Is the turkey baster method good enough?

[Ursae_Majoris]

Look at the reservoir cap, I bet it says Dex-III on it.
If that's the case, use the M1 Multivehicle/Mercon V ATF. It is fully synthetic. Mercon V = Dexron -III.

 

[Samilcar]

Moss, my wife has a 2003 Olds Alero, the manual recommends replacing it with "GM power steering fluid". At 60,000 miles I replaced the original PS fluid with Royal Purple Max EZ PS fluid (using the turkey baster method three times over three consecutive weekends). No real differences in operation except for the pump being a little quieter when the steering wheel is at the stops.

 

[JustinH]

Just did this on a 03 pontiac sunfire today, 60k miles the fluid was black.

I used about 2 quarts of walmart supertech power steering fluid, and about 5-6 cycles of starting the car and cranking it lock to lock 10 times.

The fluid I started pulling out was getting amber like a beer, and you could see through it, so I thought that was a good improvement.

 

[dparm]

I just remembered I have the Blackstone pump -- would this make the fluid change any easer than using a cheap turkey baster?

 

[Familyguy]

BTW, I was at the local Microcenter today (they sell computer stuff) and they are selling 60ml syringes for $1.99. One of those + 50 cents of vacuum line makes one heck of a turkey baster replacement.

Best,

 

[cchase]

I've been using the turkey baster method on my truck which had 365,000 miles on the original fluid and it seems to be doing the trick.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Familyguy
BTW, I was at the local Microcenter today (they sell computer stuff) and they are selling 60ml syringes for $1.99. One of those + 50 cents of vacuum line makes one heck of a turkey baster replacement.

Best,


Or, on your next visit to the urologist's (or most any doctor's) office, just ask him for one of those humungo syringes, sans the needle.
they buy them in bulk, so he should have no problem giving you one.

 

[Familyguy]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: Familyguy
BTW, I was at the local Microcenter today (they sell computer stuff) and they are selling 60ml syringes for $1.99. One of those + 50 cents of vacuum line makes one heck of a turkey baster replacement.

Best,


Or, on your next visit to the urologist's (or most any doctor's) office, just ask him for one of those humungo syringes, sans the needle.
they buy them in bulk, so he should have no problem giving you one.

Yep. My last one was given to me by the local pharmacy when I inquired about buying a few. Once they realized I wasn't going to shoot up 60cc of comotose juice, they just laughed and gave it to me (sans needle).

If you want a syringe with a non-sharp needle, you need only buy an inkjet cartridge refill kit.

Best,

 

[JustinH]

The plastic syringe that I bought was for mixing two cycle oil. I found it in the motor oil aisle at walmart for 3 dollars.

It came with a length of hose to put over the syringe part to suck deep into the tank.

 

[ahoier]

Considering the turkey baster (or more likely, the siphon pump...) route....since I don't think my PS has EVER been changed....it's dark! And the previous owner said they "recently" replaced the rack and pinion of this low mileage vehicle....lol. I guess he liked blowing cash.....

Anyways, something I'm curious, with the cheapo $3 siphon pump at walmart, I'm guessing it will leave some possible "insolubles" in the reservoir....? Since the diameter of the hose isn't that wide....

 

[odie]

Used turkey baster for the power steering resorvoir of a 2000 Prizm when changing it to MOBIL 1 A.T.F.. Did it until the quart was nearly gone . Made a difference in the steering , became sharper and easier . Before the change the level would read at the HOT level , after the change to the M1 it would read a little over the COLD mark of the resorvoir . Amazing . Was doing a weekend motor route of 100+ miles at that time and would check the level after .

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: odie
Used turkey baster for the power steering resorvoir of a 2000 Prizm when changing it to MOBIL 1 A.T.F.. Did it until the quart was nearly gone . Made a difference in the steering , became sharper and easier . Before the change the level would read at the HOT level , after the change to the M1 it would read a little over the COLD mark of the resorvoir . Amazing . Was doing a weekend motor route of 100+ miles at that time and would check the level after .


Well... it probably was filled differently than before.

 

[odie]

Always changed it when at the COLD mark the following day . So , that's not the case .

 

[Towncivilian]

I changed out one reservoir-full of power steering fluid in my mother's 2007 Altima while it was hot yesterday. I used M1 ATF. I filled it to the cold max line, and after a 15 minute drive it was still at the cold max mark. I filled it to the "HOT MAX" line after I shut off the engine. The previous fill was mostly Valvoline Maxlife (did several siphon & fills) My experience seems to match odie's.

 

[odie]

Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
I changed out one reservoir-full of power steering fluid in my mother's 2007 Altima while it was hot yesterday. I used M1 ATF. I filled it to the cold max line, and after a 15 minute drive it was still at the cold max mark. I filled it to the "HOT MAX" line after I shut off the engine. The previous fill was mostly Valvoline Maxlife (did several siphon & fills) My experience seems to match odie's.
You'll likely need to drive it longer to possibly get the fluid to reach the HOT mark to get better results . I would check it after a 3 > 4 hour delivery route of 100+ miles . If you do drive it longer , let us know your findings . Thanks .

 

[Jasper8146]

I found that a battery fluid tester which has a narrower tube than a turkey baster actually worked better because I could get the tube all the way to the bottom of the reservoir whereas I couldn't with the fatter turkey baster tube. It takes multiple times to do it this way but it does work and even if you don't get all the old fluid you'll certainly be in better shape than not doing anything at all. When I saw how black the p/s fluid was on our MDX at 90,000 miles, it made me wonder how in the world would any unit go up to 200,000+ miles without ever changing the fluid.

 

[Rand]

I use a suction gun.. it looks like a really big syringe
one slurrrp later its 95% empty.

 

[kozanoglu]

Why do some manufacturers put colorless fluid at the factory although they specify Dexron III for example? Is the original fluid chemically different or is it just coloring that is different?

 

[boxcartommie22]

yes, i use suck it out with a sx. gun every year i put in 6 qts.twice a year..by doing this it keeps your fluid nice and fresh and i never change a filter..

 

[MaDMaXX]

Looks like the suction guns are the best bet, too bad people reviewing them seem to think they're suitable for putting fluid back in again