Power steering fluid looks like chocolate milk!

[katmol]

Checked my steering fluid and it looks like weak chocolate milk. I've vaccummed the tank out and put new fluid in it 3 times now and it still looks the same. Any idea what's causing this?

 

[BrooklynBay]

There might be a lot of junk caught in the P/S pump, and the rack & pinion. Add a P/S filter with new fluid.

 

[Aeroman59]

Flush the system

Suck all of the old Mercon out of the PS reservoir. Remove the return hose, plug the hole in the reservoir with a rubber vacuum cap. An assistant is handy for the next step. Put a clear bottle under the return hose,start the engine & add Cheap Mercon fluid into the reservoir until it comes out nice & red from the return hose. You can jack the front off the ground & move the steering back & forth while cranking the engine , it wont take long to get the old crap out of the system. Then Pour about 3/4L of a good ,quality Mercon oil into the reservoir,then stop the engine & replace the return hose. Run the engine up to temp , top up the level to the full hot mark. Reservior should now look "Bulls Blood" red & you'll be good for another 5 years or so!

ATB Aeroman

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Thanks for adding good information for your first post. The fitting on the P/S pump is fragile, and is known to crack off if the hose is seized on. I didn't want to recommend removing the hose from the pump in post # 2 for this reason. There is a special hose removal tool just for this purpose. It's a squeeze style that expands.

 

[Aeroman59]

Easy job next time.

Welcome to this forum! Thanks for adding good information for your first post. The fitting on the P/S pump is fragile, and is known to crack off if the hose is seized on. I didn't want to recommend removing the hose from the pump in post # 2 for this reason. There is a special hose removal tool just for this purpose. It's a squeeze style that expands.

I know what you mean, however it can be overcome by cutting the hose & adding an inline hose connector or a quick disconnect, this can be done safely since the return line does not run at high pressure. I would favor an inline hose connector, since, this is a job done every 2-3 years or so.

Nice job on the site BTW.

Aeroman.

 

[rabbit91]

Been having the same problem , milky PS fluid, flushed it a few times and refilled with mercon yet it keeps turning milky and it over flows. I am filling up the reservoir to the proper amount after I flush it. Any ideas?

Today during wheeling it got bad to the point where I don't have any steering power until around 1500rpm

 

[BrooklynBay]

Flush the system, and add P/S fluid instead of Mercon ATF.