Having almost 90k on my car I recently decided it would be a good idea to change out all the fluids. Already did coolant, trans, diff, and brake. I decided to use a turkey baster to suck the old power steering fluid and refill with fresh fluid. I bought Prestone power steering fluid that says it is compatable with GM vehicles. I used the turkey baster, sucked out the old fluid and refilled the resovoir with fresh fluid. I then started the car up and turned the wheel back and forth to circulate the fluid. It was working great with no problems. I sucked out the resovoir again and refilled again got back in the car, started it up and no power steering!! The steerin effort is tremendous and the pump does not seem to be working. Did I use the wrong type of fluid? Am I screwed? Do I need a new power steering pump? Can I suck out the fluid I just put in and try a new type? Please help a brother out!! Any info would be great!

 

There are a lot of recommendations on this site as to what to use and what not to use but generally the power steering fluid used in these gear boxes is basically ATF and some products labeled "power steering fluid" are not compatible in these systems. If the pump is not working you may be done for but try to remove the fluid as completely as possible and refill with approved fluid. What’s approved you may ask? The manual specifies a few GM part numbers and there are a lot of other products mentioned on this board. I use Mobil 1 synthetic ATF. If it were me I would remove the pump and reservoir and clean out completely. Good luck and let us know if you saved the pump.

Mark

 

I really hope it is not the fluid. Didn't think there was all that big a difference in PS fluids besides the honda specific ones. Checked the manual and of course it says to use GM fluid. I tried taking out the Prestone fluid I just put in and putting in Valvoline power steering fluid but no luck.
I'm thinking I must have got air in the system. I have taken the cap off and started the car and turned the wheel lock to lock 20 times or so but it has not helped. I did see some small bubbles coming up in the resovoir so I do think the pump is still working.. Gonna jack up the front and keep trying this method. If it doesn't work should I buy a vaccum bleeder and try that method? Any other suggestions?

 

1) you might have an air bound system and need to turn the wheel L/R with engine running to purge the air.
2) You probably have a incompatable fluid
3) Hope you learned that compatable with GM fluid doesn't mean IT MEETS GM SPEC.
4) I would suggest if it doesn't clear in 1 that you go to dealer and buy GM fluid then pull the return line to the pump. Use necessary extensions then run the engine and pump out old fluid while adding the RIGHT fluid.
I think if you do this it will work. The pump is a vane pump and won't fail that fast with the wrong fluid. Can't say that the rack valves will work but they probably aren't hurt if you get the air out and correct fluild.

 

Ok, so I jacked up the front, took the cap off the resovoir, started the car and turned it lock to lock for like an hour total. At first I was seeing bubbles in the resevoir. The bubbles stopped so I lowered the car and still no power steering. I have a hard time believing it was the fluid that did this. I could understand the fluid causing the seals to leak and also do damage to the internals but not so quick. The Prestone fluid doen't have a part number or spec number on it but tha valvoline fluid says it replaces the correct GM part number.
I still believe I must have air trapped in the system somewhere. The pump has to be working because I can see the fluid move and saw bubbles coming up. I guess I will call around in the morning and see if I can find a power steering fluid resevoir cap with a nipple for a vaccum hose and try applying a vaccum to bleed it. While I am at it I will go to the dealership(GRRR) and pick up some GM fluid. Hope this works as I really do not want to take it in and have someone tell me I need a new pump or rack.
Please keep the ideas and suggestions coming. Thank you.

 

I also find it hard to believe that the fluid would make the power steering quit working immediately. I have used Prestone power steering fluid in other GM cars with no problems.
The Prestone bottle says it is formulated for use in GM cars.
Since the PS reservoir is at the high point in the system, it is also hard to imagine how you could get air in the system by drawing fluid off the top, and just replacing it.

The GM part number recommended for my Z06 is the same as for my Impala and my 2003 Malibu.
P/n 1052884 was superceded by 89021184

 

TTT Looking for a guru to step in and make my life easier.

 

So here is the latest... I got up this morning and ran around town talking to different mechanics. Everyone had a different opinion as to what the problem could be. Was told everything from "You must still have air in the system" to "You are gonna need a new rack and pump". One guy told me to start the car and trun the wheel all the way to the right stop and hold it there then shut the car off and let it sit for a couple hours.Tried this with no luck.I decided to go ahead with my plan to vaccum bleed the system and go from there.
I went looking for someone with the power steering adaptor bleeder(j43485). Everyone knew what I was talking about because they had seen it in the manual, but had never personally seen one. Called the dealership and various auto parts stores and no one had it. I ended up making my own by buying a new ps fluid resevoir cap and drilling a hole in it for the vaccum line.
I put the car up on jacks and used a mity vac to pull 20hg of vaccum on the resevoir and bled the system according to the service manual. Still no luck. Power steering was still not working. I was racking my brain trying to figure out what had happened. I figured I must have knocked loose some trash in the system causing a blockage somewhere or that the pump was bad.The pump was not making noise when you held the steering against the locks so I was beginning to think that maybe the pump had died.
Took the car for a drive to pick up some lunch and as I was pulling back into my neighborhood I almost wrecked when my power steering unexpectedly just began working again. Don't know how or why but it is now working again. I'm thinking that my original assupmtion of air in the line was correct, no idea how it got there though. Either that or there was garbage clogging a line somewhere that just worked itself loose.
Anyways, just wanted to give an update and say thanks to everyone who helped me out. We have some really great people on this site!