[Metalli485]

I'm trying to "flush" my power steering fluid by sucking out what's in the reservoir with a turkey baster and adding fresh Mercon ATF fluid. I plan on repeating this process three times over the course of a week (its a daily driver). Hopefully this will replace most of the fluid. I can't help but wonder what the fluid capacity is for the power steering system (the owners manual doesn't have a capacity listed). Is this an effective way of replacing the fluid? Is three times enough using this method?

[tripleblack]

I have used this method and it works (the baster will come in handy for step 1):

1. Empty the reservoir

2. Remove the fuel pump relay

3. Disconnect the return line from the power steering reservoir

4. Put a piece of hose over the opening in the reservoir and plug the hose (I use an old golf tee)

5. Place the return line in a 5/8" hose run to a catch bottle (good sized bottle)

6. Raise the front wheels and put the car up on jackstands. Chock the rear wheels securely.

7. This is the complicated part, bump the motor (BUT DON'T start it)While your assistant pours ATF into the reservoir. Simultaneously turn the wheels from stop to stop. Don't hold the steering wheel all the way to the stop more than a second or two. Give the starter a break between cranks (you can damage it if you overheat it), say a minute or two. Do not crank more than 15 seconds at a time.

8. Once the fluid starts to run clean coming out of the pump, you're done flushing.

9. Put everything back together, then lower the car flat on the ground. Now you need to let the system bleed any air that has been sucked inside. Bleeding the system is easy, just crank the motor with the cap off the PS reservoir and turn the steering wheel back and forth quickly, but NOT to the stops (this will spurt fluid all over the place).

10. Stop the motor and top up the fuild. Repeat this process until the fluid stays level.

11. Put the top back and clean up.

NOTE: Meant to say that you need to throw a bunch of shop towels under the car during this, it tends to get messy with spilled fluid.

I don't have a clear idea of the capacity of the unit, I think its a little more than a quart, but I always just fill it to the Cold line and call it done.

Using the baster and adding new fluid will never remove all of the old fluid, but would be the easy solution. I should think you could keep repeating this until the fluid was running pretty clear, but I doubt if only 3 times would be enough.

Best of luck.

[heavy metal]

hey tripleblack,good method of doing the flush....