Power steering fluids and viscosity indices

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Red Merle said:
As part of my recovery, I am trying to get a handle on my "mission creep" tendencies where I will diagnose a small issue and decide to yank and replace the entire system as a remedy. That does work and it's good for peace of mind, but it's also a great way to breeze through a significant number of American dollars. :hillbilly:
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I can help you with your treatment. Just send me a significant number of American dollars each week, we'll have your mission creep cured in no time :idea: :hillbilly:
 
Flushed out the old ATF from my PS lines and now it’s quiet as can be. I over thought and worried about way more than I needed to. Cost me 8.49 for the ATF and 20 minutes of my time.
 
Ok, I blew a PS hose in the middle of nowhere 4 years ago. Sent a guy on the road to the nearest village and he brought back a red fluid he called hidraulina (today I know this is Peruvian for ATF) I fixed the hose, filled it up with ATF and went on my way.

Now I just replaced the "paper clip" cooler (that got crushed on a rock) on the steering system with an aluminum cooler and refilled the system with the rest of the ATF I had left over. The pump groaned and the fluid foamed like a milkshake. I cant seem to get the air out. I now have a mix of ATF and PS fluid in there.
1911747

Does anyone know if this will be a problem?
Is it ok to mix the fluids?
Is the ATF causing the foaming? (I thought it prevented foaming)
I'm ready to top it off with the PS fluid I have and not worry about it since that is basically what I did 4 years ago without a problem.

For me a breakdown can be a 3-4 day event if I breakdown 5 hours from a city, so I err on the restoration/maintenance side of the discussion, but I don't want to be chicken little about this.
 
Peru Darrell said:
Ok, I blew a PS hose in the middle of nowhere 4 years ago. Sent a guy on the road to the nearest village and he brought back a red fluid he called hidraulina (today I know this is Peruvian for ATF) I fixed the hose, filled it up with ATF and went on my way.

Now I just replaced the "paper clip" cooler (that got crushed on a rock) on the steering system with an aluminum cooler and refilled the system with the rest of the ATF I had left over. The pump groaned and the fluid foamed like a milkshake. I cant seem to get the air out. I now have a mix of ATF and PS fluid in there.
View attachment 1911747
Does anyone know if this will be a problem?
Is it ok to mix the fluids?
Is the ATF causing the foaming? (I thought it prevented foaming)
I'm ready to top it off with the PS fluid I have and not worry about it since that is basically what I did 4 years ago without a problem.

For me a breakdown can be a 3-4 day event if I breakdown 5 hours from a city, so I err on the restoration/maintenance side of the discussion, but I don't want to be chicken little about this.
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I assume the fluids are miscible so likely you just have air up in there. Run it, let it settle, run it, etc.
 
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