Honda Power Steering Fluid or Amsoil PSF?

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I say, stay with the actual Honda brand P/S fluid as you cna't go wrong with it and it's not too expensive.

One or more things could happen when not using Honda P/S fluid in a Honda system.

Some folks have reported that nothing has happened. Others reported leaks and some folks(as myself) reported stiff steering.

Years ago before I knew better and used a non Honda P/S fluid(regular P/S fluid), and I experienced hard(er) steering with the loss of steering return(on it's own).

I changed back to Honda P/S fluid(actually is was Bardahl/Honda P/S fluid) and all was OK again. But, I think that the true "HONDA" brand P/S fluid it the best, as others claim that the Bardahl/Honda fluid would cause stiff steering in really cold tempuratures(below 0 deg's F) while the HONDA brand stayed smooth in the really colder temps.
 
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I've never been an advocate of Amsoil PSF at all. I'm just interested in why and when they dropped Honda from their spec list.

I also wanted to alert others who were, like me, under the mistaken assumption that it was still spec'd for Honda.
 
Aditive-wise, Redline PSf is closest I have seen to the additive package in the Honda PSF.

However, the Redline PSF has a kinetic viscosity of 6.4 cSt whereas the Honda kinetic viscosity is about 11.5 cSt.

What is it about the design of a Honda PSF system that it would need such a high viscosity, since most others make do with a 6.5 to 8 cSt viscosity?
 
Not at all sure. But it's probably the reason Amsoil made the recommendation change.

Older Honda racks used ATF, no? Is the Honda PSF recommended for them as well?

OR is the higher vis for the grenading PS pumps in Odysseys?
 
Pablo,

All I know is Amsoil PSF was spec'd for Honda in 2008 and now it's not. Do you happen to have access a product data sheet for Amsoil PSF from 2008. Would be interested to compare that one with the current one (Jan 15, 2012).
 
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Originally Posted By: bubbajoe_2112
Pablo,

All I know is Amsoil PSF was spec'd for Honda in 2008 and now it's not. Do you happen to have access a product data sheet for Amsoil PSF from 2008. Would be interested to compare that one with the current one (Jan 15, 2012).


I don't but the properties were not grossly changed.
 
Even if AMSOIL had a better product I'd say use the Honda fluid.

For whatever reason Honda PS systems unanimously like to fuss and fight anything but the OEM fluid.
 
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Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: bubbajoe_2112
Pablo,

All I know is Amsoil PSF was spec'd for Honda in 2008 and now it's not. Do you happen to have access a product data sheet for Amsoil PSF from 2008. Would be interested to compare that one with the current one (Jan 15, 2012).


I don't but the properties were not grossly changed.


Well, that's what I believe also, but don't have the hard data to back up my possibly spotty memory.

Assuming it's true and the formulation is basically the same, it's curious that they dropped Honda from the spec list. I wonder if they had lots of complaints from Honda users or something? Do you know when they dropped Honda from the spec list?
 
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Originally Posted By: bubbajoe_2112
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: bubbajoe_2112
Pablo,

All I know is Amsoil PSF was spec'd for Honda in 2008 and now it's not. Do you happen to have access a product data sheet for Amsoil PSF from 2008. Would be interested to compare that one with the current one (Jan 15, 2012).


I don't but the properties were not grossly changed.


Well, that's what I believe also, but don't have the hard data to back up my possibly spotty memory.

Assuming it's true and the formulation is basically the same, it's curious that they dropped Honda from the spec list. I wonder if they had lots of complaints from Honda users or something? Do you know when they dropped Honda from the spec list?


You are overthinking it. Go the other direction. Hints above.

What was the 100°C vis of Honda PSF in 1985, 1990, 2000, etc?
 
Pablo, no problem if you don't want to answer that. I'll get the answer from someone else.
 
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Originally Posted By: bubbajoe_2112
Pablo, no problem if you don't want to answer that. I'll get the answer from someone else.


There were no complaints from Honda users that I know of. The reason is given above. The NEW Honda PSF is around 11 cSt. Most all other PSF's, including Amsoil's is around 7 cSt. Amsoil won't say their ATF is compatible with Honda for that reason.

So no one knows the answers to my questions?
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: RiceCake


For whatever reason Honda PS systems unanimously like to fuss and fight anything but the OEM fluid.


What exactly do you mean?


They hum funny sometimes, steering feel is 'different', least these are my experiences the two times I've tried using ATF in place (or regular PSF, not Honda fluid).

Okay I guess one could say you gotta pick your poison because results can vary on this one, all I can say is I know more then a few times I've seen people frustrated by an unsuitable fluid "upgrade".
 
Pablo, what I meant was:

Honda PSF has been spec'd at 11.x vis since at least 2004. That spec hasn't changed. I know that Amsoil listed Honda compatibility in 2008 (it's also noted at the beginning of this thread).

Now, Amsoil no longer lists Honda, even though the Amsoil PSF has stayed relatively the same. I don't know if Amsoil finally decided to drop Honda because of the huge viscosity difference or if Honda objected to Amsoil listing Honda compatibility because of the viscosity difference, or something totally unrelated to any of the above.

Facts: Amsoil PSF listed Honda compatibility in 2008. In 2012, Amsoil no longer lists Honda compatibility.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbajoe_2112
Pablo, what I meant was:

Honda PSF has been spec'd at 11.x vis since at least 2004. That spec hasn't changed. I know that Amsoil listed Honda compatibility in 2008 (it's also noted at the beginning of this thread).

Now, Amsoil no longer lists Honda, even though the Amsoil PSF has stayed relatively the same. I don't know if Amsoil finally decided to drop Honda because of the huge viscosity difference or if Honda objected to Amsoil listing Honda compatibility because of the viscosity difference, or something totally unrelated to any of the above.

Facts: Amsoil PSF listed Honda compatibility in 2008. In 2012, Amsoil no longer lists Honda compatibility.


I don't remember exactly when Amsoil PSF came out. 2007-2008??

Amsoil has in the last few years really tightened up on matching viscosities. Nothing more than that, IMHO. Too much of a mismatch, so they dropped the Honda recommendation.

So Honda recommends their PSF even in older Hondas? I don't see that as being a problem really. I do know that Honda absolutely made some trash PS pumps. We had to have ours replaced (2006 Ody) in under 5K miles.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
....So Honda recommends their PSF even in older Hondas? I don't see that as being a problem really....


Good question, but I assume so. I'm not aware of different Honda PSF formulations...
 
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i've used amsoil in several hondas without problems. we have an mdx now that I flushed with amsoil PSF maybe 10,000 miles ago and it's been just fine to date. Also ran it in an older odyssey, but that van was totalled before it accumulated much mileage
frown.gif
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Amsoil PSF did NOT do well in the 2008 jeep I had. I did a flush with it and it was too thin.... the steering would "stick" or bind until you sort of yanked the wheel.... all day long, each and every time you needed to move, twist, correct down the straightaway... I added a splash of amsoil gear oil, like maybe a tbsp, and that solved it. Probably put 30,000 miles on it that way. Actually never thought about it again until now.

But in the older mdx it's been ok.

M
 
Originally Posted By: meep
i've used amsoil in several hondas without problems. we have an mdx now that I flushed with amsoil PSF maybe 10,000 miles ago and it's been just fine to date. Also ran it in an older odyssey, but that van was totalled before it accumulated much mileage
frown.gif
.

Amsoil PSF did NOT do well in the 2008 jeep I had. I did a flush with it and it was too thin.... the steering would "stick" or bind until you sort of yanked the wheel.... all day long, each and every time you needed to move, twist, correct down the straightaway... I added a splash of amsoil gear oil, like maybe a tbsp, and that solved it. Probably put 30,000 miles on it that way. Actually never thought about it again until now.

But in the older mdx it's been ok.

M


Yeah, well those of you that have Amsoil PSF in your Honda are now screwed if you get low. I just called Amsoil and their answer was to remove the Amsoil and replaced it with Honda PSF rather than use the new Amsoil. They also recommended against mixing in Honda PSF with the old Amsoil. An interesting predicament now for Amsoil PSF users....
 
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