power steering fluid ?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 108
From: Ohio
power steering fluid ?
hey everyone - might be stupid question but before I buy some power steering fluid for my 1985 - does it matter if it is synthetic or not? I found both that say they are equivalent of gm 1050017 (owners manual #) - I ask because of other fluids that I have replaced needed to be mineral and not synthetic.
thanks
Sean
thanks
Sean
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
The first couple of track days I did with my old '87 caused the PS pump to squeal like the proverbial "stuck pig" once the fluid got hot. So I flushed out the old fluid and replaced it with Red Line Synthetic PS fluid.
After that, there were no more noises at all coming from the pump. The car had the original PS pump on it along with the original rack and hoses and still had them when I sold the car late last year.
One thing I did do was to add a small power steering fluid cooler. I mounted it in front of the front crossmember and connected it to the return hose side.
One thing about the various fluids in the early C4's is that synthetic fluids weren't as widely available in the early to mid-80's. So the GM specs were based on mineral fluids. There is no problem using a full-synthetic engine oil (Dexos-1 approved) or for the PS fluid. For the early C4 auto trans cars, I would use a non-synthetic DexIII ATF and a non-synthetic gear oil in the 4-speed part of a manual and non-synthetic DEXIII ATF in the OD portion.
After that, there were no more noises at all coming from the pump. The car had the original PS pump on it along with the original rack and hoses and still had them when I sold the car late last year.
One thing I did do was to add a small power steering fluid cooler. I mounted it in front of the front crossmember and connected it to the return hose side.
One thing about the various fluids in the early C4's is that synthetic fluids weren't as widely available in the early to mid-80's. So the GM specs were based on mineral fluids. There is no problem using a full-synthetic engine oil (Dexos-1 approved) or for the PS fluid. For the early C4 auto trans cars, I would use a non-synthetic DexIII ATF and a non-synthetic gear oil in the 4-speed part of a manual and non-synthetic DEXIII ATF in the OD portion.
Oil Producer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 9,371
Likes: 2,736
i just flushed mine with basic dexron 3 equivilent ATF. Worked perfectly and fixed my morning sickness.
It is very easy to do a powersteering flush on our cars. But you need two people for about 5 min.. Person two starts and insta-stops the car. It will push a tonne of fluid out during that brief second it's running even though it's insta stopped. More than you expect so start and insta stop!!
Cheers.
It is very easy to do a powersteering flush on our cars. But you need two people for about 5 min.. Person two starts and insta-stops the car. It will push a tonne of fluid out during that brief second it's running even though it's insta stopped. More than you expect so start and insta stop!!
Cheers.
Oil Producer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 9,371
Likes: 2,736
that is very smart.
one thing to consider if you are doing it on your own: i jammed a piece of random hose i had into the return line, which is the top line, the narrower line, and then i ran it down to a 2 ltr pop bottle.
a person would need to TAPE THE hose into the bottle. the pressure shot out so hard that the hose was flailing around my shop squirting atf everywhere. it was a frustrating moment and i still have droplets of atf hangng from the poly on my insulated roof.
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