Power Steering Fluid
12-05-2003, 11:17 AM
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Location: Saginaw Michigan
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Re: Power Steering Fluid (Tom Johnson)
The power steering fluid that is sold under the GM brand at GM dealerships was specifically formulated to work with the Saginaw series of power steering pumps. It is the fluid that comes in the power steering system from the factory.
To be honest, all of the Saginaw power steering pumps adapt fairly well to all kinds of fluids. The pumps are marketed and sold all over the world and are used by many vehicle manufacturers who specify their own power steering fluids. Chrysler in the past has used a mineral based fluid but now uses the GM fluid. Ford uses a special Ford ATF fluid. VW uses a European brand fluid called Pentosin. All of these fluids reportedly work well in their vehicles.
I have no idea who formulated the PS fluid that is sold at K-mart, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc. This isn’t to say that it is bad. However, the amber colored GM fluid is the only fluid that has been certified and tested in GM durability test vehicles for millions of miles. It also is the only fluid that have been durability tested in the Saginaw Steering Gear engineering labs for hundreds of thousands of hours.
The GM part number for a quart of power steering fluid is 89020661. The previous GM part number for power steering fluid was 1050017. Both fluids work equally well.
To be honest, all of the Saginaw power steering pumps adapt fairly well to all kinds of fluids. The pumps are marketed and sold all over the world and are used by many vehicle manufacturers who specify their own power steering fluids. Chrysler in the past has used a mineral based fluid but now uses the GM fluid. Ford uses a special Ford ATF fluid. VW uses a European brand fluid called Pentosin. All of these fluids reportedly work well in their vehicles.
I have no idea who formulated the PS fluid that is sold at K-mart, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc. This isn’t to say that it is bad. However, the amber colored GM fluid is the only fluid that has been certified and tested in GM durability test vehicles for millions of miles. It also is the only fluid that have been durability tested in the Saginaw Steering Gear engineering labs for hundreds of thousands of hours.
The GM part number for a quart of power steering fluid is 89020661. The previous GM part number for power steering fluid was 1050017. Both fluids work equally well.
