I noticed today that there is water in my power steering fluid. Most likely from when I pressure washed the engine bay last week.
So, I need to get the water out.
I have already drained the resevour, and I poured a little ATF in to flush. But i know the water is in the plumbing too. So I was thinking of buying two quarts of ATF, and run it through the system two or three times to get all of the water out. Then replace it with the synthetic fluid. which I had, but is now mixed with water because I am a dumb ***.
They are both hydrolic fluid. I don't think it would matter if I got everything I could out, before I filled with PS fluid.

I just want to know what everyone else thinks.

 

I do believe you can put either tranny fluid or PS fluid into the PS system and run it fine like that.

 

There pretty much the exact same I believe...

 

No. Dont ever EVER put ps fluid in your transmission!

 

I wouldnt go about doing that..it says on the hood of the fc I belive that ATF can be used. P/S fluid are similiar to one another in the way that atf can be used for p/s.....what specifcally make atf work in transmissions and p/s fluid not then? Maybe atf withstands heat better...but pressure wise p/s systems work at enormous amounts of pressure.

 

According to the FSM, ATF can and should be used in the PS system.

 

I have no doubt they have similar compression properties, making them both work for a PS system. But I would imagine their lubrication properties at different temperatures are vastly different.

 

why not just go pick up a $2 bottle of ps fluid and avoid the risk?

 

ATF, ps fluid, other misc hydraulic fluids work on power steering.. they WORK, but remember - they MAKE powersteering fluid for a reason.. its specifically designed for the PS system..

i wouldnt do anything crazy like PS fluid in a tranny though.. thats crazy

amen!

 

Huh? It didn't occure to me until now that I could run synthetic ATF in the ps. I wonder if I could notice a difference in performance over synthetic power steering fluid?

 

they're not the same, but they work, and can be mixed. My rack was full of ATF, but I added a bottle of power steering fluid (PS fluid is clear, kinda like brake fluid) and they mixed together and work JUST FINE

 

WHATEVER you do, DON'T put stop leak in a PS system. I didn't do this, but a girl (obviously) I know did, and she ended up spending around $2000 for a new rack and pump, among other things.

 

that sucks, 'cause mine leaks

 

As Zach says, you are supposed to use ATF in the power steering system. I have long suspected that PS fluid is simply relabeled and overpriced ATF anyway.

rotary>piston, my 88 T2 had a bad PS leak when I first got it. One shop said $700 for a new rack. I took it to another place and when I called to ask about the diagnosis, they said "oh, it's done -- you can come pick it up now, the bill is $40". The second place just found a bad line and replaced it.

-Max

 

It's usually the cooler that's right behind the oil cooler that leaks (it's just a metal bar that runs in a loop infront of the radiator) If you have a leak, chances are it's that. And ATF works just fine because it holds up just fine (considering a tranny goes through worse), and obviously, it works good as a hydraulic fluid. But, there are specific properties of ATF, so don't DARE go putting PS fluid in the tranny!

 

I know it's just leaking from the junction from the soft lines to the metal ones, it isn't the actual pump. A new junction is probably all it needs.