Power Steering Fluid Capacity

[mikec]

Does anyone know offhand what the capacity is for the power steering system? Mine is pretty black, so I want to completely flush it. I read somewhere on NASIOC about it being about a quart, but I don't want to get stuck at home with either too much or not enough. Also, any recommendations on actually flushing it? I want to get it as clean as possible.

Oh yeah, if this doesn't belong here, some needs to add steering to the forum descriptions!

[Legacy777]

It may be a quart....but you'll never get all that out.

What I'd recommend.....get a quart....suck all you can from resevoir with turkey baster...........drive for a bit....repeat process.

I suppose you could put this in drivetrain, suspension, or wheels tires brakes....

tell me where and I'll move

[mikec]

A mechanic in training suggested I undo the line at the steering box, and let it gravity drain. But I think i like the turkey baster idea better (sounds faster). I guess having some old stuff sticking behind isn't too bad when it comes down to it.

As for where to put this thread, I dunno either Josh! Everything involved lives with the engine, but it affects the wheels. Maybe Misc is the place for it afterall.

Thanks again!

[scoobiedoo22]

I was thinking about doing this also. I havn't tried it yet, but this should work. Undo the two clips on the bottom line rubber hose going back into the resevior, this is the return line and is not under pressure. Now take a longer hose of the same diameter of the removed hose and a bottle or something to catch the used fluid, attatch the hose to the return line from the rack and pinion, place the bottle in a safe area and run the line to it to catch the old fluid. For this to work, you have to have the engine running and the ps pump going, how it SHOULD work is as soon as you start the engine, the pump will start pumping fluid, it will run to the rack and pinion under pressure, and then normally back to the resevior, but now you are just redirecting it and collecting the old fluid. The pump will push a good amount of fluid so be ready as soon as the motor starts. When I do this I plan to be adding fresh ps fluid at the same time to keep the pump from running dry and keeping the fluid being pushed, while doing this your buddy also need to turn the stearing wheel and wheels all the way to the right and left to push the old fluid in the rack and pinion out. It should be relatively easy but I personally havn't tried this yet but plan on it once the weather turns nice and I can get back under the shadetree, don't try unless you feel confident on how the ps system works.

Hope this helps, John

[mikec]

Almost sounds like you're looking for a guinea pig!

Good idea though, I'm going to give this some serious consideration. Sounds almost like the procedure for bleeding brakes, only a bit more powerful!

[LegacyT]

The pump will push pretty much all of it out. When I got my car it had a pinhole in one of the lines on the steering rack. As soon as I poured some fluid in it skwirted all of it out in a 100 psi (give or take abit ) stream.

Mark,

[scoobiedoo22]

You don't have to try it, just a helpful suggestion. Also, to get all of the old fluid out of the rack, you have to move the steering wheel all the way to the right and to the left several times. If you don't, your just taking the good ps fluid you just put in and bypassing the rack, it has a pressure relief valve and if your not steering, your not pushing any fluid into the rack, just back to the resevior. John

[Legacy777]

There is a problem with this.

The clips that hold the lines hold both of them together.....unless you take them apart, you can't move the return line and take it out without taking the main feed line out.

I didn't want to break the clips.....just use the turkey baster......