Fluids is next to godliness.