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recommended power steering fluid flush procedure?

25K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  firewood 
#1 ·
Hi guys and gals. I have a 98 TRD V6 Tacoma that's about 200k miles young. To make a long story short, when an axle bearing went out during a long road trip and I was forced to stop at a dealership to get it fixed (who ended up being really nice people for once, a shout out to Lake Charles LA Toyota), they told me that among other small maintenance needs, it could use a flush of the power steering fluid.

My question is, will it be good enough to pump out as much fluid from the reservoir as possible using my handy fluid evacuator, and then topping off with fresh ATF, or is there another way to more fully drain the system? Other than the fluid looking grimy, there are no symptoms of system weakness such as noises or stiffness in steering.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
#2 ·
yep suck as much out as you can top off drive around for a while and do it all over again to be sure all the old crap is out. atf is cheap anyways. my power steering was growling like a bitch, and when i sucked the old fluid out it looked like mollasses topped of drove a while did it again and my steering is smooth and noice free.
 
#3 ·
Exactly, you can pump (or drain via disconnecting the return line) and fill three times with a single quart of fluid. Just drive around a few miles (or start and idle it a bit) after each fill. My PS fluid is super clear and fresh now.

In case you want a fluid recommendation, I used Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc ATF fluid and it works great. Dextron II ATF is what it requires, not power steering fluid...
 
#8 ·
I would recommend NOT running the pump dry. If it makes unlubed metal to metal contact at any time the pump will be done for as you'll score the walls of the pump cavity. I've had them apart a few times. It has metal vanes in a metal cavity.

BTW Toy says use ATF instead of PS fluid. I run Redline which is good for either type of system. It's expensive but good stuff.

Drain, then fill the system. Crank up the engine then turn the wheel lock to lock a couple of times then shut it down and walk away for a couple of hours to let any bubbles or foam settle out. Restart then top up as necessary. Job done.

 
#7 ·
My '09 (4.0 V6) has around 56-57K miles on it. When doing the seat belt bolt recall work at the dealer, they wanted to flush/replace the steering fluid for $99.00, saying it was very dark.

1.) Is this a good age/mile mark to do this job?
2.) Can I do a reasonably good job myself draining (turkey baster), running, and refilling a few times, or is it significantly better to have them do it?
3.) If I do, what fluid should I buy for this vehicle?

Also, is this a good time to bleed/flush/replace brake fluid?
 
#10 ·
Very delayed response, but better late than never. I figured that is what has been going on; the dealer is doing forced free work and they want money. The steering has been fine, and I figure I should wait a while before doing it. Is there a recommended odometer mark for replacing the steering fluid?
 
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