so my power steering pump is on its way out just wondering are they rebuild able? is it better to just get a new one if they are?what goes wrong in one that causes it to go bad?why would someone put in trans fluid instead of steering fluid? TIA for any help


Nate

 

Yes, they are rebuildable if you can get the parts, but it's probably a better idea to just get a new one. Like anything else, they wear, seals get hard etc.

In the 60's and 70's it was very common practice to use ATF vice steering fluid. Haven't seen that in a long time, though.

 

if your gonna get a new pump, might as well upgrade it and get the TurnOne setup!!

- Do it once, Do it right.

 

more info on this?

 

I use ATF Dextron lll in my LS1 power-steering pump. Why is steering fluid better? Is one lower viscosity than the other? Can the use of ATF ruin my pump? thanx

 

all that causes the pump to go bad is heat which oxidizes and deteriorates and breaks down the fluid, along with any dirt/dust ingestion which accelerates wear. the simple solution is changing the fluid every so often, just like engine/trans oil, gear oil, engine coolant, etc.

power steering fluid is nearly the same exact viscosity as transmission fluid.
both are a sae 5w-20 grade, having a viscosity of around 7.5 @ 100C and 34 @ 40C.

with transmission fluid, its purpose is to provide anti-wear to the gears in the trans (which a power steering pump does not have) along with certain frictional characteristics needed for an auto trans to shift properly (there are frictional clutches that slip). A power steering steering system is nothing more than a simple hydraulic system which needs a simple hydraulic fluid whose specs never really needed to change over the past 20+ years. Hence you have power steering fluid, with regular corrosion and rust inhibitors. You can use atf, it would be above and beyond power steering fluid and all the extra additives in atf the power steering system/pump does not need but it would not hurt either.
The reason you have automakers going with atf in the power steering system now is so they can cut down on the number of lubricants needed to build a car, which some corporate jamoke probably mathed out as being cheaper since they have to use atf anyway, same thing with dexcool engine coolant among all GM/saturn products and some foreign honda stuff built by gm.

the only thing i would be concerned about is if the seals in the power system would be more prone to leaking or seaping with a modern atf vs power steering fluid, but as for the power steering pump it would not care whether its atf or psf.

psf should be better because i would expect it to be more compatible with any seals used in a steering system,
and it should also be cheaper than atf since there's less to it but that may not be the case with the way things are branded and sold today.

 

i will have to look into the turnone setup
and see how they relate the power steering system to rocket science and how their pump is any better/different than the oem one.

... only way it can be better is if it's cheaper.

 

Other than having an option to use AN fittings, there doesn't seem to be a difference between OEM and Turn One. So what's the point?

 

how often should one change their power steering fluid? is there a general rule of thumb like engine oil is every 3k miles, atf is once a year and so on?

also, is there a "best" fluid to use? is the lucas power steering fluid with additives the one that everyone is running?

also any updates on the turnone vs. factory replacement power steering system comparison?

 

i use royal purple syn PS fluid in mine.......its really purple

 

Flush it on the same schedule you would an A4.
All oils, be they ATF, power steering fluid, engine oil etc. have additives. A pure base stock oil with no additive package in it wouldn't be much good for anything. Nothing special about the Lucas stuff.

There's benefits to be had by using a full synthetic fluid. They resist oxidation better and heat better.