Power steering flush, any tricks or tips? (1 Viewer)

[John E Davies]

Since I am going to be doing extensive towing and the service history has some blank spots, I am replacing all the fluids on my '13, just got all the diffs, transfer case and brake system flushed and serviced with full synthetic, in combination with my 95K service. At my request they also did all the 90K items to make sure nothing was missed. It was nice to watch the tech use a torque wrench on the suspension bolts and thoroughly inspect everything.....

The PS fluid looks a little dark, any tricks to flushing? Just pull the return hose at the reservoir and do a flush like the transmission? I assume the front wheels have to be in the air and the rack "exercised".

I plan to do the tranny myself using Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic ATF and I thought that would be a good time to also flush the PS with the same fluid.

PS, here is a shameless plug for my local independent Honda/ Toyota shop. The tech who worked on my 200 is a Lexus trained tech with seven years at the dealer. He is not a Land Cruiser expert in any way, but he sure knows way more than the average non-dealer mechanic. He talked knowledgablly about KDSS and did not blink when I asked him to shoot a squirt of penetrating oil on the service screws. He has worked on my wife's SC400 in the past and I have been pleased. He is a keeper!

Carlson Import Repair, Spokane WA

Comments about the PS flush are welcome.

Thanks.

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[SWUtah]

Whatever you do don't use a cleaner. Only use the recommend fluid. I had a Toyota dealer do mine on my 100 and they did a "flush" with a cleaning agent and a conditioner and 10 months later I needed a new steering rack.

 

[Docboy]

How easy is it to do the tranny and power steering flush? Any special equipment required?

 

[John E Davies]

How easy is it to do the tranny and power steering flush? Any special equipment required?

Great video here:
Complete Transmission Flush DIY - VIDEO

I am a little unsure about the PS but it should be easy enough, the return hose to the reservoir is sitting in the open.

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[bjowett]

The easiest drain/exchange point, IME, for the PS fluid is low on the driver's/left side. Remove the skid plate, and you will find the low pressure return line coming from the rack. It has a spring clamp like the coolant hoses.

 

[KLF]

How I do PS flush:

Get a chunk of 3/8" copper icemaker line about 8" long. Bend it into a J shape.

Put the front of the truck up on stands so the front wheels are free.

Take a turkey baster, suck out as much of the fluid from the reservoir as you can. Might need to stick a piece of small hose on the end so you can reach all the way to the bottom past the baffle.

Cut the top off a 16 oz soda bottle. Put it under the low pressure return line fitting to the reservoir, to catch the drip when you pull the hose off. Stick the bent piece of copper into the return line, drop it into the soda bottle.

Fill the reservoir with fresh ATF. Start the engine, only a few seconds, shut it off. Dump out the old fluid from the soda bottle, refill the reservoir. Repeat, until nice fresh crimson ATF comes out into the bottle.

Put everything back together. Fill the reservoir, start the engine, turn the steering wheel to both limits a few times, keep checking the reservoir. It might turn foamy, that's OK. Fill it back up. Drive the truck a few days to let the air settle out. Top off the reservoir. Done.

 

[John E Davies]

How I do PS flush:

Get a chunk of 3/8" copper icemaker line about 8" long. Bend it into a J shape.

Put the front of the truck up on stands so the front wheels are free.

Take a turkey baster, suck out as much of the fluid from the reservoir as you can. Might need to stick a piece of small hose on the end so you can reach all the way to the bottom past the baffle.

Cut the top off a 16 oz soda bottle. Put it under the low pressure return line fitting to the reservoir, to catch the drip when you pull the hose off. Stick the bent piece of copper into the return line, drop it into the soda bottle.

Fill the reservoir with fresh ATF. Start the engine, only a few seconds, shut it off. Dump out the old fluid from the soda bottle, refill the reservoir. Repeat, until nice fresh crimson ATF comes out into the bottle.

Put everything back together. Fill the reservoir, start the engine, turn the steering wheel to both limits a few times, keep checking the reservoir. It might turn foamy, that's OK. Fill it back up. Drive the truck a few days to let the air settle out. Top off the reservoir. Done.

Thanks, that sounds easy enough, but you should be exercising the steering rack _while_ changing the fluid, not afterwards. There will be some old fluid caught in the rack otherwise.

Plus I plan to actually remove the reservoir, empty it and flush out the crud inside, and reinstall before doing the rest of the system. There is always dark buildup inside any plastic reservoir that ought to be cleaned away.

How many quarts are needed for a good flush?

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[JZelnick]

Looking to flush my PS system in the next few weeks. Can someone advise on how many quarts are needed for a flush?

 

[2001LC]

I just did a 200 series PS flush with M1 syn MV ATF. It takes 1 qts, but I always use more on first flush. Subsequent flushes if done often (every 10K to 20K miles) I use just one qts. Some will say WTF, every 10 to 20K, that excessive. Perhaps! But PS fluid drakens fast, flushing add life to system.

Basically it's the same procedure as on the 100 series.
Steering Flush & Cleaning

The only real difference was the 200 series doesn't have enough room to just poor out fluid from the reservoir. So to reduce mess; suck or syphon out fluid to begin.

First flush; I always pull reservoir and clean the best I can, paying special attention to internal screen. I clean with brushes, degreaser, dish soap and rinse with tap water (garden hose with pressure end), then dry with compressed air. Once my compressor failed in middle of job, so I used my shop vac to dry by sucking air through reservoir until dry. Obviously it must be completely clean & "dry" before installing back on the rig.

I capture old fluid from return line (top line) at reservoir, which is end of line for fluid. Raising vehicle and put front on stands allowing wheels/tries to hang off the ground. Then simple fill and turn steering wheel lock to lock slowly, holding at lock for 3 seconds. Doing this with engine off is much safer and easier. Don't let fluid level drop any lower the top of suction hose while flushing, or air enters hose/system. Tires off ground, engine off, turning lock to lock 3 times is also the first step in FSM bleeding procedure once reservoir full. Finish bleeding with tires on ground, engine running and then turn lock to lock slowly three times, holding at lock 3 seconds. If fluid in reservoir is foaming, it indicates air in system, then just repeat bleeding procedure.

 

[SWUtah]

I never had any problem with my 100 series power steering until I had it flushed at the Toyota dealership at 110,000 miles within about 3000 miles it started leaking ended up having to buy a new power steering rack

 

[2001LC]

I never had any problem with my 100 series power steering until I had it flushed at the Toyota dealership at 110,000 miles within about 3000 miles it started leaking ended up having to buy a new power steering rack

@SWUtah I'm not trying to diss you, but feel very strongly it's important to flush PS system.

No way to know at this point if rack was failing from not being flush over the years (before the 110K miles) or if Dealership screwed up. If not flushed, seals develop deposits and this will dry them out. That flushing may then clean seals of gunk and they leak. Often times these leaks can be fixed by adding 1.35 to 1.5 oz. of AT-205 restore. This plasticize, adds back in what time leaches out of rubber. Dirty seals' will dry/age fast than clean ones, and will not absorb AT-205 well!.

Also, old fluid will develop solids that damage seals, gears and pump. These solid can be seen in the screen in the bottom of the reservoir. On first flushing, I always clean the reservoir. I've seen some screens that were 90% plugged with solids, and those take hours & hours to clean out. This cleaning only needs be done once if flushes kept up with, or never if regularly flushed from day one.

Additionally the lubcation value of old fluid will be diminished over time.

It's very import to flush power steering on a regular basis. Power steering fluid (ATF in Toyota) turns dark faster than any oil in our rigs. That the dark color indicates oil is breaking down.

You can't over flush, the more often the better IMHO.

 

[SWUtah]

Just don’t do the first flush at over 100,000 miles and don’t let them use a cleaner

 

[2001LC]

Cleaners I've not used. I suppose I should use the term fluid exchange, as "flush" is to often associated with a chemical cleaner.

 

[SkiBum84]

Just performed this service using a MitiVac Fluid Evacuator. It was incredibly easy.
1. Drained reservoir with MitiVac
2. Pulled return hose off reservoir, inserted MitiVac hose into return hose.
3. Pulled all fluid out of rack and lines
4. Plugged return bung with home made plug
5. Filled reservoir with new fluid, add vacuum with Mitivac, continue adding new fluid until fresh fluid is pulled thru return line and into evacuator.
6. Re-attach return line, start truck, top up new fluid, test drive, re-top up.

I used almost 2 quarts of fluid, because I flushed thru too much new fluid, but I wanted to make sure it was 100% clean.

 

[BigMF]

Just finished this today. The biggest challenge for me was getting the return line off the reservoir. That dang was a PITA to get off that super long connector.

Thanks for the tips folks.

 

[Hokie99]

Maybe I am lazy but I just use a turkey baster, pull out all of the fluid in the reservoir, fill it with Amsoil ATF, turn the steering wheel from lock to lock 3 times, and repeat the above process 2 more times. You will use 1 qt, and on the last fill I put in the ATP 205 with the ATF.

Takes 10 minutes, and that’s a stretch.

You can do this job in the amount of time it takes your engine oil to drain.

I’ve never replaced a rack on any of my cars doing it this way.

 

[jbs11]

Just finished this today. The biggest challenge for me was getting the return line off the reservoir. That dang was a PITA to get off that super long connector.

Thanks for the tips folks.

These make the hose removal so much easier!

 

[Tommy Kha]

Maybe I am lazy but I just use a turkey baster, pull out all of the fluid in the reservoir, fill it with Amsoil ATF, turn the steering wheel from lock to lock 3 times, and repeat the above process 2 more times. You will use 1 qt, and on the last fill I put in the ATP 205 with the ATF.

Takes 10 minutes, and that’s a stretch.

You can do this job in the amount of time it takes your engine oil to drain.

I’ve never replaced a rack on any of my cars doing it this way.

My steering rack is starting to seep at the boots, did you use ATP 205 as insurance or did you have a leak as well?

 

[Hokie99]

My steering rack is starting to seep at the boots, did you use ATP 205 as insurance or did you have a leak as well?

Tommy, I must apologize as I did not see you question earlier in the fall. I have used ATP 205 for both preventative as well to fix leaking issues. I actually emailed into the company a year or 2 ago and they have fleets that use Atp205 as preventative maintenance to keep seals pliable. I’m a big Scotty Kilmer fan, and if he says it’s good than I use it in my equipment.

 

[bloc]

FYI the engine does not need to be running to flush the power steering fluid. Simply jack up the front end and have the wheels in the air, reservoir full of new fluid, and turn the steering wheel back and forth. Careful, because this moves the fluid through surprisingly quick. This method gives a lot more control and exchanges everything in the rack, even out at the ends.

Then I just remove and replace the oil in the reservoir at each oil change and this keeps the system full of mostly fresh fluid, which I hope will prevent trouble with the rack for a good long time.