At first, I questioned allowing the pump to run dry. Two things changed my mind, however. 1. That's how the dealerships do it. And 2. It's a vein type pump (very durable) and the internal parts still have a small amount of lube on them. Once all the fluid is out, you shut it off. It's not like you're driving to the store with a dry pump. It's no different than starting up your engine after it's been sitting for a week and all the oil has completely drained down to the pan.
I do this job a bit different. I hook up a line to a drain pain from the return line, just like this, but I use a clear line. Then I drain the reservoir, fill it with fresh fluid, and start turning the wheel lock to lock with the engine off and the front of the car off the ground. This will pump fluid through the system (pump, rack, and all back to the return line) and you'll see when the fluid is fully flushed. Dirty fluid will come out through the clear line, and when it turns clear and new, it's flushed. Reconnect the return line, then bleed the system by turning the wheel lock to lock with the cap off. This way, you don't ever run the pump dry.
at the dealership that i work at we do these flushes all the time. usually we sell it up to customers with a fair amount of kms and now p/s fluid change or when they complain or power steering noise. we use this wynns power steering flush machine, which basically sucks out all the fluid from the reservoir then you add this wynns flush with DEXRON 6 fluid to top up the reservoir , then you turn the steering wheel a bunch of times to make sure the fluid gets circulated through the system, and finally you suck it back out again and repeat till you have used all the flush fluid. after we add this power steering treatment fluid and it definitely does a good job. I've heard of this process completely repairing old racks and pumps to virtually new condition. it's amazing what a bit of fluid will do.
Drain from the return line, turn on engine and turn tyres full left and full right, turn off engine. Reconnect return pipe, fill up, turn on engine, spin tyres as before, fill up to level. Let bubble. Am I getting this right?
Thank Erick!!! i made the change of the power stering fluid on my honda Civic and was perfect!!! simple stuff for all non-profesional mechanics!!! You made IT simple!!! Thank again!! From Venezuela!!!
Good to know you don't have to jack up the car as I don't have a sturdy jack! Also great to see what can go wrong like the clamp breaking off. If I don't have that spare part with me, I cannot drive to the store to get it, oh no! The hose clamp is so easy to put on and take off. I am not sure of all the tubing involved but it looks simple enough to try. These videos are so useful for car maintenance, very grateful to have this. Thank you! On a Toyota, power steering fluid should be changed every 2 yrs or 50,000 miles.
that whine it made is exactly why you don't ever run the reservoir or pump empty. you had the right idea when you said have a funnel on the return hose to the reservoir. just fill keep filling it with till clean fluid comes out. if you have to much in the reservoir at the end, siphon some out.
I used a jack getting the front wheels off the ground. blocking the rear wheels. It turned much easier, and not as much wear on tires, garage floor, or driveway. Those who complain that doing this procedure will damage the pump because it is running "dry:" The pump doesn't run "dry" as we think of dry like causing friction. When we pour oil into the engine doing an oil change we say the bottle is empty, or dry. But notice in the empty bottle -- there is still some oil coating the inside plus in the bottom. It is not "dry" in that sense of the word, nor is it "empty" in that it still contains some, not much, but some oil. Same with the ps pump, it has been "emptied" but it not "dry" because there is always that coating of fluid inside the pump which will not be damaged because it is not run that long after the purge.
Did this before watching this video, actually ended up doing it this way too lol issue I had is afterwards had issues with air in the system. Let it sit, fought it come kept going lock to lock to try to get the air out, seemed like almost nothing was working. Then decided wth ill take it for a stroll down the road and see what happens, my truck is an 04 f150 crew cab and without power steering its a bear to turn so I was hoping the end result wasnt going to be ending up in a ditch but sure enough after about 5-10 minutes of driving no more issues or whining! I was changing the fluid cause the valves in the rack were sticking causing random losses of power steering. Changing the fluid cleared it up and so far no more issues! So as a tip to anyone (maybe its a ford thing idk) having issues with air in the system afterwards take it up the road for a bit (try to keep it a straight road just incase) if it does well try a slightly curvy road and see if that clears it up, however im not responsible if you put your vehicle into a ditch!
I used a plastic bag around (below) any fitting that I’m going to disconnect. No worry about getting fluid on the ground or on any surface in the engine area. Limits any unneeded cleanup. Furthermore, I would never introduce air into a steering system. The MANUAL way.... Remove pump return line off the power steering reservoir. Next block off the return port on the reservoir. This allows you to use the reservoir to supply clean fluid to the pump. I used a short piece of clear plastic hose with one end bent back with a clamp. You can also install a bolt into that hose end. This hose will be installed on the reservoir return connection. The pump return hose is connected via a barb connection to another hose leading into a waste container. It can be done without starting the vehicle. Fill reservoir and turn steering wheel all the way one direction and back the full other way. The call the Block to Block. Do it a couple times. Fill reservoir again. Redo previous step of turning steering wheel full travel again. R to L L to R. You will notice clean fluid will start to push out the old fluid. It removed it all from the steering rack, pump and all system hoses. Keep doing this procedure of topping off of reservoir fluid and turning the steering wheel full travel. Once there is clean fluid noticeable going to waste container- STOP 🛑. Next reinstall the pump return hose to the fluid reservoir. Check fluid level. Start vehicle. Turn wheel block to block. Any air if any will be removed. Recheck reservoir and systems for any leaks. EASY JOB!!!
There's an easier way. Just disconnect the hose from the reservoir at the pump, and let it drain into a bucket. Attach another piece of hose to the pump. Fill this hose with fresh fluid and put the end into a gallon jug of fresh fluid. Start the car and quickly (like 5 seconds or less) turn the wheel all the way back and forth, and shut it off. The pump will have sucked about 2 quarts from the jug and you'll have about 2 quarts of dirty fluid in the bucket. Reconnect the original hose and top off the reservoir, and you're done.
I watched the video thinking ETCG would show me this method...except I didn't think of the syphon in the clean fluid trick, I was just going to pour it in as it drained. Now I can do it without having a second person turn tje wheel. Thanks! N64
I like your method. Then the system is still full and no air enters the system. Notice at the end of the video how loud the power steering pump was. Turning it lock to lock may not purge the air. May have to vacuum out the air. It would have been good to make sure the end of this video showed how the air was purged from the pump and listen to it quiet down.
A gallon of Power Steering fluid? With expensive car specific (honda) fluid that would be about $50. I think I will just have someone pouring fluid into the reservoir if it gets too low.
What I did on my tacoma was fill with new fluid as I was draining the old. I jacked the front so I could turn the wheel easier. Turned the wheel left to right, right to left. Added fluid and repeated this process until new fluid would come out. That way I didn't have to do any bleeding and no air bubbles in the system.
Very informative, Eric. Like you, I had little to know idea if power steering fluid was part of the maintenance process for vehicles. And I certainly can understand that all fluids get old and need attention when the time comes...Thanks again Eric!!
Thanks for the vids. My local shop wanted $100 per system plus fluids. This was for power steering, brakes, and clutch. You just saved me a fortune and I'm a little closer to getting those coilovers I wanted. Thanks again!!
Hi Eric, I used this method and it worked great. Performed it a couple of times and it cleaned the power steering system well. I have a Honda service manual and this is the method they use. Probably is the only way to get it all out with all the pipe and tube bends in the system. Thanks.
Dear Eric, sometimes it would be a good idea to remove the reservoir and spray its interior with a brake cleaner from the opposite side of the fluid flow hole and dry it with compressed air and keep it under the sun for a while, because there is a mesh at the bottom of the reservoir where I have seen in other makes that it became clogged with debris , dirt and cause steering difficulties or pump noises. Just FYI
Useful bit of info: As stated in the video, please use genuine honda power steering fluid. I can't stress that enough. Dextron 3 will ruin your pump, turn it into a noisy whining mess. (as it also ruins honda transmissions). Know from experience because it stuffed up the steering pump on my mums legend... and greatly shortened the transmissions life too. Another useful bit of info, you can use fork oil 15 instead of Honda fluid power steering fluid. This stuff works great, and I used it for several years and many thousands of Ks on my prelude. Much cheaper, and works PERFECT! As for the transmission fluid, nullon or penrite fully synthetic fluid seems to work a treat too.
The way I did it recently was to add a plastic tube onto the end of the return line and put a plug in the outlet of the reservoir. Then I started the engine and continued to pour new fluid into the reservoir as the old fluid was pumped out into a container. When the fluid started looking clean, I stopped the draining process, bled out the air, and topped off the level in the reservoir.
Great video eric! I just did this on my 2008 Odyssey. I pulled out 4-5 ounces through a turkey baster... I then unplugged the return line and routed it directly to an empty 20 oz soda bottle. Ran the engine for 30 seconds or so turning the wheel lock to lock to get the rest of the fluid... All total I pulled about 22 ounces out of the system... Refill procedure as follows: replaced with 12 ounces... ran engine to burp system... repeated three more times (4 oz / 4 oz / 2oz). Worked like a champ! Super easy maintenance item. Old fluid had 99,000 miles on it wand was really dirty! Since it is so easy, I'm going to try this again in 3-years. I'll report on what 3 year old fluid looks like at that time. Thanks for the vid! Definitely gave me the confidence to give this repair a shot!
+deep stick reservoir… ran the line directly into the soda bottle… Kind of a tight fit, but if you get a skinny bottle you can find the room. Make sure get as much as you can with the turkey baster first!
I have been doing this trade as well for a long time here in Australia and I don't like those type of clamps either, instead of reaching into the bottom of the engine bay why did you just not take hose off resovoir then get a pipe joiner join another pipe to it run that into a bucket and just bung up the resovoir pipe hole with something it is how I did it and it is much easier than having to get your whole arm into the engine
I usually suck out what I can then add more. Cycle it. Suck it out and repeat the process until the fluid in the system is clear. Takes about 15-20 minutes and you don't have to disconnect anything or run the chance of you getting air in the system.
I do it this way too, but instead of doing in one shot I do it when I arrive home each day until it's clean. This method also works well to change automatic transmission fluid if you're not changing the filter. If the trans has a drain plug it's easy, otherwise a manual pump extractor with a long hose. I've changed brake fluid this way too extracting what I can from the master cylinder reservoir and repeat when the brake fluid in the reservoir looks dirty again.
Good video. Eric a good add to this and other videos is that with stock hoses and clamps, the low pressure hose would be "clamped and the high pressure hose would be "crimped"
For those doing this on rough concrete, consider putting a piece of cardboard under the tires, the sides of a cereal box will work well, it will put a lot less strain on the system when turning the wheels, and will avoid leaving tire marks on the concrete.
I wish I saw this earlier. I never had those problems as mentioned, but it would have been easier to put cardboard under the wheels. I only had a oil catch can under the car.
I greatly appreciate you taking the time to post this video. I just finished changing out the PSF on my 2003 Tacoma with 108K and the process went smoothly. Thanks
After watching this a while back ...Did it myself on our 05 trailblazer...The ole gal has a lot of miles on her never done before...worked great!! ...easy.!!...a little messy but that was my fault :) ..no harm to the pump at all...had a friend with me..another person does help...TNX..
It's nice when you have a few Acura and Honda products, to be able to see these maintenance and repair videos from someone who's been a Acura technician.
When I did mine, I was hesitant to run it dry. My method was to keep pouring new fluid while someone turned the wheel lock to lock (with the front tires raised). Seem to work fine. Timing is everything though. The fluid gets sucked up FAST.
thanks for the video! i have a 06 Acura TSX and everyone of your videos helps me in furthering my knowledge of keeping my vehicle in tip top shape. i have a certain love for the simplicity and compactness of the Honda engineers designs.
Eric I think that is a great recommendation on fluid change. If the manufacturer says its a lifetime fluid or part a good Rule of Thumb 100,000 miles. Lifetime Coolant, Power Steering Fluid, Fuel Filters. Personally I change it way before just to extend the life of the system, but it has not been changed by 100k then change it.
I myself would just unhook the return line and feed it into a bucket then have one person turning the wheel while the other slowly adds fresh fluid to the reservoir till I see clean new fluid coming out that way it never runs dry... Like Eric stated, it didn't take long for it to run out, so I wouldn't worry about wasting fluid to do it this way....
Thanks for the video on power steering pump fluid replacement . I just replaced my power steering radiator coil / fin Leaking do to corrosion on the return line 2003 avalanche 1500 . I just bought a vac kit MITMV 8500 series to use to complete my work Thanks again Brian, TS
I use a large syringe to remove all the old power steering fluid from the reservior and fill it with new fluid. It takes a few times to clear the old fluid out with new fluid. easy diy.
I've done the same except I used a hand operated siphon. I did about 4 or 5 fluid changes, started the engine between changes while turning the steering wheel in both directions with the front wheels jacked up off the floor, and figure I got about 90+% of the old fluid out. Good enough.
Its faster if you suck out the fluid and move the steering while from lock to lock with engine off and suck again. and repeat until no new fluid appears. then fill
i personally use a turkey baster and pull out as much as i can from the reservoir and then top off with new ps fluid. after a couple hundred miles later, i repeat the process to get as much of the old fluid out. Never put just any ps fluid! put recommended for you car or else it would bubble in the system
I just changed the PS fluid on my 2009 Buick Enclave. That hose was a bear to get at! They are notorious for having loud whining pumps, and a newer TSB calls for Dexron VI. Once I refilled, it was squeeling and vibrating like crazy when I turned the wheels. It took about an hour of wheel turning (first with engine off, then for short periods on) and adding fluid to get all the air out of the system. I had heard they were hard to get the air out of, but it seemed like a ridiculous amount of time.
Eric, your power steering fluid change video was great. You spoke clearly, precisely and presented a clear video. Very easy to follow and understand, regards Andrew
I use a siphon pump to get all the fluid out of the reserve tank on my power steering pump and refill it with fresh Dexron III ATF. I do this about once a year just for peace of mind. With my truck (2008 Silverado 2500HD) the power steering pump also powers the brake booster instead of vacuum.
To bleed any air from the system , remove reservoir cover put a screen with something to hold it on top, turn rack to rack until it stops spitting up and the system has been flushed of air. Just like an Italian grandmother uses a screen to contain a spitting red sauce for Sunday dinner .
This method runs the pump and rack dry and introduces air bubbles after refilling. Better is to not let the reservoir go empty but keep filling it as it is emptied. Pumping the fluid out just by turning the wheel but without turning the car on is the safest way to go.
I just changed power steering oil for -01 golf and -98 Passat. I made a adapter to connect vacuum oil extractor to return line and used that to get oil out and turning wheels without starting the engine. Much safer, with this method pump doesn't run dry. Passat has its filter at return line side in reservoir so I use hose to connect vacuum to return line connection and use just little bit fresh oil to clean filter before I remove extractor and fill system with oil.
awesome video Eric! Big help man. I just had my wifes Santa Fe in the shop and they replaced the Steering Rack. But now for like 3 days I have had to keep adding power steering fluid. I have went through 2 bottles so far. Was checking this video for reference. To me after watching your video it seems like it should be about done going down in level. If it's not I think they might have messed something up and it's leaking somewhere. Either way man, appreciate all you do bro!
Did this in my Mazda 3 this past weekend. The return line was a pain to get to, had to take off the fender well cover to get to it. I just covered up the belts on the engine with a small piece of cardboard and stuck an old turkey pan under the car. Already had the wheels off for brakes.
Just wondering about the clamp. A high pressure clamp comes off and a normal hose clamp goes on. Does it not matter in that area or am I just wrong and a clamp is clamp is a clamp?
Great vid as usual, Thanks for this, lots of Honda forums confirm that for Honda's fluid is the one that is recommended and I ordered it and it solved issues that the car had running standard fluid even though it was change less than a year ago.
Hey Eric first of all i like all your videos i learned so much from them But now i have a problem with my truck its a 99 Ford Ranger 3.0 when I turn the steering wheel it has a bumping feeling to it and you See it in the front tire is that the power steering pump
Is this OK for a 00 Town and Country? I have some whining when from the pump and the fluid has never been changed...148000 miles 3.80L. Great videos....very helpful.
Comment after comment about running the pump dry. For the armchair mechanics here, try reading the Honda service manual, and you'll see that his procedure is exactly how they recommend doing it.
Eric do you have experience working on a Nissan I really hate them but my niece has one and I have some issues that need to be resolved ASAP on a 2013 Sentra (pure drive) transmission
I replaced a hose, used autozone fluid, noisy as hell. Now i've just started sucking out some of the old fluid and using Honda, it's already quieter and i'm not even close to done yet.
Great video! My friends RSX rack and pinion has been changed out but it’s using non Honda fluids. if we changed it out and flushed it with oem Honda fluid will the system be okay or is the system contaminated?
100k is good, I did my grand prix 05 @130k and it was too dirty..Pump is good so far. I would say 75-100k but alot of manuals say 50k.You can check with a clean baster if it's dirty, easy check. Great video man, thank you for it.
I'm an engineer. If I were designing a car I would for damn sure make certain that the power steering pump can run dry for quite a while without dying. If my bosses insist on shipping a car with a power steering pump that dies from 10 seconds of running dry, I would quit.
From my experience with the same Honda power steering systems, if you run the pump dry, or even get a little air in the pump, it will screech terribly. That can’t be a good sound. Turning lock to lock helps clear out the air, but it takes my cars longer than 10 seconds to purge the air. A much easier method is to suck the reservoir out with a turkey baster and refill with fresh fluid every few oil changes. I know it doesn’t purge the system, but over time it has the same effect.
If you were a great engineer, you would develop a manual rack so you don't have the power system as a point of failure. People are stupid and they literally take almost zero effort as long as the tires are moving. I've removed the power steering from cars, so the ratio should've made it hell, but it didn't, unless the car was stationary, then you had to use some muscle. So, engineer a variable rate manual rack that switches ratio at 0-5 mph and you win.
@Jake McCoy is right but I am going to add this along with kuro,I have deemed Physically weak to that degree people should not drive. The sounds like a hazard to have on the road.What will they do when the power steering pump dies and they find themselves behind the wheel⛍☠
I used PEAK ps fluid and it looks like a 30w oil. Steering is acting sluggish and ps line leaking. I'm replacing the line tomorrow and plan to install a fuel line filter on return line. It will be on until we have another warm day or a month. Didn't feel draining the PS unit dry is the way to go. I have enough trouble with a contaminated system. But, good video as always. I noticed this is an old video. Do you use vacuum to get the air out of system or still old school?
Do you have to run the engine to drain the system? I saw a video where the guy turned the wheel stop to stop, engine off, with the wheels off the ground and drained it through the return line as you did.
Because of it's nature & properties- and because of the type of my cars' brake system (TEVES MK II)- I flush my brake fluid every 3 years. It makes a huge difference with hoses, ABS valve blocks, calipers, and reduces pedal fade from the hot fluid boiling the water in it.
Hey Eric my car is getting an engine swap. The engine that is in it currently works but has a knocking noise should I keep that engine and learn on it or just let the mechanic deal with it to get rid of it?
I plan on doing this in my 2006 accord as the fluid is brown, but can i suck out fluid from the reservoir, turn wheel and suck out more until no fluid comes out and the, fill back up? Im looking to do it the easy way. The only fluid i can get easily would be the prestone honda/acura fluid, would this be a good choice or should i source genuine honda fluid?
It shouldn't for the short amount of time involved. However, I have ran across pumps that will whine long after the new fluid is in place. It seems once air gets in there it can take a long time to get it out or an old marginal pump may get worse. To play it safe I prefer to siphon out the old fluid from the tank and fill with new before starting the flush. Very little (if any) mixing will take place. Fill the tank to the top to lessen the chance of running it dry (just like you would with a master cylinder while bleeding brakes). Then top off the tank. You waste a little new fluid that way but it's worth it to me.
Cavitation is a pump killer, but when it's just for changing fluids and/or first startup of a new pump it's fine as long as you get all the air out shortly after.
For all the doubters - this IS the correct way to drain the system according to Honda, it lays out the exact same procedure in my 1995 Integra Acura Service Manual (yes, the official, 2 inch thick bad boy manual).
Hey Eric, your videos are awesome! I watch your channel almost daily. I was going to attempt this on my Acura RL (2005) but before doing so, I replaced the o-ring in the inlet pipe of the PS pump by removing the inlet hose that goes from the PS reservoir to the PS pump's inlet pipe. When I removed the inlet pipe, I noticed there was no old O-ring in the inlet pipe or in the PS pump itself where the inlet pipe connects to the pump so I just placed the new o-ring on the pipe and put everything back together. I topped the reservoir off with PS fluid made for Hondas and Acuras (because some fluid leaked out when I took the inlet hose and inlet pipe off) and when I turned the car on, the reservoir started foaming and bubbling and overflowed with foamy PS fluid. I noticed (what seems to be) it leaking from the inlet pipe connection now as well. It seems the return hose is filling the reservoir faster than the inlet hose is taking the fluid to the PS pump. What would cause the fluid to not be sucked into the PS pump? What would cause a leak in that area of the inlet pipe (it's not leaking at the connection of the hose and pipe but at the pipe and PS pump)? I made sure the connection was tight and the bolt was flush. How do I stop the air leak which would (I'm guessing) stop the foaming/bubbling? I lost quit a bit of fluid and now the pump is making a lot of noise - most likely because is very low on fluid since it all overflowed from the reservoir. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Would it be beneficial to keep a flow of fresh fluid into the system while draining it? Letting it run dry, will that cause damage? Would it also make refilling and purging more time consuming?
Almost ever manufacture now recommends vacuum bleeding to remove air from the system. Also some recommend against adding a filter on a system that was not designed for it. It's ok to put brake cleaner on rubber parts?
ERIC I THOUGHT WHEN U PLUGGED THE LINE WITH A SPARK PLUG AND STARTED IT U WERE GONNA SAY THAT WOOOOHOOO WE JUST TURNED THIS LIL BABY INTO A 5 CYLINDER !!! To defend Eric: you can run a P/S pump dry , not a big deal. If you're a mechanic or power steering pump engineer you probably know this. Even with only 5 years of experience in heavy equipment I've seen more than several p/s reservoirs empty, very low, quite a bit. 100% of the time, fix the leak, add your oil, pump still going strong. If the pump decides to take a shit this usually means it was a shitty made pump (possibly refurbished), or just straight up old. Nothing lasts forever.
I'll usually go 50k before changing. Empty reservoir, refill, start car, turn wheel lock to lock, stop engine, empty reservoir again, refill. I'll do that until it looks clear enough to consider new. You can use a baster or syphon to remove fluid.
Here's a crazy idea, what about putting an inline power steering fluid FILTER on it. The thing is I don't know the specs such as pump pressure and what would be an effective low micron filter without dropping steering pump pressure too much. Then again for the cost and effort to do all that, it could exceed the cost and effort to just do a flush an extra time or two over the life of the vehicle. Even so, as vehicles become harder and harder to get the steering rack out of, it would be nice if there were a more accessible part we could use to extend the life of such systems.
how often to change. I suck out the reserviour every oil change (every 3000 miles) and fill with fresh fluid. In 2 to 4 oil changes its practaly new fluid.
Even better, set it up so you can add new fluid while the old fluid gets pumped out. Keep adding fluid and exercising the wheel until the fluid runs out clear. That way you've really got all the old fluid out of the entire system.
Did you hear the difference in the sound of the pump from the first time he ran the engine, when there was fluid in there, to the second time he ran the engine, after running the pump dry. It was incredibly loud the second time around. That sounds like damage to me. I'll stick to the no running the engine method.
Gr8 vid, I did a 3x drain reservoir & fill procedure instead for a Nissan Maxima. However on that car. it uses ATF fluid (matic-D) instead of power steering fluid. This is great to know of another way to do this.
As an alternative to starting and running the engine to drain the power steering fluid, I remove the fuel pump relay, so the engine won't start, and just crank over the engine to pump the power steering fluid through the system (particularly when installing a brand new power steering pump). This, I have found, also cuts down on aeration of the fluid.
When I change power steering pump fluid I've followed this same procedure Eric does with a pretty minor change. Instead of running the car I jack the front wheels off the ground and turn the steering rack lock to lock. I've noticed one direction will suck the fluid from the reservoir and turning it the other way will pump it out to the return line. I was always pretty worried I'd burn out the pump and this has allowed me to change all the fluid without running the pump and avoided possible dry running issues. Thoughts?
After viewing many videos and reading hundreds of comments....I believe your method is the best of many as it does not have the possibility of harming the starter and introduces the least amount of air into the system. Had to order the ATF as local stores did not have the brand I needed...but when it comes in I will be confident in using the method you use. Thanks and Jesus bless.
Thank you for showing me how to do that. I have a 06 E and have a power steering leak. I was going to start replacing O rings one by one to see if that will stop the leak. Any suggestions on that?
Hi Eric I have done what was told but then I did not put a new power steering fluid in for about 2 weeks. A few days ago, I put the fluid it; now the steering wheel becomes very heavy and stiff. Do you have any suggestion what a problem would be? Thanks
I have a question what about Jeep mopar steering fluid? They don't make it anymore and I know not to put any different fluids out there what should I use? There's nothing in the Manuel saying using a different one or equivalent so which one should I get for a 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited?
Quick question. If someone were to do this, would it be beneficial to lift the front end up to turn the wheels lock to lock? maybe take a little stress off the system, especially if you bleed it almost dry like that.
Jeff Dooley I don't think so. As in this video the fluid ran out pretty quick. I never got the opportunity to turn the wheels and the system was empty.
It wouldn't hurt. For example, I have a 02' Chevy Tahoe. Owners are discouraged from making dry turns (wheels not rolling) as it stresses the poorly designed steering parts (idler, Pitman, etc) on a heavy vehicle. Also, the wider the tire the more stress. At the least, I like to have the wheels parked on corrugated cardboard. The cardboard layers will shear when the wheels are turned lessening the stress and making the steering easier to turn as the power assist fades.
Thank you everyone, Going to be replacing a low pressure line on a 04 Montana and figured I am going to bleed the system during the removal, so may as well know all this :)
I'm gonna do this flush this spring. My power steering fluid has never been changed in my 1995 GSR ^embarrassed^. I'm also going to use the occasion to clean my reservoir inside and out so it's nice and clean and beautiful once again. FYI for all: For 1994-2001 Integra's, the entire system holds 1 Liter of fluid - that's 34 ounces.
Some vehicles need a specific fluid and no universal stuff. My Volkswagen takes Pentosin CHF-202. Febi makes a couple fluids which seem like they may be close enough to substitute for the Pentosin fluid if that one is harder to find. I just can not use ATF in that car because it will cause problems with the seals and power steering pump. I am planning to change my fluid soon. it may take 2 liters of fluid so I bought one already and will buy the other soon. This stuff I use sells for around $20 after sales tax but if I use anything other than that or the Febi Bilstein I can expect leaks and other problems that may even cause the car to become unsafe to drive in extreme cases. The stuff the Volkswagen dealer sells is either Febi Bilstein or Pentosin but rebranded (makes it hard to know which one it is).
Eric, I have a 2005 Accord V6. The power steering is non-existent when the car is idling. I replaced the pump with an aftermarket MasterPro pump as well as replaced the fluid with Honda brand. I still have the same lack of power steering at idle. Any thoughts?
I wouldn't run the power steering dry even if it's for such a short period of time. You are showing this procedure for this particular Honda,but with different setups,it might not work just as well. IMO,best is to suck the old fluid out from the reservoir,add clean one and do this procedure until you see clean fluid coming out of the hose. At that point you shut off the car,refill the reservoir and bleed the system.
At first, I questioned allowing the pump to run dry. Two things changed my mind, however. 1. That's how the dealerships do it. And 2. It's a vein type pump (very durable) and the internal parts still have a small amount of lube on them. Once all the fluid is out, you shut it off. It's not like you're driving to the store with a dry pump. It's no different than starting up your engine after it's been sitting for a week and all the oil has completely drained down to the pan.
I do this job a bit different. I hook up a line to a drain pain from the return line, just like this, but I use a clear line. Then I drain the reservoir, fill it with fresh fluid, and start turning the wheel lock to lock with the engine off and the front of the car off the ground. This will pump fluid through the system (pump, rack, and all back to the return line) and you'll see when the fluid is fully flushed. Dirty fluid will come out through the clear line, and when it turns clear and new, it's flushed. Reconnect the return line, then bleed the system by turning the wheel lock to lock with the cap off. This way, you don't ever run the pump dry.
yep that's how I do it as well, it's probably the best way since there is no chance of running dry
YES this is how its done correctly! Not letting friggen air in to the system Made me grind my teeth..............
This sounds more logical to me. Also several other videos say not to allow the pump to run without fluid.
Hey man doesn’t the car lock the steering wheel when the car is off. How do u turn it lock to lock with the car off??
HD You turn the key to the run position only. You don’t crank it over or start it.
I love how Eric is a Honda guy. I look nowhere else for my auto needs.
Same here
How many bottles did he used ?
at the dealership that i work at we do these flushes all the time. usually we sell it up to customers with a fair amount of kms and now p/s fluid change or when they complain or power steering noise. we use this wynns power steering flush machine, which basically sucks out all the fluid from the reservoir then you add this wynns flush with DEXRON 6 fluid to top up the reservoir , then you turn the steering wheel a bunch of times to make sure the fluid gets circulated through the system, and finally you suck it back out again and repeat till you have used all the flush fluid. after we add this power steering treatment fluid and it definitely does a good job. I've heard of this process completely repairing old racks and pumps to virtually new condition. it's amazing what a bit of fluid will do.
I've been asked about making this video for a while. It's an often overlooked maintenance item. How To Change Power Steering Fluid -EricTheCarGuy
But how do you change blinker fluid? :)
Odd... He's not wearing his trademark white gloves!
Drain from the return line, turn on engine and turn tyres full left and full right, turn off engine.
Reconnect return pipe, fill up, turn on engine, spin tyres as before, fill up to level. Let bubble.
Am I getting this right?
Tomek Hermsgavordenbroker Check level after complete. Recheck level after a drive.
Thanks bro
Thank Erick!!! i made the change of the power stering fluid on my honda Civic and was perfect!!! simple stuff for all non-profesional mechanics!!! You made IT simple!!! Thank again!! From Venezuela!!!
Good to know you don't have to jack up the car as I don't have a sturdy jack! Also great to see what can go wrong like the clamp breaking off. If I don't have that spare part with me, I cannot drive to the store to get it, oh no! The hose clamp is so easy to put on and take off. I am not sure of all the tubing involved but it looks simple enough to try. These videos are so useful for car maintenance, very grateful to have this. Thank you!
On a Toyota, power steering fluid should be changed every 2 yrs or 50,000 miles.
that whine it made is exactly why you don't ever run the reservoir or pump empty. you had the right idea when you said have a funnel on the return hose to the reservoir. just fill keep filling it with till clean fluid comes out. if you have to much in the reservoir at the end, siphon some out.
I used a jack getting the front wheels off the ground. blocking the rear wheels. It turned much easier, and not as much wear on tires, garage floor, or driveway.
Those who complain that doing this procedure will damage the pump because it is running "dry:" The pump doesn't run "dry" as we think of dry like causing friction. When we pour oil into the engine doing an oil change we say the bottle is empty, or dry. But notice in the empty bottle -- there is still some oil coating the inside plus in the bottom. It is not "dry" in that sense of the word, nor is it "empty" in that it still contains some, not much, but some oil. Same with the ps pump, it has been "emptied" but it not "dry" because there is always that coating of fluid inside the pump which will not be damaged because it is not run that long after the purge.
Did this before watching this video, actually ended up doing it this way too lol issue I had is afterwards had issues with air in the system. Let it sit, fought it come kept going lock to lock to try to get the air out, seemed like almost nothing was working. Then decided wth ill take it for a stroll down the road and see what happens, my truck is an 04 f150 crew cab and without power steering its a bear to turn so I was hoping the end result wasnt going to be ending up in a ditch but sure enough after about 5-10 minutes of driving no more issues or whining! I was changing the fluid cause the valves in the rack were sticking causing random losses of power steering. Changing the fluid cleared it up and so far no more issues! So as a tip to anyone (maybe its a ford thing idk) having issues with air in the system afterwards take it up the road for a bit (try to keep it a straight road just incase) if it does well try a slightly curvy road and see if that clears it up, however im not responsible if you put your vehicle into a ditch!
I used a plastic bag around (below) any fitting that I’m going to disconnect. No worry about getting fluid on the ground or on any surface in the engine area. Limits any unneeded cleanup. Furthermore, I would never introduce air into a steering system. The MANUAL way.... Remove pump return line off the power steering reservoir. Next block off the return port on the reservoir. This allows you to use the reservoir to supply clean fluid to the pump. I used a short piece of clear plastic hose with one end bent back with a clamp. You can also install a bolt into that hose end. This hose will be installed on the reservoir return connection. The pump return hose is connected via a barb connection to another hose leading into a waste container. It can be done without starting the vehicle. Fill reservoir and turn steering wheel all the way one direction and back the full other way. The call the Block to Block. Do it a couple times. Fill reservoir again. Redo previous step of turning steering wheel full travel again. R to L L to R. You will notice clean fluid will start to push out the old fluid. It removed it all from the steering rack, pump and all system hoses. Keep doing this procedure of topping off of reservoir fluid and turning the steering wheel full travel. Once there is clean fluid noticeable going to waste container- STOP 🛑. Next reinstall the pump return hose to the fluid reservoir. Check fluid level. Start vehicle. Turn wheel block to block. Any air if any will be removed. Recheck reservoir and systems for any leaks. EASY JOB!!!
Eric's procedure is exactly how Honda's factory service manual recommends doing it.
There's an easier way. Just disconnect the hose from the reservoir at the pump, and let it drain into a bucket. Attach another piece of hose to the pump. Fill this hose with fresh fluid and put the end into a gallon jug of fresh fluid. Start the car and quickly (like 5 seconds or less) turn the wheel all the way back and forth, and shut it off. The pump will have sucked about 2 quarts from the jug and you'll have about 2 quarts of dirty fluid in the bucket. Reconnect the original hose and top off the reservoir, and you're done.
I watched the video thinking ETCG would show me this method...except I didn't think of the syphon in the clean fluid trick, I was just going to pour it in as it drained. Now I can do it without having a second person turn tje wheel. Thanks!
N64
What size should the other hose be?
Really
I like your method. Then the system is still full and no air enters the system. Notice at the end of the video how loud the power steering pump was. Turning it lock to lock may not purge the air. May have to vacuum out the air. It would have been good to make sure the end of this video showed how the air was purged from the pump and listen to it quiet down.
A gallon of Power Steering fluid? With expensive car specific (honda) fluid that would be about $50. I think I will just have someone pouring fluid into the reservoir if it gets too low.
What I did on my tacoma was fill with new fluid as I was draining the old. I jacked the front so I could turn the wheel easier. Turned the wheel left to right, right to left. Added fluid and repeated this process until new fluid would come out. That way I didn't have to do any bleeding and no air bubbles in the system.
Very informative, Eric. Like you, I had little to know idea if power steering fluid was part of the maintenance process for vehicles. And I certainly can understand that all fluids get old and need attention when the time comes...Thanks again Eric!!
Eric, I just performed this procedure on my '08 Subaru Outback. It steers like a dream now. Thanks!
Thanks for the vids. My local shop wanted $100 per system plus fluids. This was for power steering, brakes, and clutch. You just saved me a fortune and I'm a little closer to getting those coilovers I wanted. Thanks again!!
Let me know where that shop is (kidding), I'd pay $100 for those three fluid changes nowadays :)
@@josephshultz6726 Exactly! Lol
Hi Eric,
I used this method and it worked great. Performed it a couple of times and it cleaned the power steering system well. I have a Honda service manual and this is the method they use. Probably is the only way to get it all out with all the pipe and tube bends in the system. Thanks.
Dear Eric, sometimes it would be a good idea to remove the reservoir and spray its interior with a brake cleaner from the opposite side of the fluid flow hole and dry it with compressed air and keep it under the sun for a while, because there is a mesh at the bottom of the reservoir where I have seen in other makes that it became clogged with debris , dirt and cause steering difficulties or pump noises. Just FYI
Useful bit of info:
As stated in the video, please use genuine honda power steering fluid.
I can't stress that enough.
Dextron 3 will ruin your pump, turn it into a noisy whining mess. (as it also ruins honda transmissions).
Know from experience because it stuffed up the steering pump on my mums legend... and greatly shortened the transmissions life too.
Another useful bit of info, you can use fork oil 15 instead of Honda fluid power steering fluid. This stuff works great, and I used it for several years and many thousands of Ks on my prelude. Much cheaper, and works PERFECT!
As for the transmission fluid, nullon or penrite fully synthetic fluid seems to work a treat too.
The way I did it recently was to add a plastic tube onto the end of the return line and put a plug in the outlet of the reservoir. Then I started the engine and continued to pour new fluid into the reservoir as the old fluid was pumped out into a container. When the fluid started looking clean, I stopped the draining process, bled out the air, and topped off the level in the reservoir.
Great video eric! I just did this on my 2008 Odyssey. I pulled out 4-5 ounces through a turkey baster... I then unplugged the return line and routed it directly to an empty 20 oz soda bottle. Ran the engine for 30 seconds or so turning the wheel lock to lock to get the rest of the fluid... All total I pulled about 22 ounces out of the system... Refill procedure as follows: replaced with 12 ounces... ran engine to burp system... repeated three more times (4 oz / 4 oz / 2oz). Worked like a champ! Super easy maintenance item. Old fluid had 99,000 miles on it wand was really dirty! Since it is so easy, I'm going to try this again in 3-years. I'll report on what 3 year old fluid looks like at that time. Thanks for the vid! Definitely gave me the confidence to give this repair a shot!
+Charles Kennedy Did you unplug the return line at the reservoir or somewhere else?
+deep stick reservoir… ran the line directly into the soda bottle… Kind of a tight fit, but if you get a skinny bottle you can find the room. Make sure get as much as you can with the turkey baster first!
I have been doing this trade as well for a long time here in Australia and I don't like those type of clamps either, instead of reaching into the bottom of the engine bay why did you just not take hose off resovoir then get a pipe joiner join another pipe to it run that into a bucket and just bung up the resovoir pipe hole with something it is how I did it and it is much easier than having to get your whole arm into the engine
I usually suck out what I can then add more. Cycle it. Suck it out and repeat the process until the fluid in the system is clear. Takes about 15-20 minutes and you don't have to disconnect anything or run the chance of you getting air in the system.
I do it this way too, but instead of doing in one shot I do it when I arrive home each day until it's clean. This method also works well to change automatic transmission fluid if you're not changing the filter. If the trans has a drain plug it's easy, otherwise a manual pump extractor with a long hose. I've changed brake fluid this way too extracting what I can from the master cylinder reservoir and repeat when the brake fluid in the reservoir looks dirty again.
I do the same things as you guys do. Works good enough!
Jake: How did you determine the 4-5 quarts? If your capacity is 1.5 quarts it would take about 2 to do it yourself
How about not switching the engine on, just turn the wheel lock to lock.?
@@invain143 how would the fluid cycle through if the car isn't running and the p/s pump isn't running
Good video. Eric a good add to this and other videos is that with stock hoses and clamps, the low pressure hose would be "clamped and the high pressure hose would be "crimped"
For those doing this on rough concrete, consider putting a piece of cardboard under the tires, the sides of a cereal box will work well, it will put a lot less strain on the system when turning the wheels, and will avoid leaving tire marks on the concrete.
PMitchell106 good idea thank you
What a great idea!
PMitchell106 I suggest 2 pieces of cereal box or cardboard each wheel as when I tried this it was still pretty hard with one layer under each wheel
Ugh I’m screwed. I only by Malt-o-meal bag cereal.....
I wish I saw this earlier. I never had those problems as mentioned, but it would have been easier to put cardboard under the wheels. I only had a oil catch can under the car.
I greatly appreciate you taking the time to post this video. I just finished changing out the PSF on my 2003 Tacoma with 108K and the process went smoothly. Thanks
Thank you ERIC The car guy and thank you your video showing us about flushing fluid from Power steering procedure. Once thank again.God Blessed you.
After watching this a while back ...Did it myself on our 05 trailblazer...The ole gal has a lot of miles on her never done before...worked great!! ...easy.!!...a little messy but that was my fault :) ..no harm to the pump at all...had a friend with me..another person does help...TNX..
It's nice when you have a few Acura and Honda products, to be able to see these maintenance and repair videos from someone who's been a Acura technician.
When I did mine, I was hesitant to run it dry. My method was to keep pouring new fluid while someone turned the wheel lock to lock (with the front tires raised). Seem to work fine. Timing is everything though. The fluid gets sucked up FAST.
thanks for the video! i have a 06 Acura TSX and everyone of your videos helps me in furthering my knowledge of keeping my vehicle in tip top shape. i have a certain love for the simplicity and compactness of the Honda engineers designs.
Eric I think that is a great recommendation on fluid change. If the manufacturer says its a lifetime fluid or part a good Rule of Thumb 100,000 miles. Lifetime Coolant, Power Steering Fluid, Fuel Filters. Personally I change it way before just to extend the life of the system, but it has not been changed by 100k then change it.
I myself would just unhook the return line and feed it into a bucket then have one person turning the wheel while the other slowly adds fresh fluid to the reservoir till I see clean new fluid coming out that way it never runs dry... Like Eric stated, it didn't take long for it to run out, so I wouldn't worry about wasting fluid to do it this way....
Thanks for the video on power steering pump fluid replacement . I just replaced my power steering radiator coil / fin Leaking do to corrosion on the return line 2003 avalanche 1500 . I just bought a vac kit MITMV 8500 series to use to complete my work Thanks again Brian, TS
Thank You, now I shall change the power steering fluid for my Chevy Venture minivan.
I use a large syringe to remove all the old power steering fluid from the reservior and fill it with new fluid. It takes a few times to clear the old fluid out with new fluid. easy diy.
I've done the same except I used a hand operated siphon. I did about 4 or 5 fluid changes, started the engine between changes while turning the steering wheel in both directions with the front wheels jacked up off the floor, and figure I got about 90+% of the old fluid out. Good enough.
Its faster if you suck out the fluid and move the steering while from lock to lock with engine off and suck again. and repeat until no new fluid appears. then fill
i personally use a turkey baster and pull out as much as i can from the reservoir and then top off with new ps fluid. after a couple hundred miles later, i repeat the process to get as much of the old fluid out. Never put just any ps fluid! put recommended for you car or else it would bubble in the system
yea this is the easiest way lol, it's a lot like how you change automatic transmission fluid in a Honda
I just changed the PS fluid on my 2009 Buick Enclave. That hose was a bear to get at! They are notorious for having loud whining pumps, and a newer TSB calls for Dexron VI. Once I refilled, it was squeeling and vibrating like crazy when I turned the wheels. It took about an hour of wheel turning (first with engine off, then for short periods on) and adding fluid to get all the air out of the system. I had heard they were hard to get the air out of, but it seemed like a ridiculous amount of time.
Eric, your power steering fluid change video was great. You spoke clearly, precisely and presented a clear video. Very easy to follow and understand, regards Andrew
I use a siphon pump to get all the fluid out of the reserve tank on my power steering pump and refill it with fresh Dexron III ATF. I do this about once a year just for peace of mind. With my truck (2008 Silverado 2500HD) the power steering pump also powers the brake booster instead of vacuum.
To bleed any air from the system , remove reservoir cover put a screen with something to hold it on top, turn rack to rack until it stops spitting up and the system has been flushed of air. Just like an Italian grandmother uses a screen to contain a spitting red sauce for Sunday dinner .
I bought one of those extractors that are hand pumped, made it so much easier and no mess at all. I spent $45 for it.
Thanks🍭good job of telling the duration and volume of power steering fluid... Wondering about the o-ring replacement too.
This method runs the pump and rack dry and introduces air bubbles after refilling. Better is to not let the reservoir go empty but keep filling it as it is emptied. Pumping the fluid out just by turning the wheel but without turning the car on is the safest way to go.
I just changed power steering oil for -01 golf and -98 Passat. I made a adapter to connect vacuum oil extractor to return line and used that to get oil out and turning wheels without starting the engine. Much safer, with this method pump doesn't run dry. Passat has its filter at return line side in reservoir so I use hose to connect vacuum to return line connection and use just little bit fresh oil to clean filter before I remove extractor and fill system with oil.
awesome video Eric! Big help man. I just had my wifes Santa Fe in the shop and they replaced the Steering Rack. But now for like 3 days I have had to keep adding power steering fluid. I have went through 2 bottles so far. Was checking this video for reference. To me after watching your video it seems like it should be about done going down in level. If it's not I think they might have messed something up and it's leaking somewhere. Either way man, appreciate all you do bro!
Definitely leaking
Did this in my Mazda 3 this past weekend. The return line was a pain to get to, had to take off the fender well cover to get to it. I just covered up the belts on the engine with a small piece of cardboard and stuck an old turkey pan under the car. Already had the wheels off for brakes.
Just wondering about the clamp. A high pressure clamp comes off and a normal hose clamp goes on. Does it not matter in that area or am I just wrong and a clamp is clamp is a clamp?
Great vid as usual, Thanks for this, lots of Honda forums confirm that for Honda's fluid is the one that is recommended and I ordered it and it solved issues that the car had running standard fluid even though it was change less than a year ago.
My car is special. it changed it own power steering fluid all over my car port.
The Shortman leaks huh?
@@xcross8537 ya one of those small hoses that you cant get to in the drive way. Mechanics love those hoses.
Would it also be recommended to change the hoses hooked up to the power steering reservoir as a precautionary measure?
Hi Eric , That was very good information on how to change power steering fluid.
Hey Eric first of all i like all your videos i learned so much from them
But now i have a problem with my truck its a 99 Ford Ranger 3.0 when I turn the steering wheel it has a bumping feeling to it and you
See it in the front tire is that the power steering pump
Is this OK for a 00 Town and Country? I have some whining when from the pump and the fluid has never been changed...148000 miles 3.80L. Great videos....very helpful.
Comment after comment about running the pump dry. For the armchair mechanics here, try reading the Honda service manual, and you'll see that his procedure is exactly how they recommend doing it.
Eric do you have experience working on a Nissan I really hate them but my niece has one and I have some issues that need to be resolved ASAP on a 2013 Sentra (pure drive) transmission
I replaced a hose, used autozone fluid, noisy as hell. Now i've just started sucking out some of the old fluid and using Honda, it's already quieter and i'm not even close to done yet.
Great video! My friends RSX rack and pinion has been changed out but it’s using non Honda fluids. if we changed it out and flushed it with oem Honda fluid will the system be okay or is the system contaminated?
100k is good, I did my grand prix 05 @130k and it was too dirty..Pump is good so far. I would say 75-100k but alot of manuals say 50k.You can check with a clean baster if it's dirty, easy check. Great video man, thank you for it.
I'm an engineer. If I were designing a car I would for damn sure make certain that the power steering pump can run dry for quite a while without dying. If my bosses insist on shipping a car with a power steering pump that dies from 10 seconds of running dry, I would quit.
rfmerrill, do you know anything about ballistics engineering?
what kind of engineering?
From my experience with the same Honda power steering systems, if you run the pump dry, or even get a little air in the pump, it will screech terribly. That can’t be a good sound. Turning lock to lock helps clear out the air, but it takes my cars longer than 10 seconds to purge the air.
A much easier method is to suck the reservoir out with a turkey baster and refill with fresh fluid every few oil changes. I know it doesn’t purge the system, but over time it has the same effect.
If you were a great engineer, you would develop a manual rack so you don't have the power system as a point of failure.
People are stupid and they literally take almost zero effort as long as the tires are moving. I've removed the power steering from cars, so the ratio should've made it hell, but it didn't, unless the car was stationary, then you had to use some muscle.
So, engineer a variable rate manual rack that switches ratio at 0-5 mph and you win.
@Jake McCoy is right but I am going to add this along with kuro,I have deemed Physically weak to that degree people should not drive. The sounds like a hazard to have on the road.What will they do when the power steering pump dies and they find themselves behind the wheel⛍☠
I used PEAK ps fluid and it looks like a 30w oil. Steering is acting sluggish and ps line leaking. I'm replacing the line tomorrow and plan to install a fuel line filter on return line. It will be on until we have another warm day or a month. Didn't feel draining the PS unit dry is the way to go. I have enough trouble with a contaminated system. But, good video as always. I noticed this is an old video. Do you use vacuum to get the air out of system or still old school?
Do you have to run the engine to drain the system? I saw a video where the guy turned the wheel stop to stop, engine off, with the wheels off the ground and drained it through the return line as you did.
Because of it's nature & properties- and because of the type of my cars' brake system (TEVES MK II)- I flush my brake fluid every 3 years. It makes a huge difference with hoses, ABS valve blocks, calipers, and reduces pedal fade from the hot fluid boiling the water in it.
Next: how to change out the power steering pump.
Yes I was surprised he ran the engine.
Better to turn it over without starting.
And of course keep topping it up.
I was also surprised he ran the engine but was even more surprised to find that the service manual for the element agrees with Eric! :O
My service manual seems to agree with Eric as well....
Its not like he drove to mexico city with no power steering fluid. Running for 2 mins won’t hurt it.
I want to like this comment, but it has 69 already.
It would be nice if you had a camera to get the shot inside the engine compartment. Maybe that inspection camera could find its only real application.
Thank you!!! my TL was giving me weird noises whenever Id turn the steering wheel.
replaced the fluid and o-ring! MAGICCCC !
Hey Eric my car is getting an engine swap. The engine that is in it currently works but has a knocking noise should I keep that engine and learn on it or just let the mechanic deal with it to get rid of it?
I plan on doing this in my 2006 accord as the fluid is brown, but can i suck out fluid from the reservoir, turn wheel and suck out more until no fluid comes out and the,
fill back up? Im looking to do it the easy way. The only fluid i can get easily would be the prestone honda/acura fluid, would this be a good choice or should i source genuine honda fluid?
Doesnt it hurt the power steering pump if it runs without fluid? just curious
If you keep driving it that way yes. But for the short period of time during this job, no.
It shouldn't for the short amount of time involved. However, I have ran across pumps that will whine long after the new fluid is in place. It seems once air gets in there it can take a long time to get it out or an old marginal pump may get worse. To play it safe I prefer to siphon out the old fluid from the tank and fill with new before starting the flush. Very little (if any) mixing will take place.
Fill the tank to the top to lessen the chance of running it dry (just like you would with a master cylinder while bleeding brakes). Then top off the tank. You waste a little new fluid that way but it's worth it to me.
Cavitation is a pump killer, but when it's just for changing fluids and/or first startup of a new pump it's fine as long as you get all the air out shortly after.
jerri0401 Yes.
Won't turning the wheels lock to lock with the engine OFF force the old fluid out as well?
For all the doubters - this IS the correct way to drain the system according to Honda, it lays out the exact same procedure in my 1995 Integra Acura Service Manual (yes, the official, 2 inch thick bad boy manual).
What is a power steering fluid flush? Do you use some kind of detergent to clean the lines?
Hey Eric, your videos are awesome! I watch your channel almost daily.
I was going to attempt this on my Acura RL (2005) but before doing so, I replaced the o-ring in the inlet pipe of the PS pump by removing the inlet hose that goes from the PS reservoir to the PS pump's inlet pipe. When I removed the inlet pipe, I noticed there was no old O-ring in the inlet pipe or in the PS pump itself where the inlet pipe connects to the pump so I just placed the new o-ring on the pipe and put everything back together. I topped the reservoir off with PS fluid made for Hondas and Acuras (because some fluid leaked out when I took the inlet hose and inlet pipe off) and when I turned the car on, the reservoir started
foaming and bubbling and overflowed with foamy PS fluid. I noticed (what seems to be) it leaking from the inlet pipe connection now as well. It seems the return hose is filling the reservoir faster than the inlet hose is taking the fluid to the PS pump.
What would cause the fluid to not be sucked into the PS pump?
What would cause a leak in that area of the inlet pipe (it's not leaking at the connection of the hose and pipe but at the pipe and PS pump)? I made sure the connection was tight and the bolt was flush.
How do I stop the air leak which would (I'm guessing) stop the foaming/bubbling?
I lost quit a bit of fluid and now the pump is making a lot of noise - most likely because is very low on fluid since it all overflowed from the reservoir. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Would it be beneficial to keep a flow of fresh fluid into the system while draining it? Letting it run dry, will that cause damage? Would it also make refilling and purging more time consuming?
Almost ever manufacture now recommends vacuum bleeding to remove air from the system. Also some recommend against adding a filter on a system that was not designed for it. It's ok to put brake cleaner on rubber parts?
ERIC I THOUGHT WHEN U PLUGGED THE LINE WITH A SPARK PLUG AND STARTED IT U WERE GONNA SAY THAT WOOOOHOOO WE JUST TURNED THIS LIL BABY INTO A 5 CYLINDER !!!
To defend Eric: you can run a P/S pump dry , not a big deal. If you're a mechanic or power steering pump engineer you probably know this. Even with only 5 years of experience in heavy equipment I've seen more than several p/s reservoirs empty, very low, quite a bit. 100% of the time, fix the leak, add your oil, pump still going strong. If the pump decides to take a shit this usually means it was a shitty made pump (possibly refurbished), or just straight up old. Nothing lasts forever.
I'll usually go 50k before changing. Empty reservoir, refill, start car, turn wheel lock to lock, stop engine, empty reservoir again, refill. I'll do that until it looks clear enough to consider new. You can use a baster or syphon to remove fluid.
Here's a crazy idea, what about putting an inline power steering fluid FILTER on it. The thing is I don't know the specs such as pump pressure and what would be an effective low micron filter without dropping steering pump pressure too much.
Then again for the cost and effort to do all that, it could exceed the cost and effort to just do a flush an extra time or two over the life of the vehicle. Even so, as vehicles become harder and harder to get the steering rack out of, it would be nice if there were a more accessible part we could use to extend the life of such systems.
Hi erick, how did you blew off the air/bubbles? i thougt u will keep the your hose to bleed completly with using little amount of fluid.?
how often to change. I suck out the reserviour every oil change (every 3000 miles) and fill with fresh fluid. In 2 to 4 oil changes its practaly new fluid.
i think you can turn the wheels t
lock to lock only if the wheels are suspended in the air so it will cause less stress to your hidraulic system
Even better, set it up so you can add new fluid while the old fluid gets pumped out. Keep adding fluid and exercising the wheel until the fluid runs out clear. That way you've really got all the old fluid out of the entire system.
Did you hear the difference in the sound of the pump from the first time he ran the engine, when there was fluid in there, to the second time he ran the engine, after running the pump dry. It was incredibly loud the second time around. That sounds like damage to me. I'll stick to the no running the engine method.
Gr8 vid, I did a 3x drain reservoir & fill procedure instead for a Nissan Maxima. However on that car. it uses ATF fluid (matic-D) instead of power steering fluid.
This is great to know of another way to do this.
As an alternative to starting and running the engine to drain the power steering fluid, I remove the fuel pump relay, so the engine won't start, and just crank over the engine to pump the power steering fluid through the system (particularly when installing a brand new power steering pump). This, I have found, also cuts down on aeration of the fluid.
When I change power steering pump fluid I've followed this same procedure Eric does with a pretty minor change. Instead of running the car I jack the front wheels off the ground and turn the steering rack lock to lock. I've noticed one direction will suck the fluid from the reservoir and turning it the other way will pump it out to the return line. I was always pretty worried I'd burn out the pump and this has allowed me to change all the fluid without running the pump and avoided possible dry running issues. Thoughts?
After viewing many videos and reading hundreds of comments....I believe your method is the best of many as it does not have the possibility of harming the starter and introduces the least amount of air into the system.
Had to order the ATF as local stores did not have the brand I needed...but when it comes in I will be confident in using the method you use. Thanks and Jesus bless.
Thank you for showing me how to do that. I have a 06 E and have a power steering leak. I was going to start replacing O rings one by one to see if that will stop the leak. Any suggestions on that?
Hi Eric I have done what was told but then I did not put a new power steering fluid in for about 2 weeks. A few days ago, I put the fluid it; now the steering wheel becomes very heavy and stiff. Do you have any suggestion what a problem would be? Thanks
I have a question what about Jeep mopar steering fluid? They don't make it anymore and I know not to put any different fluids out there what should I use? There's nothing in the Manuel saying using a different one or equivalent so which one should I get for a 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited?
These videos used to be so great. Loved the fixing it forward series too. Find the new content doesn't do justice to previous videos.
Quick question. If someone were to do this, would it be beneficial to lift the front end up to turn the wheels lock to lock? maybe take a little stress off the system, especially if you bleed it almost dry like that.
Jeff Dooley I don't think so. As in this video the fluid ran out pretty quick. I never got the opportunity to turn the wheels and the system was empty.
It wouldn't hurt. For example, I have a 02' Chevy Tahoe. Owners are discouraged from making dry turns (wheels not rolling) as it stresses the poorly designed steering parts (idler, Pitman, etc) on a heavy vehicle. Also, the wider the tire the more stress. At the least, I like to have the wheels parked on corrugated cardboard. The cardboard layers will shear when the wheels are turned lessening the stress and making the steering easier to turn as the power assist fades.
Eddie the Grouch It is good to lift car a little, but if you are lazy there is a trick: you can use small amount of sand under each tire.
Thank you everyone, Going to be replacing a low pressure line on a 04 Montana and figured I am going to bleed the system during the removal, so may as well know all this :)
Move to Canada, do the procedure outside in winter et viola!! free ice lubrication!
Strange the pump suction line to the pump is routed up over the drive belt then down into the pump.
Eric, they have new cool thing to assist with these things, it's called a funnel!
I'm gonna do this flush this spring. My power steering fluid has never been changed in my 1995 GSR ^embarrassed^. I'm also going to use the occasion to clean my reservoir inside and out so it's nice and clean and beautiful once again. FYI for all: For 1994-2001 Integra's, the entire system holds 1 Liter of fluid - that's 34 ounces.
Hi Eric, great video, how many litres of power steering fluid would I need to do a complete flush and refill as you did but on a 2000 civic ej9/ ej6 ?
Some vehicles need a specific fluid and no universal stuff. My Volkswagen takes Pentosin CHF-202. Febi makes a couple fluids which seem like they may be close enough to substitute for the Pentosin fluid if that one is harder to find. I just can not use ATF in that car because it will cause problems with the seals and power steering pump. I am planning to change my fluid soon. it may take 2 liters of fluid so I bought one already and will buy the other soon. This stuff I use sells for around $20 after sales tax but if I use anything other than that or the Febi Bilstein I can expect leaks and other problems that may even cause the car to become unsafe to drive in extreme cases. The stuff the Volkswagen dealer sells is either Febi Bilstein or Pentosin but rebranded (makes it hard to know which one it is).
Eric,
I have a 2005 Accord V6. The power steering is non-existent when the car is idling. I replaced the pump with an aftermarket MasterPro pump as well as replaced the fluid with Honda brand. I still have the same lack of power steering at idle. Any thoughts?
We need more honda's videos, Thanks
I wouldn't run the power steering dry even if it's for such a short period of time. You are showing this procedure for this particular Honda,but with different setups,it might not work just as well. IMO,best is to suck the old fluid out from the reservoir,add clean one and do this procedure until you see clean fluid coming out of the hose. At that point you shut off the car,refill the reservoir and bleed the system.
Can I service my 2008 tl at Honda? It's the closest around me.
Hi Eric, excellent video, Many thank for taking the time to make it.👍