Flushing my power steering system MADE IT WORSE

[Blue98Ranger]

How did this happen, ha ha. I even used expensive full synthetic mercon V and an anti-whine thing, but it whines even worse than before I changed it, and now it even slips and judders too! My guess is that I've introduced a bunch of air to the system somehow right? No fair; I watched the YouTube video on it and everything.

 

[Denisefwd93]

How did this happen, ha ha. I even used expensive full synthetic mercon V and an anti-whine thing, but it whines even worse than before I changed it, and now it even slips and judders too! My guess is that I've introduced a bunch of air to the system somehow right? No fair; I watched the YouTube video on it and everything.

You may not believe me, do you have automatic hubs? or one of your hubs is locked? if so it puts a real drag on the front end like a gyroscope and also makes the power steering work a whole lot harder mine was leaking until we basically rebuilt the whole front end with manual locking hubs

 

[Dirtman]

I watched the YouTube video on it and everything.

Priceless last words!

Generally you just need to put the front on jack stands and turn the wheels back and forth to full lock about 15 times while making sure the fluid level doesn't drop too much. But if you get air stuck in the rack itself it can be a major pain to get out and I recommend using a vacuum pump on the reservoir.

 

[adsm08]

Priceless last words!

Generally you just need to put the front on jack stands and turn the wheels back and forth to full lock about 15 times while making sure the fluid level doesn't drop too much. But if you get air stuck in the rack itself it can be a major pain to get out and I recommend using a vacuum pump on the reservoir.

THIS.

A vacuum pulled on the reservoir while trying to bleed it will help pull air to the top, and help pull the bubbles out once they do come to the top.

 

[fastpakr]

Yep, back and forth a few times with the engine running to burp out any air.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I agree about pulling a vacume on the reservor. Get a cap for the reservor at the bone yard and add a vacuun fitting then add two fittings to the top of a jar then connect it with a tee to the manifold vacuume fitting so the jar catches any oil that gets sucked up from the bubbling oil. It took about 20 minutes for my pump to quiet down and still good over five years.

 

[Blue98Ranger]

I haven't done the vacuum method yet but I will. I bought the special power steering cap with the fitting on there, and I will make a simple catch system to keep vacuum yet catch the ATF as it burps out the top of the power steering reservoir. As the vacuum source I'll use the vacuum line that goes to the brake booster. That should be a piece of cake.

My question is this: since my clean ATF flush of the power steering, because there was so much air in there after the flush, the new ATF now looks milky, not clear like out of the jug. I am guessing this is either from the power steering additive I put in there, or it's because now the ATF has become so mixed with air bubbles that now the fluid has permanent, microscopic air bubbles or something, kind of like super fine soap suds. My question is, will that milkyness make it so that the power steering never quiets down? Do I need to flush the stupid thing again just to get rid of that milkyness? I really don't want to go through that again because it wasn't a quick job, and it make a god damned mess all over the driveway with ATF all over the underside of the car and on the driveway.

 

[nanuk]

here's what I did

LIFT THE FRONT END so there is little pressure on the system.

With engine NOT running, I topped up the fluid, and worked the steering wheel, slowly left to the stop, then right to the stop.... about 3 -4 times.

Then put it hard to the left stop and turn off the key so it locks the wheel there.

Leave over night.

next day, turn wheel to the right side against the stop and lock it there.

leave over night.

repeat this at least twice and it should be air free

the milkiness should resolve itself as there is antifoam agents in there, and you'll force out most of the air.



if you do this with vacuum, I would assume it would be even better... but I never tried it.