Changing out Power Steering Fluid on Ram

[Highbeam]

Sucking out 6 oz and refilling will never get a flush done. It's the old story of always walking halfway to work, stopping and then going half way again, you'll never get there.

Still better than nothing though.

A better solution is to remove the return line and flush the system properly. This should be the most effective way to get the old fluid out and the new in.

I've got to do this on my ford diesel that uses the PS system for brakes and steering and has a cooler and everything. It smells burnt, looks burnt, and is ready to changed. It uses ATF fortunately so it will be a cheap flush.

If the system really pumps down that fast would it be possible to remove the belt and spin the PS pump by hand?

 

[charlz]

I re-attempted this this other day while replacing the front struts (one finally started leaking oil after 90,000 miles).

I drained the reservoir and disconnected the return line and routed it into a soda bottle. The car was already up on jack stands so I cycled the steering back and forth by hand with the engine off many times. This actually appeared to get rid of most of the fluid in the rack. Once I could no longer get anything out of it I plugged off the return port on the reservoir and filled it with clean fluid. I started the car and let it pump the clean fluid through the cooler etc. and into the jug until it looked clean. Reconnected all the lines, filled with clean fluid and stared it again. I then cycled the rack, topped off the reservoir, repeat etc until it was all full. Fluid looked pretty good. I noticed after a few days of driving it was a little darker but attribute that to old oil still in a few places etc. Still looks much much better than it did when I started (the first attempt and this attempt).

 

[Highbeam]

Good deal CHarlz. So how fast did your pump pump out the old fluid? Geyser like or pretty slowly?

 

[charlz]

Good deal CHarlz. So how fast did your pump pump out the old fluid? Geyser like or pretty slowly?

When I started the car it took about 4 or 5 seconds to pretty much drain the reservoir. I think if I were doing this with a (relatively) cheap fluid like ATF I'd just figure out a way to rig like a gallon reservoir, start the car, turn the wheel lock to lock once or twice each way, turn off the engine and check the fluid color. Might vary with the capacity of the particular car but I think that would about get it done.