Check your power steering fluid!

[don-ohio]

I gotta admit,I don't check it very often. As long as I see no leaks or don't hear noises,I seldom think about it.
Not anymore! I just happened to check it and it looked like strawberry milkshake in the reservoir!
I know, you're thinking water in it,right? NOPE! Apparently it's a result of me adding a little power steering conditioner months before.
So I spent this evening with 3 qts. of type F running it and sucking it out, refilling,running and sucking it out,until I'd used all 3 qts.
Looks a LOT better now, BUT I'M KEEPING an eye on it from now on. don-ohio ^)

 

[Mr. Alligator]

I let mine go for about 350k miles. Steering got tight. And sticky. Fluid looked like lightweight black grease. Used your procedure to remove and replace fluid. Now steering works great again.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It's a good idea to use an inline power steering filter.

 

[don-ohio]

Good idea! Inline filter.....I've never done that,although my Lincoln LSes have one I believe.
Wow,Alligator! 350K? Wonder it didn't ruin it. Glad you saved it. don-ohio ^)

 

[Josh P]

Every oil change I use a turkey baster to suck the fluid out and add some new. I started doing it to the brake reservoir too.

 

[UtahX]

Just changed mine. I do it every 70K.

 

[don-ohio]

Hmmmm....okay! I just learned from a guy on another forum(SittinGuy) that water drips onto the reservoir a lot of times,which WOULD cause this. He said that a common soup can fits right over the cap perfectly.
I'm gonna be watching for drips onto it now. don-ohio ^)

 

[Dora2007]

I can echo that. PS cap right below cowl point where there is a plastic drain hose attached. That area rusted on mine, and unbeknownst to me, was dripping rain water onto the PS cap. The PS cap has vent holes, so water was entering through PS cap.

Turned my fluid brown. Ran fine for years, however. I also have cap made from PCV pipe cap. Shields PS cap from water, but lets PS cap vents still work.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's a good idea, to use some kind of cover to keep water out.

 

[don-ohio]

Yeah,I'm going out now with a soup can cause it looks like rain again! Thanks,all! don-ohio ^)

 

[Dora2007]

Tomato works best, just sayin.

 

[don-ohio]

Tomato it is,Dora! LOL! don-ohio ^)

 

[Josh P]

Tomato works best, just sayin.

Could've had a V8.....

 

[don-ohio]

Okay,I don't know how I didn't see it,but, the drain hose was completely disconnected from the downspout. It was also totally clogged at the last few inches.
I reattached it, but I still have the tomato soup can on there too. Get this! There was a light rain here last night and there was already water accumulated on the power steering cap. Everyone better check that hose. Thanks,all! don-ohio ^)

 

[BrooklynBay]

Connect a long hose to divert the rain water away from everything. Extend the hose past the battery area.

 

[Dora2007]

Connect a long hose to divert the rain water away from everything. Extend the hose past the battery area.

That’s good, but in my case, I had rusted-out gaps around the cowl punch-out that the hose attached to, so I was getting drips through the cowl area not having anything to do with the hose that does attempt to drain water away. Looked into sealing the area and it was way complicated, so I just ‘capped’ the PS.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Try using Propoxy to seal the rusted gaps.