Toyotas and PS fluid

[Red_Chili]

The PSC power steering pump kit is supposed to arrive today (stifled shouts of glee) and I am mentally lining up the job.

It's been said, and I have proven (don't ask!) that conventional power steering fluid is a bad idea in minitruck PS systems. Seals go to seal heaven. Well now, since Toyota specs ATF for the power steering system, I've been a good boy and used Mobil1 ATF lately. It doesn't seem to burn though my PS pump died last year at the OHV Rock Crawl, and the current new Toy pump seems... iffy. But no seal genocide.

But what about the premium actual power steering fluids available now, especially Royal Purple, and Valvoline SynPower? Anyone use them successfully? I believe PSC stuffs Royal Purple into their system if they install it, and Valvoline SynPower is more readily available. Anyone try them?

It does occur to me that more than half my system will no longer be Toyota, except for the steering box. ATF just seems like not quite the right fluid for the job, though it is a hydraulic fluid.

 

[corsair23]

Well, I've just been following along with what I see recommended on the forums and that is to use ATF in the PS system so I was planning to use some of the left over Valvoline Max Life ATF in my LX.

I think now though I'll wait to see what sort of feedback you get

 

[Romer]

I used the Valvoline Synthetic one. I have one of those vacuum brake bleeder kits. I used it to flush the power steering.

Put truck on jack stands
Suck till to the bottom of the res, fill to the top with clean synth fluid. turn wheel several times. Repeat the suck and fill at least 3 times and then until fluid is clean.

I have had no issues with it the last 10 months I have been running it.

 

[corsair23]

I used the Valvoline Synthetic one. I have one of those vacuum brake bleeder kits. I used it to flush the power steering.

Valvoline Synthetic PS fluid or ATF fluid

Might have to hit Checker again. As you are my roll model Ken, I plan to follow your advice with the fluid sucker deal. It is en route and should be here Wednesday

 

[Romer]

PS Fluid.

You can get them at Harbor freight at 6th and I-225 (The vacuum bleeder) I think they are $29.

 

[RockRunner]

This is good to know as i am about to set up my crossover steering. I had to change the steering box so most of my fluid is gone.

Is there a special cleaning fjuid I can run through the system first before adding the new fluid? I could run some of the new fluid through it but if there is a special cleaner out there I would use that first.

 

[Red_Chili]

Nope, don't put anything in there but ATF.... or, apparently, Valvoline SynPower PS fluid.

I love Valvoline synthetics, the SynPower brake fluid is very stable, added to braking efficiency, and seems to stay very clean. I buy the big bottles and flush the brakes every two years with a pressure bleeder.
Pressurize.
Open bleeder.
Drink a fine ale while laying on the creeper.
Close bleeder.
Repeat four more times.....

And yes, Tom, you may borrow my pressure bleeder. Hey, let me know when you get your driveshaft so we can finish the spring perches. I left my angle finder and wire brush over there too... but we will need them anyway.

 

[Red_Chili]

Hmmm, lookit what I found buried on PSC's website:

System Fluid Requirements
Use ONLY powersteering fluid NO ATF ! ATF will damage the power steering components. Standard power steering fluid works well in most applications. For extreme and race applications we suggest Royal Purple Synthetic.

DOH!

If only the PSC kit had come with ANY kind of documentation. As in, it came with NUTTIN.

 

[RockRunner]

I will look for the Valvoline stuff and give it a shot. I have part of the equation to do the job and with your power bleeder I am in business.

I am going to drop the shaft of on Wednesday or Thursday I hope, they say a day turn around so I could be good for the weekend again. Working on the tank and some other items tonight. Hope to have the steering all hooked up and ready to go too.

PS The LT is on the truck on its way here. Should be here on Friday but since I am off Friday I should get it Monday.

Nope, don't put anything in there but ATF.... or, apparently, Valvoline SynPower PS fluid.

I love Valvoline synthetics, the SynPower brake fluid is very stable, added to braking efficiency, and seems to stay very clean. I buy the big bottles and flush the brakes every two years with a pressure bleeder.
Pressurize.
Open bleeder.
Drink a fine ale while laying on the creeper.
Close bleeder.
Repeat four more times.....

And yes, Tom, you may borrow my pressure bleeder. Hey, let me know when you get your driveshaft so we can finish the spring perches. I left my angle finder and wire brush over there too... but we will need them anyway.

 

[Red_Chili]

Shrug, this is why I stick with the factory system, it's easy to follow the inspection cap and just use Dexron II.

The second factory pump is getting iffy. The first grenaded with fanfare. The steering boxes are beau coup robust, no worries.

 

[Red_Chili]

I will look for the Valvoline stuff and give it a shot. I have part of the equation to do the job and with your power bleeder I am in business.

I am going to drop the shaft of on Wednesday or Thursday I hope, they say a day turn around so I could be good for the weekend again. Working on the tank and some other items tonight. Hope to have the steering all hooked up and ready to go too.

PS The LT is on the truck on its way here. Should be here on Friday but since I am off Friday I should get it Monday.

Sweet! For a totally stock system, I'd stick with ATF as spec'd. I ran Mobil1 which I do not believe was responsible for the grenading PS pump; the 5VZ rack-n-pinion pump seems to be a mismatch to the IFS steering box, while yours is not.

Once you use a pressure brake bleeder you'll never go back. Keeps you honest on the brake fluid service interval too, most guys never change it.

 

[Red_Chili]

I crossposted to 4x4wire, where 4Crawler (TLCA's Roger Brown) posted this reply:

Used Valvoline (on AllPro's recommendation) then the steering box started to leak so I figured I would try switching to ATF and that still leaked. So had the box rebuilt, the ram resealed and the pump tested (it was fine) and went with Howe's fluid (on their recommendation). They claim their stuff has some extra additives to make the pump, ram and steering box all happy.

So Howe's PSF or Royal Purple PSF seem to have a bit of an edge for aftermarket PS systems (Roger runs ram assist).
Caveat: Roger's steering box was not exactly new... who knows if it would have leaked anyway! Not enough evidence to implicate Valvoline.

 

[Red_Chili]

FWIW, for posterity, here is a competitor's system that uses the T/C pump:
Howe Performance, Toyota Line Diagram