Flush Power Steering????

[Nowincolor]

How would a person go about flushing his power steering pump? The fluid in my resorvoir is horrible. It is gritty, and I would rest better knowing its fresh. I have a 1993 Xplorer XLT 4.0

Thanks a million...

 

[Tommy2000]

Originally posted by Nowincolor
How would a person go about flushing his power steering pump? The fluid in my resorvoir is horrible. It is gritty, and I would rest better knowing its fresh. I have a 1993 Xplorer XLT 4.0

Thanks a million...

I used a Turkey Baster on mine, and just took out all of the old fluid, and replaced it with new fluid.

 

[Chris Jella']

I removed the rubber fluid return line under the resvior, capped it off, ran an extension and fitting to the ruber line and flushed with about 3 quarts. Removed the extension and reattached everything. Refilled and let it run with the cap off and turn the wheel back and forth till it burped all the air out. Now have nice red fluid again.

 

[yob_yeknom]

detailed steps

Do as Chris Jella' said and just remove the return line. Be careful not to let the pump run dry while you're doing this though. Have a couple of quarts of fluid handy.
1. remove the return line, put an extension hose on it, and run it into a jug or something
2. crank the engine for a couple of revolutions and then cut it back off
3. refill the ps pump with new fluid
4. repeat steps 2 and 3 until the fluid running out into the jug looks clear
5. reconnect the return line
6. jack up the front of the vehicle enough to let the weight of the vehicle off of the front tires
7. leave the cap off and crank the engine
8. turn the wheel slowly full left and right until it quits 'burping' (make sure the pump does not run dry while doing this)
9. let the vehicle back down, fill the fluid to the correct level and replace the cap

REMEMBER TO DISPOSE OF THE WASTE FLUID PROPERLY!

 

[MikeP]

Using the fluid return line to drain the steering pump fluid is probably the best way to go. But using a fluid pump with a flexible hose to suck out the old fluid is easy and does sort of work. Periodically I suck out some of the old fluid and replace it with new "red" fluid using the fluid pump which one can purchase at an auto/truck parts store. Now, will this work to remove enough auto transmission fluid to make an easy way to periodically change some of the auto tranny "juice"? Guys up in Pac. NW who do a saturday radio show on vehicle repairs suggest using the additive "Lube-Gard" in auto tran & steering fluid system.
Mike in Seattle, 91XLT 4x4

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by Gimp

Originally posted by Tommy2000

I used a Turkey Baster on mine, and just took out all of the old fluid, and replaced it with new fluid.

Those turkey basters are great for all kinds of stuff, especially with a piece of rubber tubing slipped over the end so you can extend its reach. They're cheap, too.

Just be sure that if your wife sees it filled with transmission fluid, you tell her it is sweet and sour sauce. I almost got busted using my Wifes.