Cleaning Power Steering Fluid Reservoir

[Magus2727]

As in the title is there any special way to clean the reservoir? Can I just hose the thing down (inside and out) with Brake cleaner and then just make sure all the fluid is gone? or will brake fluid / TB cleaner leave a residue that would not be good for the fluid once filled?

 

[birchlakeXJ]

I don't think it would be necessary to clean the reservoir. Just replace the fluid in it. If you're concerned about cleanliness of the reservoir or the new mix of fluid, after replacing the fluid, drive it a few days and then take a turkey baster and suck the reservoir dry and fill it up again with more new fluid.

The "turkey baster" technique is a cheap/easy way to replace some of the fluid in either the power steering reservoir and also the brake master cylinder. A couple of times doing this will replace a good percentage of the fluid in these systems.

 

[Banditt007]

If you want to clean the reservoir itself for whatever reason, i'd take it off and swish it around with mineral spirits. I'd avoid using water. brake cleaner may work but has a slight chance of eating the plastic. If you want to change all the fluid in the system, i'd suggest a full flush not the turkey baster method. the turkey baster method IMO is a 'feel' good thing that doesn't really accomplish much. Be it the PS, the brakes ect.

 

[Magus2727]

I am replacing the pump (due to no pressure and internal leakage at idle) along with both lines and adding a Cooler to the system. So everything is going to be off the jeep (all but the steering box).

I want to get all the gunk and crap that might still be in the reservoir so it does not damage the new pump that I have on its way.

Edit:

The pump constantly recirculates fluid right? the pump is always turning (no clutch style pulley) so it would always be pushing high pressure fluid through the box and back right? so doing the "Turkey Baster" Method would work right, the biggest issue would be the fluid that is "trapped" at the ends of the worm screw in the box right?

I have put clear fluid it 4 times doing the drain and fill method and each time it comes out a dirty oil / maple syrup color so (it has gotten lighter in color after each change but still way darker then what I put in) it must circulate a little.

 

[jeepowner]

Take off the high side line and pull a vacuum on it. Keep the res full, it will pull thru the box and out the low side.

 

[Magus2727]

that will pull fluid through the opposite way then how the pump flows right? Thats not going damage any thing will it? I and would a Vac. pull fluid with the fact that the pump puts some 1500 psi through the box and high pressure lines?

What is the flow rate of the pump at idle? is this something that I could cut the return line and have it empty into a bucket and have the reservoir open and putting fluid in (with the other end of the return line that is attached to the reservoir plugged.) and the motor is at idle? Or does it cycle through enough fluid that I would not be able to put the fluid in fast enough? I also wanted to clean out the box as well but I figured putting an inline filter on the return line would take care of any crap left in the box.

 

[jeepowner]

Never tried circulating it when running. A friend an I on one drunk night did leave the tranny cooler lines disconnected on a car and start it by mistake. The fluid flows FAST.
I just use a mightyvac to pull fluid thru to get the old stuff out of the box. It is not like it's a super high vacuum.

 

[Banditt007]

Thats the problem with the turkey baster method, is that you are always diluting old fluid with new fluid, but never fully getting rid of all the old fluid. So after you do it once, technically the next time you are throwing out good fluid that has mixed with old fluid. As you progress you are throwing out more and more good fluid to get rid of a fraction of the old.

Here is what i did and worked perfect, and this will fully remove all old fluid as a 'chunk' (for the most part) and replace with all new. First off don't do it while its running, the pump sucks in fluid FAST and there is no way you will be able to pour the fluid in fast enough to make up for it.

Get the front tires in the air. Suck the reservoir as dry as you can w/ a turkey baster. Take the lower pressure line (after the steering rack going back into the reservoir) and aim that into a oil drain pan sized container or 5 gallon bucket. For mine, b/c the hose was too short, i 'sleeved' over it with rubber tubing, which then ran into the bucket. Then plug up the part of the reservoir that, that hose would plug into. what i did for that was used a piece of double folder over plastic bag and a rubber band, you can use a tapered rubber plug ect. Now fill the reservoir up to the top and just turn the steering wheel back and forth from full lock to full lock. (since its up in the air w/ little resistance you can just turn the wheel through the open window so you dont have to keep going in and out of the truck, unless of course you have a partner ) Every turn or so top off the fluid level. The old fluid will be belching out into the bucket and after about 3 quarts or so (i forget exactly, buy more than you need just return the rest, i used about 5 total i think) you will see the fluid start getting much lighter and more clear. i ran through another quart or so until it came out looking like new. Then i just turned the wheel lock to lock enough to drop the fluid level to the bottom of the reservour. Remove you're plug, reattach the return line, and fill to proper level.

I did this a few months ago on my 98' i bought it with 130k on it and did this around 140k. I highly doubt the fluid was ever changed it looked like well used ATF. The new fluid that went in looked (and still does) like new brake fluid!

And please properly dispose of the old fluid

 

[winterbeater]

After changing my PS pump and high pressure line I just disconnected the return line to the reservoir and ran it into a bottle. Then I had an assistant (thank you wife) start it up and run it until I yelled stop when the reservoir was empty. Emptied my collection bottle, refilled the reservoir and did it again a couple more times until I had only clean fluid coming into my collection bottle. It did make a little mess, but my fluid still looks perfectly new.

 

[Magus2727]

Thanks Banditt007, I will do that method. I was unsure if the pump was a high flow or just a high pressure and how may GPM it would actually pump.

So it would be best to get 4 Quarts of cheap stuff to do the flush with, and then a 2 Quarts or so of the stuff I want to use. I want to run a Full Synthetic PSF, since I am going with a more performance pump and cooler, and wont want to "dump" all the synthetic fluid.

Are there any problems with PSF going from or to Synthetics over a standard PSF or even ATF? (don't think ATF is recommended for the XJ and the new pump highly recommends Syn. fluid)

 

[winterbeater]

Ford uses ATF and the parts are all the same construction as Jeep. I would use synthetic ATF for the best performance. Of course, Chrysler wants you to use their power steering fluid.

 

[Magus2727]

I am using the AGR pump.... does that make any difference?

 

[winterbeater]

I think they are all made with the same materials. Rubber seals, etc.

 

[chpmnsws6]

No need to clean it out. Power steering fluid (ATF) Has a lot of detergents to keep things clean.

 

[heavyequipment]

I recommend using engine oil or hydraulic fluid. ATF has "friction improvers" added to make the clutches work better. I can't think of any part of the power steering that would benefit from "improved friction." For convenience, use engine oil.

 

[Magus2727]

for the circulating of the fluid through the box... would a pressurized system like a a brake fluid bleed system work (one that just does pressure and not both pressure and Vac)? fill the Brake Fluid tank with PSF and cap it on the reservoir and pump to build pressure. Will (if the return line is plugged on the reservoir) the small amount of pressure still push fluid through the box?

The only vacuum that I can apply would be the sucking action of a shop-vac and I don't think it would like PSF getting sprayed all over the inside of the shop-vac.

 

[ehall]

If you have it off and apart, then brake cleaner will work good to get rid of any old burnt sludge