ATF in PS system?

[Hollow]

Vehicle:
1992 Oldsmobile 88 Royale (Mad Max edition, i.e.- missing some stuff, pieced together in other places, general purpose family hand-me-down beater).

Vehicle calls for Power Steering fluid. No idea how old the fluid in it is...it may be original from 1992, with all 79,500 (yes, you read that right) miles on it.

Getting ready to service the AT, and have plenty of Maxlife Dex/Merc (new formula) on hand (every vehicle in the fleet calls for Dex III from the factory). Every other vehicle in the fleet also uses ATF in the PS system. Any reason I absolutely need to buy a quart or two of PS fluid for this vehicle, will the Maxlife ATF work ok, or cause issues?

 

[JR]

P/S is all I use,
Ford, Subaru, old spec vw, some gm are just a few that spec atf



-harvey

 

[901Memphis]

Yes GM systems work fine with ATF, i converted mine to Maxlife also. It's best to drain all the old stuff out though sometimes it makes funny noises when mixing new ATF with used PSF, but YMMV.

 

[JHZR2]

Im not sure I ever really understood what the difference was with ATF vs GM PSF, though Ill bet there is some besides color.

End of the day, its all hydraulic fluid, right?

 

[DoubleWasp]

Running MaxLife in all of my GM PS systems, no woes of any type.

 

[MolaKule]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Im not sure I ever really understood what the difference was with ATF vs GM PSF, though Ill bet there is some besides color.

End of the day, its all hydraulic fluid, right?


From about 2004 on up, GM specs their higher viscosity, clear amber PSF.

Before that same period, the spec was to use DexronIII. During this same period, people used everything from Type "F" fluid to ATF+4 without any problems traced to PSF type.

In my view, any ATF between 5.5 cSt and 8.0 cSt will work in just about any PS system found in GM and Nissan vehicles.

Ford may be the exception with their squeeky PS pumps.

My recommendation is to use Redline PSF as a general coverage PSF because of its additive pack and base oil mix.

 

[hardcore302]

Turkey baster the old stuff out and use general ps. or if you don't fell comfortable, use some atf. it lasted this long...

 

[901Memphis]

If you do want regular psf, the Prestone stuff at Walmart, Autozone and pretty much everywhere always worked great in my Buick before I switched to atf

 

[GSCJR]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Im not sure I ever really understood what the difference was with ATF vs GM PSF, though Ill bet there is some besides color.

End of the day, its all hydraulic fluid, right?


From about 2004 on up, GM specs their higher viscosity, clear amber PSF.



GM has always specd a dedicated amber PSF for as long as I can remember.

 

[deanm11]

Just turkey bastered the reservoir on my never changed fluid in my original owner 2002 Tahoe. Amber PS fluid specd in the OM; had some PS fluid on the shelf that matched the OM's part #. Amber fluid.



Originally Posted By: GSCJR
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Im not sure I ever really understood what the difference was with ATF vs GM PSF, though Ill bet there is some besides color.

End of the day, its all hydraulic fluid, right?


From about 2004 on up, GM specs their higher viscosity, clear amber PSF.



GM has always specd a dedicated amber PSF for as long as I can remember.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: GSCJR
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Im not sure I ever really understood what the difference was with ATF vs GM PSF, though Ill bet there is some besides color.

End of the day, its all hydraulic fluid, right?


From about 2004 on up, GM specs their higher viscosity, clear amber PSF.



GM has always specd a dedicated amber PSF for as long as I can remember.


My '97 says DexIII

 

[Garak]

On the taxis, we generally used whatever Dex was current at the time.

 

[GSCJR]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: GSCJR
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Im not sure I ever really understood what the difference was with ATF vs GM PSF, though Ill bet there is some besides color.

End of the day, its all hydraulic fluid, right?


From about 2004 on up, GM specs their higher viscosity, clear amber PSF.



GM has always specd a dedicated amber PSF for as long as I can remember.


My '97 says DexIII


'97 what? Just curious

 

[InfmousCornholio]

Originally Posted By: GSCJR
Originally Posted By: Shannow

My '97 says DexIII


'97 what? Just curious


Quick guess: Pontiac Bonneville.

 

[MolaKule]

Here is the typical language for PSF specifications in the Owners Manual of a 2012 Nissan Frontier:

Quote:
Power steering fluid (PSF) Genuine NISSAN PSF or equivalent.*3


Footnote 3 says:

Quote:
*3: DEXRON™ VI type ATF may also be used.



Here is the typical language for PSF specifications in the Owners Manual of a 1999 S-10 Nissan Frontier:

Quote:
GM Power steering fluid (PSF) (GM Part Number 12345347 1 - Pint, 1050017 - 1 quart, or equivalent. *



Quote:
*: DEXRON™ III type ATF may also be used.


Yes, GM and others specify their own income stream PSF's, but also allow "equivalents."

While the PSF is a non-dyed formula that is slightly different from an ATF, an ATF actually has more friction modifiers than a PSF.


Many if not most power steering pumps are vane type pumps that need minimal AW and friction modifiers. PSF's and ATF have similar Elastomer Seal compatibilities.

 

[Whitewolf]

I think it's the materials compatibility that is the main concern. Many of the materials, tests and requirements are indeed similar, but not the same.

 

[stchman]

Originally Posted By: Hollow
Vehicle:
1992 Oldsmobile 88 Royale (Mad Max edition, i.e.- missing some stuff, pieced together in other places, general purpose family hand-me-down beater).

Vehicle calls for Power Steering fluid. No idea how old the fluid in it is...it may be original from 1992, with all 79,500 (yes, you read that right) miles on it.

Getting ready to service the AT, and have plenty of Maxlife Dex/Merc (new formula) on hand (every vehicle in the fleet calls for Dex III from the factory). Every other vehicle in the fleet also uses ATF in the PS system. Any reason I absolutely need to buy a quart or two of PS fluid for this vehicle, will the Maxlife ATF work ok, or cause issues?


Simply use power steering fluid in that reservoir. PS fluid id about $5 a quart at Autozone or Advance Auto.

Would ATF hurt the PS system, who knows, but is it worth saving $5-$10?

Just use a vacuum pump and suck as much of the fluid out of the PS and refill.

 

[DWC28]

PSF comes in all performance grades as there is no standard PSF. Therefore you will get a lot of variation using non OEM PSF. ATFs have wide temperature suitability and most of the other hydraulic needs. ATF are generally much better tested than PSF. GM has used a DEXRON "type" for years as PSF.

 

[GSCJR]

In my experience, this is what I have observed when it comes to PS FF:

"GENUINE" GM and Chrysler use a clear/amber fluid.

MOST Asian and Ford use ATF.

MOST European makes use the green/clear expensive fluid (Insert brand name here) or ATF depending on their vintage.

 

[Garak]

Same in my G37 with respect to the Dexron-VI, which is what I use, and based upon color, was factory fill, unless the previous owner flushed. Given the 1999 manual's wording, it would appear that the Nissan engineers are enamored with GM fluids. Maybe they can specify dexos1 oil in the future.