changing out the power steering fluid

[mkgarrison5]

hey guys how do you change out the power steering fluid and what kind of fluid do you guys use?? its an 02 tacoma that calls for dexIII fluid in the tranny. i assume you still use tranny fluid in the power steering?

[GSGALLANT]

HERE (http://www.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=81347&highlight=power+steering) is a link to my PS Flush writeup at Yotatech. I didn't feel like copying everything including the links to the pics so I just linked to Yotatech (sorry if this is "un-cool", Moderators... let me know and I can take more time later to copy it all over.) The writeup also works on 2nd Gen 4Runners for sure, and will probably work the same for most vehicles.

Fluid type is indeed ATF (the pump seals won't like you if you put PS fluid in there). I use Toyota ATF, but any Dex III is fine.

[MTL_4runner]

In case the link ever goes bad.....here you go for the full GS writeup.:D

After smelling my power steering fluid and almost throwing up from the horrible smell (2002 4Runner had 63000 miles on it with original PS fluid), I decided to flush the power steering system.

I found that the best way to flush the system was by doing most of the flush with the truck not running, because with the truck running, I found that the fluid comes out way too fast to do a nice controlled flush without running the PS pump dry. Here is the method I used (Stated volumes of fluid are in liters - pretty much the same as quarts anyways.)

Jack the truck up to get front wheels off the ground (raise front and rear to keep truck level.) Start with the front wheels centered. Cover your PS pump drive belt with a rag to keep any fluid spills off the belt (just remember to remove it before starting the truck). Remove PS reservoir cap, and use a Turkey baster with a short piece of rubber tubing attached to it to remove as much old fluid from the PS reservoir as possible (approx 1/4L.) Be careful not to damage the fine mesh filter screen located at the bottom of the reservoir.

Locate the return hose on the PS reservoir (it comes in approximately at the middle [vertically] of the reservoir on the passenger side of the truck, and is held on by a spring clamp.) Disconnect the PS return hose from the reservoir (wrap hose in paper towel when you're removing it from the reservoir to catch any leakage.) Cap the stub that the return hose was connected to on the reservoir (I just used a rubber cap that I had laying aroung the garage that fit snugly on the stub.)

--- See three attached pictures ---

Top up the reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L), and make sure the cap you installed is not leaking. Wrap end of hose in paper towel again to catch leakage, and tip end of hose down. I pulled the end of the hose down as low as I could without kinking the hose, and it went down just past the bottom of the engine, which allowed me to put the end of it into a drain bucket (my drain bucket was a clear plastic ice cream container that I had marked off in 1/2 liter increments to make it easier to see how much fluid was going into it.)

Get somebody else to start the truck (without turning the steering wheel) while you're watching the return hose in the drain bucket. When an additional 1/4L comes out (really quick - only approx 4 or 5 seconds), turn the truck off quickly (new fluid was coming out of hose by then.) Top up reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L.)

With the truck not running, turn the steering wheel to full lock towards passenger's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill driver's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of old fluid will come out of return hose.)

Turn the steering wheel to full lock towards driver's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill passenger's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of old fluid will come out of return hose.) Top up reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L.)

Turn the steering wheel to full lock towards passenger's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill driver's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of mostly new fluid will come out of return hose.)

Turn the steering wheel to full lock towards driver's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill passenger's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of mostly new fluid will come out of return hose.)

Ensure that the level in the reservoir is below the level of the return stub (if not, turn steering wheel a bit more to drain more fluid until it is). Remove cap from return stub (wrap it in a paper towel as you remove it because there will be some ATF trapped in the stub), and re-install return hose to reservoir with spring clamp. Top up reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L.)

Bleed system by starting car and slowly turning from lock to lock five or six times (hold steering wheel tight against lock for 1 or 2 seconds each time) while somebody watches inside the PS reservoir (air bubbles will come out in reservoir, and reservoir level will fluctuate up and down. When most of the air is out, shut off truck, remove it from the jackstands, and lower it to the ground.

Repeat bleed procedure with wheels on the ground by starting car and slowly turning from lock to lock five or six times (hold steering wheel tight against lock for 1 or 2 seconds each time) while somebody watches inside the PS reservoir (air bubbles may still come out in reservoir, and reservoir level may still fluctuate up and down. When all of the air is out, PS system bleeding is complete.

Shut off truck, re-install PS reservoir cap, and check PS level. Add or remove fluid as necessary. Whole job took approximately 45 minutes, and was quite easy.

I didn't use synthetic, although it wouldn't be a bad idea, I suppose. I just used Toyota ATF. I'll probably flush it every 30-40 thousand miles.

[GSGALLANT]

Thanks, Jamie.

[Lee]

i used the new mobil 1 atf :thumbup:

[tulsa_sr5]

Well this is good timing, so all toyota trucks use atf instead of ps fluid??? Just getting ready to reinstall the steering box on my 85 and already bought some ps fluid getting ready for it.

[Lee]

im not sure about 1st gens, i know 3rd gens do.

atf controls the heat better.

[tulsa_sr5]

Thanks for the help Lee, not sure if it matters but this is the stuff I bought,

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products/product_detail.asp?product=22

edit: after digging through the FSM it does say to use ATF fluid, so I'll do it right. Glad this subject came up today :clap:

[MTL_4runner]

Yeah, using ATF for the PS often catches alot of people by surprise.

[garrett]

great write up! i need to do this soon.

out of curiosity, how are you supposed to know when it needs changing? by the smell as you mentioned in your write up? or the color?

[Lee]

you can use a turkey baster to remove some of it and take a sniff. :)

[mkgarrison5]

couldnt you just suck whats in the resevoir out and replace it? and just do that a few times over a short period of time?

[Lee]

yup, you can if you dont want to disconnect a lower line and let it all drain out.

when you refill, you can turn the wheel back and forth a bunch of times and see it all mix together. problem is that youll take out new fluid with old in the follow-up replacements, but its worth it if you don't want to drain it all out / dont have anywhere to work on your vehicle.

[MTL_4runner]

couldnt you just suck whats in the resevoir out and replace it? and just do that a few times over a short period of time?


It's the same as comparing a tranny drain and fill to a complete tranny flush.
In both cases you're just diluting the old fluid with new stuff.

[GSGALLANT]

Sure you can. That's how a lot of people do it. People also do that for brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc... I prefer to replace all my fluid at once, that way I know that contaminants get removed and not just diluted.

[mkgarrison5]

thanks guys..

[MTL_4runner]

I just did the abbreviated flush tonight and it worked great. To do this flush you should have about 3 qts of Dextron III ATF on hand (I only used a little less than 2 qts, but better safe than sorry). I started by removing as much as I could from the reservoir with a turkey baster. The I removed the return line and capped the metal input line for the reservoir. I then pointed the rubber return line over the edge of the frame rail and used the extension from a funnel to slide it over the hose. This got it right down into my catch pan and prevented any mess (if you don't use the extension and then follow what I did for flushing after, you'll make a HUGE mess all over your truck so don't skip this step). I can't tell you where I got the funnel (don't remember), but any piece of hose that is large enough to slip over the line and not fall off will work fine.

You'll notice as soon as you point the line down towards the oil pan, the reservoir will drain dry. Double check again that your hose is pointed into the catch pan. Then you should fill the PS reservoir to the top with fresh ATF and put the cap on the reservoir again. Now start the engine and litterally as soon as it is running start cranking the wheel to the right until you hit the bumpstops and immediately shut the engine off (it should not run for more than 5-6 seconds max). Open the PS reservoir, refill to the top with fresh ATF and recap the reservoir again. Then again start the motor and crank the wheel to the left until you hit the bumpstops (it should not run for more than 5-6 seconds max). By now you'll see that all the fluid coming out is a nice red color (the whitish tinge is just air bubbles from going through the pump). You won't hurt the PS pump by running it dry for only a few seconds at at time so no worries in doing a flush like this.

The flush part is now done. All that is left to do is just reattach the return line to the reservoir, refill to the proper level with fresh ATF and clean up any residual mess. Once refilled you should cycle the steering back and forth from bumpstop to bumpstop a few times and recheck the level to be sure it hasn't dropped (it often does as air pushed out of the system). That's it folks, yes, it is that easy. Took me about 30 minutes total including cleanup.

[mkgarrison5]

nice write up.. i dont quite understand the "capped the metal input line" part. sorry for my ignorance lol.

[Lee]

you dont actually have to put the cap on before starting and turning the wheel back and forth. you just need to keep filling and watch as the air escapes. at least thats what i have found.

good writeup and good tips jamie!

[MTL_4runner]

you dont actually have to put the cap on before starting and turning the wheel back and forth. you just need to keep filling and watch as the air escapes. at least thats what i have found.


I didn't know if the PS fluid would splash out everywhere like when you remove the oil filler cap, good to know.
I was by myself when I did it so I erred on the side of caution just in case.

[Lee]

actually it WILL spill out a bit, youre right, but not gush everywhere :)

its nothing you cant wipe up, at least in my experience :)

[MTL_4runner]

nice write up.. i dont quite understand the "capped the metal input line" part. sorry for my ignorance lol.


Hopefully this will help.

[mkgarrison5]

you are the man jaimie thanks!!

[mkgarrison5]

what did you use to cap the metal return tube with?

[MTL_4runner]

what did you use to cap the metal return tube with?


A piece of tubing about 2" long that fit over the metal return tube and the end of an unopened RTV tube.
How's that for a little yankee ingenuity. :laugh:

[Lee]

alternatively you could use a bolt :)

[MTL_4runner]

.....or your imagination. :spit:

The point is not to go buy something, just use what you have lying around.

[saulgoode]

use a sharpee pen cap or marker end cap, that's what I capped mine with. It was a tight fit! Props for the write up Jaime! The fluid that came out of my ps line was almost a brownish black!