How often should we change power steering fluid?

[Mike Tonon]

How do you guys determine when to change it? The color? Mileage? Age?

 

[Dirtman]

I swap some out with a turkey baster once a year when I do my "spring maintenance" I dont flush it all, but change out about half a quart.

 

[adsm08]

I do it on the same schedule I do all ATF items, every 30K miles, 20-25K in hard use.

 

[donaldcon]

When it all leaks out

Sent from my LM-X410(FG) using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Tonon]

How many quarts does the system hold?

 

[adsm08]

Usually between 1 and 2. Except for hydroboost systems I've never seen one take more than two.

 

[bobbywalter]

when it all leaks out.....thats way too late.



the constant whine of the oem pumps makes ya want to punch babies....change it often.

 

[Mike Tonon]

Usually between 1 and 2. Except for hydroboost systems I've never seen one take more than two.

Are hydroboost the post 90’s systems?

 

[Dirtman]

Are hydroboost the post 90’s systems?

No. Hydroboost is a system that uses the power steering pump to provide power brakes instead of a vacuum booster. It was never installed on rangers.

 

[Mike Tonon]

No. Hydroboost is a system that uses the power steering pump to provide power brakes instead of a vacuum booster. It sas never installed on rangers.

Freaking adsm08, always complicating things! ?

 

[Mike Tonon]

Ok, I tried flushing mine, myself a few years ago. I took the return line off and put it to a container to catch the waste oil and plugged the hole for it in the tank. I had my dad start the engine for a few seconds while I tried to pour the new fluid in. I couldn’t keep up with how fast it pumped, but I must have poured in a couple quarts or more. But maybe a year later, a mechanic said that I needed a power steering flush. I do notice that the power steering is sometimes a little weird when cold since I flushed it. Is it possible the air I got in there caused damage?

 

[adsm08]

Freaking adsm08, always complicating things! ?

You didn't ask about Rangers, you asked about power steering fluid.

 

[adsm08]

Ok, I tried flushing mine, myself a few years ago. I took the return line off and put it to a container to catch the waste oil and plugged the hole for it in the tank. I had my dad start the engine for a few seconds while I tried to pour the new fluid in. I couldn’t keep up with how fast it pumped, but I must have poured in a couple quarts or more. But maybe a year later, a mechanic said that I needed a power steering flush. I do notice that the power steering is sometimes a little weird when cold since I flushed it. Is it possible the air I got in there caused damage?

It's 100% that you got air in, and ran things dry doing it that way, but the air should have purged itself by now.

The flush recommendation was probably made based on a mileage/age schedule that shop uses. I know at the last place I worked the service manager was real big on flushes and if you had a car in at a 30/60/90 mileage you were in trouble if you didn't recommend at least 2, unless it was something we just sold or a first time customer.

You don't ever want to start the engine with the PS return line off. That system can cycle a few gallons a minute and holds 1 to 1.5 quarts. If you want to try flushing it that way disable the ignition or fuel and bump the engine with the starter. The best way to do it is a pump system that you can drain the reservoir and refill with an electric pump as you go.

I like those ones, because you control how low the fluid gets. I would always suck it down until the pump started to buzz, overfill it slightly, cycle the wheel a few times, and repeat until I ran out of new fluid.

 

[Mike Tonon]

You didn't ask about Rangers, you asked about power steering fluid.

Haha, that’s true. Thanks for all the input.

 

[sgtsandman]

There isn't a manufacturer recommendation, so I change out what is in the reservoir every three years along with the brake fluid. As long as you are changing some of it out every once in a while, I think you will be good.