YACT: Changing Power Steering Fluid?

[t0mmyb0y]

My local Tuffy auto mechanic showed me a sample of my power steering fluid and said that it looks like it needs to be changed. He also said that the manufacturer recommends it be changed every 50k miles. I have read on other sites that this fluid should last the lifetime of the car. Should I or should I not spend the $90 or so that they wanted to charge for it?

Specs:
2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
~69,000 miles
power steering fluid has never been changed.

 

[Jejunum]

Originally posted by: t0mmyb0y
My local Tuffy auto mechanic showed me a sample of my power steering fluid and said that it looks like it needs to be changed. He also said that the manufacturer recommends it be changed every 50k miles. I have read on other sites that this fluid should last the lifetime of the car. Should I or should I not spend the $90 or so that they wanted to charge for it?

Specs:
2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
~69,000 miles
power steering fluid has never been changed.

change it! what does your manual say..... instead of reading sites maybe you should check that. 90$ seems a bit steep though.

 

[TechnoKid]

$90? Thats a lot. I'd just get a turkey baster, and take out as much old fluid as you can and replace with new fluid. Drive around for a while to move new fluid around. Repeat the procedure until the fluid looks mostly new. I'm not sure what kind of fluid the Pontiac takes, but I'm sure you can get a lot of it for $90 plus the turkey baster.

It's a good idea to chage out the fluid every once in a while, maybe like once every year or two or so, helps keep the seals conditioned with new detergents and lubrication from the new fluid.

 

[t0mmyb0y]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid
$90? Thats a lot. I'd just get a turkey baster, and take out as much old fluid as you can and replace with new fluid. Drive around for a while to move new fluid around. Repeat the procedure until the fluid looks mostly new. I'm not sure what kind of fluid the Pontiac takes, but I'm sure you can get a lot of it for $90 plus the turkey baster.

It's a good idea to chage out the fluid every once in a while, maybe like once every year or two or so, helps keep the seals conditioned with new detergents and lubrication from the new fluid.

Ummm....all of the turkey basters near me cost $80...

Any mechanics think this is really a good idea? I'm a grad student, so it would certainly feel nice in the ol' wallet... but more costlier repairs as a result would NOT be good.

 

[fredtam]

No need to change it. Power steering fluid will last the life of the steering components. There may be small particles that can contribute to the wear of the pump but it isn't really an issue. If it looks bad do as suggested and use a turkey baster. You won't get all the fluid out of the lines but that is ok.

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

can't you just buy a bottle of steering fluid for like 2.50 and pour it in?

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: CrackaLackaZe
can't you just buy a bottle of steering fluid for like 2.50 and pour it in?

How would you then get rid of the old stuff?

 

[Brutuskend]

Disconnect a line and let it drain out. Re connect the line and fill it up.

But if it was me, I'd leave it be.

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

Oh nm...I thought they were charging that much $$ just to fill the fluid, haha.

 

[Vette73]

Yea it is good to change it. Racks and pumps cost a lot more then a bottle of good fluid.

What I do for my car, and even customers, is disconnect the return line and drain the pump and what is int he line. Refill it and that gets enough out to help it. I liek to use the semi-syn version. Seems to hold up a little better. You can also use something like a baster but will have to do it serveral times to get the same effect.

 

[Drakkon]

the turkey baster idea might work BUT dont introduce air into the system which is easy to do with the baster....if you do its gunan be a bitch to get out...the fliud will start foaming...and its gunna make a horrible noise until u get it out every time u turn and most likely have to take it to a shop and get it done properly. The ps system needs to be changed if the fluid is a dark black or if its exzbiting any signs of "sludgyness". I didn't change mine till 90K miles but it was only once it started getting ahrd to stear and making more noise than it should while cornering...

 

[StageLeft]

I am rather sure that in neither of my vehicles is it mentioned in the manual and thus, regardless of what a salesman - er, I mean mechanic says, I will go by the manual. Definitely it does not need to be changed every 50k. Even on the maxima forums where people are obsessive with maintenance I've in all truth read no more than one post about people swapping brake fluid, and none mentioned power streeting fluid.

 

[attahoova]

If the car has a lot of miles on it, chances are your rack will start leaking if you change to some new fluid.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Drakkon
the turkey baster idea might work BUT dont introduce air into the system which is easy to do with the baster....if you do its gunan be a bitch to get out...the fliud will start foaming...and its gunna make a horrible noise until u get it out every time u turn and most likely have to take it to a shop and get it done properly. The ps system needs to be changed if the fluid is a dark black or if its exzbiting any signs of "sludgyness". I didn't change mine till 90K miles but it was only once it started getting ahrd to stear and making more noise than it should while cornering...

Eh. One good thing about power steering systems is that they bleed themsevles.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am rather sure that in neither of my vehicles is it mentioned in the manual and thus, regardless of what a salesman - er, I mean mechanic says, I will go by the manual. Definitely it does not need to be changed every 50k. Even on the maxima forums where people are obsessive with maintenance I've in all truth read no more than one post about people swapping brake fluid, and none mentioned power streeting fluid.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means it will absorb moisture over time. Moisture in brake fluid really cuts down on the boiling temp of brake fluid which is bad; you don't want your brake fluid to fail when you need you're brakes most. Brake fluid should be flushed every two years, sooner if a performance fluid is used under racing conditions.

Also, if brake fluid is negelcted to be changed, it can form deposits in the system which can gum up the caliper pistons and master cylinder. A stuck caliper piston is not good.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: TechnoKid

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am rather sure that in neither of my vehicles is it mentioned in the manual and thus, regardless of what a salesman - er, I mean mechanic says, I will go by the manual. Definitely it does not need to be changed every 50k. Even on the maxima forums where people are obsessive with maintenance I've in all truth read no more than one post about people swapping brake fluid, and none mentioned power streeting fluid.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means it will absorb moisture over time. Moisture in brake fluid really cuts down on the boiling temp of brake fluid which is bad; you don't want your brake fluid to fail when you need you're brakes most. Brake fluid should be flushed every two years, sooner if a performance fluid is used under racing conditions.

Also, if brake fluid is negelcted to be changed, it can form deposits in the system which can gum up the caliper pistons and master cylinder. A stuck caliper piston is not good.

Details, details

Really though neither haynes nor my manuals mention anything about brake or steering fluid.

 

[Brutuskend]

Yeah I have a stuck caliper on my summer car right now.

Couldn't find one of those at the junk yard today either.

 

[Subzero]

Check the fluid,if it disclored or has a burnt smell change it,if not leave it alone.
This sounds like a bunch of bull to me,I have owned over 80 cars in my 20 years of driving and have never had to change the P.S. fluid,I have added to a few but.....

If it's not broke do not try to fix it..

 

[Quixfire]

I only flush the power steering system when changing a component in the system. I feel as a mechanic that it is not necessary to change the fluid on a routine bases and no manufacture I have every work for or on has had a recommended maintenance interval for this.

The power steering system is a closed system and it is designed to handle small amounts of debris from both the pump and rack assemblies. The only reason to change the fluid is if the pomp is noisy or you have a failure in the system. I would leave it alone for now and keep you money.

I personally feel any shop that sells this service is selling snake oil and really aren?t helping their customer at all. There is no proof that older or dirty fluid causes pump or rack failure. Most failures are caused by low or lack of fluid condition. Flushing during service is a smart thing to do to make sure no large particles are present to damage the replacement parts.