power steering fluid question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
Likes: 2
From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
power steering fluid question
I want to change the power steering fluid in my `87. The manual says use GM# yada yada, or equivalent, but they don`t say what it is. I was at a shop today, & the mechanic there said that I can use Dexron 3 atf. When I took the cap off the resiviour, the fluid is pretty black. Does the car use regular power steering fluid, or atf? 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,157
Likes: 1,731
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Yeah GM has a specific # for the fluid we're "supposed" to use.
So what you should do is just buy some brand of synthetic fluid, and put that in, not ATF. You'll need a turkey baster to get the old fluid out, unless you want to take it apart.
Something like Valvoline would be good, no off-name brands for me.
So what you should do is just buy some brand of synthetic fluid, and put that in, not ATF. You'll need a turkey baster to get the old fluid out, unless you want to take it apart.
Something like Valvoline would be good, no off-name brands for me.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 177
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Vader is changing power steering fluid really that easy? I just stick the turkey baster in the power steering fluid box and pull it out of the box then refill? Thats it? Does it matter if there is risidual fluid in the lines etc?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,157
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From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
You'll have to suck all in the reservoir out, fill it, drive it a bit, and do it again until the old fluid is all out of the system.
In my experience, simply cranking it and turning the wheel alot will not cycle the fluid through well enough, you always end up sucking out some new stuff that way.
In my experience, simply cranking it and turning the wheel alot will not cycle the fluid through well enough, you always end up sucking out some new stuff that way.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Try Valvoline Super Syn power steering fluid. What I did was to get all the old fluid out and replace with the above, then turn the wheel from lock to lock, then remove all the fluid and replace again.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
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From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Buy a quart of Valvoline Synpower Power Steering Fluid. ( should be less than $4) use the turkey baster to empty the reservoir, top up with the new fluid. Drive it around for a day, then repeat the process until you have used the quart.
This approach does not have the quckest elaspsed time. But it is dead simple.
This approach does not have the quckest elaspsed time. But it is dead simple.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,318
Likes: 248
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
I pulled the fuel pump fuse and then ran the engine till it died. I removed the return line from the resevoir and placed it in a container. Cranked the engine till it emptied the res then i filled with new. Cranked the engine a bit more, added more fluid and repeated till what was returning into my container was clean. I didn't crank the wheel lock to lock during the refill but i'm sure that would have helped remove most of the old fluid.
I did use the turkey baster method on the GF's Explorer though
I did use the turkey baster method on the GF's Explorer though
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Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 137
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From: CT
Another method is to remove and extend the return line into a bucket while topping off the reservoir with the engine running until all the old fluid is flushed. This becomes a two-man job, though the person behind the wheel could simultaneously turn the wheel lock-to-lock for a more complete flush. The pump flow rate is not too fast for keeping up with adding fluid to the reservoir and making SURE the pump doesn't run dry (have enough fluid on hand, and be ready to stop the engine). Cranking by starter slows the flow rate is a great idea if it's a one-man job.
Using Redline P/S fluid in mine after replacing the rack and rebuilding the pump. Heard bad things about using ATF where "use power steering fluid" is specified.
Using Redline P/S fluid in mine after replacing the rack and rebuilding the pump. Heard bad things about using ATF where "use power steering fluid" is specified.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
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From: Slidell Louisiana
Originally Posted by rws.1
Buy a quart of Valvoline Synpower Power Steering Fluid. ( should be less than $4) use the turkey baster to empty the reservoir, top up with the new fluid. Drive it around for a day, then repeat the process until you have used the quart.
This approach does not have the quckest elaspsed time. But it is dead simple.
This approach does not have the quckest elaspsed time. But it is dead simple.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 0
From: royal palm beach florida
Originally Posted by vader86
Yeah GM has a specific # for the fluid we're "supposed" to use.
So what you should do is just buy some brand of synthetic fluid, and put that in, not ATF. You'll need a turkey baster to get the old fluid out, unless you want to take it apart.
Something like Valvoline would be good, no off-name brands for me.
So what you should do is just buy some brand of synthetic fluid, and put that in, not ATF. You'll need a turkey baster to get the old fluid out, unless you want to take it apart.
Something like Valvoline would be good, no off-name brands for me.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,318
Likes: 248
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Originally Posted by chucks88
Great idea, but why do you have to cut off the fuel supply? Wouldn't it be easier to let the car run while your flushing the sysytem.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
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From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by chucks88
Great idea, but why do you have to cut off the fuel supply? Wouldn't it be easier to let the car run while your flushing the sysytem.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,470
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From: levittown pa. usa Even a bad day with my `Vette, is better than a good day at work
St. Jude Donor '10
Just got back from Autozone, where I bought some Valvoline syn power. They had two bottles there, & both said the same thing on them-" synthetic blend, with conditioners"-. The odd thing was that they were both the same product, except that one was 16oz. & the other was 32oz. & they were both exactly the same price- $3.69. I read the bottles several times to make sure they were both the same, & they were 
go figure.
go figure.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: O'Fallon Missouri
Originally Posted by kenv
Just got back from Autozone, where I bought some Valvoline syn power. They had two bottles there, & both said the same thing on them-" synthetic blend, with conditioners"-. The odd thing was that they were both the same product, except that one was 16oz. & the other was 32oz. & they were both exactly the same price- $3.69. I read the bottles several times to make sure they were both the same, & they were go figure.
go figure.Just kidding.
Good deal. 
