Has anyone taken this task on just for the sake of changing it? I searched and didn't find any good topics dealing with the steering gear oil from a preventative maintenance point of view.

I've actually changed the fluid once before, back in 1996 or so in my 81 GS. Of course I had a lift and no A/C. These days I'll be doing it in the garage w/ ramps or jack stands.

The car is an '85 GSL-SE w/ A/C. Since it's 23 years old now and I have no way to verify if it's ever been changed I'd like to get on with it. Any thoughts? Anyone take this on as preventative maintenance? I wish there was a way to just extract the fluid without actually removing the entire unit. And maybe there is, please elaborate if this is the case. In my 81 I had removed the entire column because the collapsible part had become damaged.

 

The FSM details changing the fluid on P/S, but doesn't mention it on non-P/S.

It does show that the non-P/S uses 0.325 liters (19.83 cu. in.) of API service
GL-4 SAE90 fluid, though.

 

It does elude in the troubleshooting section to many possible things that can go wrong and the fix is to change the fluid in the steering gearbox. I'm not having any issues with mine, but again, that fluid could be 23 years old, so if it's possible to change it I probably should.

 

Well, then, you could always take it out with a turkey baster or something. I
don't remember there being any way to drain it, and it's too cold and dark for
me to go outside and check it.

 

use a hand pump to extract it. same kind of hand pump used to fill diff and tranny.

duct tape a smaller tube inside the extraction tube. so you can get it into the small fill hole. then go to town.

 

Thanks for the info. It's officially added to my to do list. I'll post a DIY when I'm done, as I don't think there is one already. At least not one I can find.

 

Going to change the steering gearbox oil this weekend. Any thoughts on using Mobil1 75W-90? The reason I ask is that I have quite a bit left after doing my transmission and rear differential.

 

Good luck with that. Its a total assle (not a typo). Hope you don't have ac in there, drivefast has the riight idea

 

For what it is worth, I just took the top right off of the unit (screwing out the adjuster carefully so as not to break). Was pretty easy?

 

I didn't know you could do that.
me=asshat

 

just be sure to thread the lid back onto the adjusting screw at the same spot. i think that screw sets backlash, at least it does on REPU. you can mess up the box if that adjusting screw is screwed in more.......

 

Yep - but in most cases the backlash needs to be correctly adjusted after 25 years of neglect anyway
I also adjusted the top plate to significantly reduce my backlash. Many threads on this - I also replaced all tie rods, control arms etc.

Scott

 

Interesting... I'll have to research setting backlash. The FSM doesn't seem to cover this very well, at least from what I've read. If you know of any good threads please point me in that direction.

 

Would adjusting the backlash have any affect on all the slop that is always in the steering on 1st gens? I realize that it won't fix the problem, but would it eliminate any of the excess play?

 

It makes a huge effect, on 2 out of 3 cars, I had the backlash to less than .25".
The problem appears to be that the gears wear in the center but not the same in the extremes, if you adjust the backlash to 0 in the center, you will have binding in the extremes and the car won't caster the wheel back to center properly - you may also damage the unit (break off the top adjuster or other).

But you must get rid of the bad parts that contribute to the general steering looseness such as control arms/ball joints, tie rods, etc prior to using this to fix all the steering woes.