I'm screwed! My car :(

[Kroze]

I mistakenly add about 8 fluid oz of Power steering fluid into the engine. I thought the bottle was my leftover from my last oil change which is a couple of days ago and decided to put the rest of it in the engine and throw away the bottle. But after i pour all of it in, i saw the label and...God i'm so screwed! Will this kill my car? What do i need to do? someone help me!

 

[minendo]

First thing I would do is drain out all the oil (I'm assuming thats where you put it in).

 

[Kroze]

can i drive it to the gas station or do not drive the car at all? I'm don't have time today to do it myself. gotta work at 1

 

[minendo]

<< can i drive it to the gas station or do not drive the car at all? I'm don't have time today to do it myself. gotta work at 1 >>


I personally would not drive it if I were you, but I dont know too much about it. You could try calling a mechanic and just ask them. Sorry I couldnt be of more help.

 

[tm37]

That power stearing fuild will break down under the heat of your engine. Drain the oild and add new. I would then go get an oil / filter change.

Just get cheap oil like walmart brand. having a cup of power stearing fluid MIGHT be a problem when it breaks down under the heat!

 

[911paramedic]

Don't start it, it will just circulate! You are probably going to have to drain it, remove the oil pan, and do a continuous flush with clean oil for a while. You should call a mechanic to find out how to fix it though.

A long time ago my friends and I bought a 900 Ninja that was salvaged out of the SF Bay. Things dont get much worse than being submerged in saltwater. We just submerged the entire engine in diesel fuel and flushed the entire system with it too. We then had to flush it with normal oil until it came out the same consistency as it went in. It was frothy or milky for many, many, a quart but it worked and that engine worked really well for us. Did I mention that we had the spark plugs out the whole time?? That was important.

We used the engine for a home made dune buggy and did that sucker ever move. Ran well for years.

 

[Bigdude]

Go ahead and drive it, it won't hurt your engine. Power steering fluid, is basically automatic transmission fluid, it is an excellent high quality lubricant, altough it is lower viscosity than motor oil.

 

[TekViper]

so you poured PS fluid into the engine? well, have you turned the engine on AT ALL yet? if not you may be ok. drain the oil and add fresh oil. maybe add some sort of oil aditive that will help clean it out.

 

[veryape]

<< Go ahead and drive it, it won't hurt your engine. Power steering fluid, is basically automatic transmission fluid, it is an excellent high quality lubricant, altough it is lower viscosity than motor oil. >>

Give out misinformation much?

Power steering fluid is not even on the same plain as oil. It's like comparing water to Coca-Cola, they are both liquids but that is as far as the similarities go.

If you have driven it already then I suggest you drain the oil at the earliest possible convenience, flush it through with new oil a few times, and change the oil filter and that means DON'T DRIVE IT until you do these things!!! .

If you havn't driven it I suggest the same as in the previous paragraph except I would be much more comfortable in telling you that you have not done any irreparable damage to your engine, although with the small amount of power steering fluid you put in there it really shouldn't make much difference but it's just not as thick as oil so if you were at all low on oil it could further lower the engines capacity to lubricate which in theory could cause problems, just not likely. Personally I'd change the oil as mentioned and never give it another thought.

If you have driven it with the psf in it I can't say that with the surity that I can if you hadn't, but go through the procedure I mentioned nevertheless.

Good luck. BTW, how could you mistake a bottle of power steering fluid which is a totally different shaped bottle than that of an oil container? In any event, I suggest you have a mechanic take care of all future work you have done on your vehicles, including general maintenance, because it seems to me you should stick to your day job and leave the car stuff to qualified individuals, or at the least make sure they are competent.

 

[Bigdude]

<<

<< Go ahead and drive it, it won't hurt your engine. Power steering fluid, is basically automatic transmission fluid, it is an excellent high quality lubricant, altough it is lower viscosity than motor oil. >>

Give out misinformation much?

Power steering fluid is not even on the same plain as oil. It's like comparing water to Coca-Cola, they are both liquids but that is as far as the similarities go.

If you have driven it already then I suggest you drain the oil at the earliest possible convenience, flush it through with new oil a few times, and change the oil filter and that means DON'T DRIVE IT until you do these things!!! .

If you havn't driven it I suggest the same as in the previous paragraph except I would be much more comfortable in telling you that you have not done any irreparable damage to your engine. If you have driven it with the psf in it I can't say that with the surity that I can if you hadn't, but go through the procedure I mentioned nevertheless.

Good luck. BTW, how could you mistake a bottle of power steering fluid which is a totally different shaped bottle than that of an oil container? In any event, I suggest you have a mechanic take care of all future work you have done on your vehicles, including general maintenance, because it seems to me you should stick to your day job and leave the car stuff to qualified individuals, or at the least make sure they are competent. >>




You know absolutely nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[veryape]

<<

<<

<< Go ahead and drive it, it won't hurt your engine. Power steering fluid, is basically automatic transmission fluid, it is an excellent high quality lubricant, altough it is lower viscosity than motor oil. >>

Give out misinformation much?

Power steering fluid is not even on the same plain as oil. It's like comparing water to Coca-Cola, they are both liquids but that is as far as the similarities go.

If you have driven it already then I suggest you drain the oil at the earliest possible convenience, flush it through with new oil a few times, and change the oil filter and that means DON'T DRIVE IT until you do these things!!! .

If you havn't driven it I suggest the same as in the previous paragraph except I would be much more comfortable in telling you that you have not done any irreparable damage to your engine. If you have driven it with the psf in it I can't say that with the surity that I can if you hadn't, but go through the procedure I mentioned nevertheless.

Good luck. BTW, how could you mistake a bottle of power steering fluid which is a totally different shaped bottle than that of an oil container? In any event, I suggest you have a mechanic take care of all future work you have done on your vehicles, including general maintenance, because it seems to me you should stick to your day job and leave the car stuff to qualified individuals, or at the least make sure they are competent. >>




You know absolutely nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>

Care to explain?

BTW, just because you probably heard you can use power steering fluid in your tranny and vica-versa, does not mean it doubles as engine oil.

 

[Kroze]

I got a whole bunch of bottles in my trunk. And the Powersteering fluid and the Synthetic Oil bottles are exactly the same size except the color or the bottle. Everything else is different shape. I didn't know that they both have about the exact same amount of fluid left in them. That's how i mistakenly took the powersteering fluid instead of the synthetic oil bottle. Non the less, i called the toyota service center and the mechanic said that i need to get it drained and change the filter. I drove 2 blocks away from my house and got it changed. Hope my car doesn't die from the resedue.....

 

[FelixDeCat]

Dont panic, just change the damn oil and filter ASAP.

But, you think YOUR A GENIUS, try putting brake fluid in the power steering resevoir. It worked fine for about a week then started complaining real loud. Drained and replaced it about 5 times. Worked perfect again, but almost blew the pump!

 

[Jeffwo]

Personally, if it were mine, I would drive it on to work and then after work take it in for an oil change and never think any more about it.

I think you are getting some real paranoid opinions.

And, oh, yeah, I do work on cars.

Jeff

 

[Bigdude]

Used ATF many times in an engine, it has more detergent than motor oil. If you have an old car with a sticking hydralic lifter, pour a quart of ATF in the engine, and it will quit clicking in 10mins! Done this many times.

 

[veryape]

As long as you have the oil changed immediately you should be fine with no lasting damage.

BTW, I didn't realize they made power steering fluid in different types of bottles, but I guess they do. The only kind I have used is the type that comes in a pint sized bottle like that of brake fluid or dry gas.

 

[Bigdude]

Yeah they make these quart sized bottles of PS fluid, I've bought them before.

 

[Chris A]

Bigdude is so right about that.. Power stering fluid will not harm your motor at all with the amount you added.... Change the oil and move on..