Steering Flush & Cleaning (2 Viewers)

[shtbrwn86]

For those of us who are too lazy to clean these out, has anyone actually tried swapping the reservoir from a Camry (92-01) or RX300 (2000-2003 I think)? The actual reservoir looks identical and the bracket even looks like the same bracket, just in a different configuration. I can't imagine Toyota would make multiple different versions of this reservoir with each one being just a bit different.

There are a couple wrecked RX's and Camry's near me that I might go pull the reservoir out of to see if it fits. If it does, then you could probably order this Dorman off eBay for $86?

 

[OwnerCS]

For those of us who are too lazy to clean these out, has anyone actually tried swapping the reservoir from a Camry (92-01) or RX300 (2000-2003 I think)? The actual reservoir looks identical and the bracket even looks like the same bracket, just in a different configuration. I can't imagine Toyota would make multiple different versions of this reservoir with each one being just a bit different.

There are a couple wrecked RX's and Camry's near me that I might go pull the reservoir out of to see if it fits. If it does, then you could probably order this Dorman off eBay for $86?

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This is a timely thread. I replaced all hoses, reservoir, and rack roughly 1 year ago. Today my pump is howling and the fluid that I extracted is dark like fluid in the bottle on the previous page. I'll first start with an attempt to clean out the reservoir. I may be looking into a new reservoir if I'm unsuccessful.

 

[shtbrwn86]

This is a timely thread. I replaced all hoses, reservoir, and rack roughly 1 year ago. Today my pump is howling and the fluid that I extracted is dark like fluid in the bottle on the previous page. I'll first start with an attempt to clean out the reservoir. I may be looking into a new reservoir if I'm unsuccessful.

Wait you replaced the reservoir a year ago? What did you replace it with? Used?

 

[OwnerCS]

Wait you replaced the reservoir a year ago? What did you replace it with? Used?

A new Dorman for LC/LX.

 

[OwnerCS]

I may have found the issue. Need someone to confirm there is a micro screen in the reservoir that is less than the size of a dime. I can see how that screen would have been filled up with gunk.

My new camera is not capturing all pictures that I take, so I lost a couple of shots.

Here's what I'm doing tonight.

I evacuated fluid from the reservoir using my MitiVac extractor. That kept the mess to a minimum when I removed the hoses.

Some of the gunky fluid is shown in the reservior neck.

When I dumped out the fluid in the reservior bottom, it looks horrible. I can see why the pump is screaming.

Not pictured, I ran the extractor tube down inside the hoses to remove as much fluid as possible. I retreived a decent amount of fluid from each hose.

I soaked the reservior in Kerosene for the initial cleaning as I'm fresh out of spray brake parts cleaner.

I have it soaking in simple green overnight per recommendation. I will try to extract as much old fluid as possible out tonight before putting things back together tomorrow.

I hope the gunky fluid or fluid starvation didn't destroy the pump.

 

[shtbrwn86]

Autozone has this in stock which should work? There aren't any Advance Auto Parts near us....

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UPDATE! Don’t buy this hose from AutoZone. The outer diameter is too small.

I couldn’t find anywhere local to source the Continental 3/8 hose but I did find a source online that shipped me 3 feet for $17.

https://www.breezeautomotive.com/shop/06an-3-8-id-insta-grip-hose-1ft/

I would have bought from Wits End but he was out of stock. Going to hopefully get this replaced and flushed tonight or tomorrow.

 

[menancyandsam]

Coleman fuel does a great job of cleaning the reservoir

 

[OwnerCS]

Coleman fuel does a great job of cleaning the reservoir

Yep. White Gas (w/Naptha). I got started using Kerosene for cleaning parts with my dad back when it was .19 per gallon. LOL

 

[OwnerCS]

After cleaning, I was able to photograph the inside of the reservior. I suspect the small round object inside contains the micro filter.

There is also a little black port on the front and side. Those appear to allow some level of fluid travel between the reservior and the hose.

I'm still scratching my head about how the fluid got to be so dirty so fast. There must be something that I'm doing off-road that allows dust/dirt to enter the system.

I may need to start cleaning it once a month after each off-road adventure.

 

[OwnerCS]

UPDATE! Don’t buy this hose from AutoZone. The outer diameter is too small.

I couldn’t find anywhere local to source the Continental 3/8 hose but I did find a source online that shipped me 3 feet for $17.

https://www.breezeautomotive.com/shop/06an-3-8-id-insta-grip-hose-1ft/

I would have bought from Wits End but he was out of stock. Going to hopefully get this replaced and flushed tonight or tomorrow.

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Thanks for the info. Did you see a Thermoid brand hose at AutoZone?

Many years ago I used Thermoid high temp high-pressure hydraulic from Advance Auto on other Japanese vehicles without issue. I need to go look around the garage in my hose connection to see what I have in stock.

 

[OwnerCS]

UPDATE! Don’t buy this hose from AutoZone. The outer diameter is too small.

I couldn’t find anywhere local to source the Continental 3/8 hose but I did find a source online that shipped me 3 feet for $17.

https://www.breezeautomotive.com/shop/06an-3-8-id-insta-grip-hose-1ft/

I would have bought from Wits End but he was out of stock. Going to hopefully get this replaced and flushed tonight or tomorrow.

View attachment 2753228

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View attachment 2753230

Just ordered 5' of the Continental hose. I like to keep around some extra for special occasions.

 

[OwnerCS]

Installed the clean reservoir and refilled fluid. Lock to lock turns before starting the engine to fill up the pump rack and hoses.

The noise is better not back to normal. I used a mechanic's stethoscope and found everything with a pulley to be normal.

The noise is definitely coming from the pump. I did another fluid exchange just to see if it makes any difference.

I can see fluid spraying up inside the reservoir like a little fountain in the center. I may try driving it a bit then changing the fluid again.

Though I suspect the pump was damaged from being run on a long trip with dirty fluid. I should start looking for another pump.

 

[silvarshooter]

Great thread, I've got this on my to do list soon. Question about using a stop leak, I've got some light seeping from my rack and was going to get some AT-205 as suggested here but cannot find it anywhere, local or online. Any recommendations for an alternative to AT-205?

 

[Eyedaho]

Looks like advance auto parts has it available for ship to home or ship to store.

Great thread, I've got this on my to do list soon. Question about using a stop leak, I've got some light seeping from my rack and was going to get some AT-205 as suggested here but cannot find it anywhere, local or online. Any recommendations for an alternative to AT-205?

 

[silvarshooter]

Looks like advance auto parts has it available for ship to home or ship to store.

That's what I thought earlier but when attempting to checkout it says out of stock. Searching for it online lead me to a youtube video about it being discontinued...

 

[silvarshooter]

I've emailed ATP to see if they're still putting it out, will update here if I get a response.

 

[Eyedaho]

I've emailed ATP to see if they're still putting it out, will update here if I get a response.

I saw some stuff online, from non-reliable sources, that it hasn't been discontinued but that they are having supply chain issues. I think plastics manufacturers are struggling and I think this stuff is just a plasticizer additive, so that would make sense to me.

 

[2001LC]

I called ATP back in June / July. They said: "Expected in by: mid August".

I then asked, why the national backlog: "Covid and high demand"

 

[MarkTR]

I called ATP back in June / July. They said: "Expected in by: mid August".

I then asked, why the national backlog: "Covid and high demand"

I started looking for AT-205 last month and was told by the distributor no stock until December-if that early. I have not looked at the two alternatives like Blue Devil because I read that you used AT-205 and had good results on the Toyota racks.

 

[silvarshooter]

Cool, I got a email back stating the same, nationwide backlog, he didn't elaborate though.

I'm tempted to give Blue Devil a try, it seems to have a lot of success stories but also some horrors of turning a small leak into a major one but who knows the situation in those cases. Their website does say it is also a placticizer which sounds promising. My leak isn't bad, doesn't actually drip but when I did my inners recently there was a small amount of fluid in both boot areas.