Flushing Power Steering Fluid?

[ss502gmc]

Wanted to know if someone could tell me the proper procedure for flushing ps fluid with hydro boost. I just went to get my oil changed and they said i could use a power steering flush. Any ideas? Thanks

[BC2500HD]

Wanted to know if someone could tell me the proper procedure for flushing ps fluid with hydro boost. I just went to get my oil changed and they said i could use a power steering flush. Any ideas? Thanks

I had mine done at the dealer. When I asked they said it is important that you don't let the pressure drop in the system or it can trigger the emergency air canister on the master cylinder. Then it can get expensive.

[terryk]

Wanted to know if someone could tell me the proper procedure for flushing ps fluid with hydro boost. I just went to get my oil changed and they said i could use a power steering flush. Any ideas? Thanks

 

It helps to have two people to do this but you can do it by yourself if you pay attention to the fluid level in the pump tank and shut the engine off quickly when you need to open a new bottle (or have them already open). Figure it will take 3 quarts to completely flush the system so get 4.

 

- Raise the truck so the front tires are off the ground.

 

- Remove the return line from the back of the PS pump (it comes from the cooler and goes into the tank) and extend the hose (using clear tubing if possible so you can see the color change). Make the hose long enough to go to the ground and then into the container to capture the fluid. A one gallon milk jug works great. You want to be able to see the fluid coming out WHILE you are pouring it in. You don't want to have to stop pouring for any length of time while you check the color.

 

- BLOCK THE RETURN PORT TO THE TANK ON THE POWER STEERING. A short stub of hose with a bolt in it work. Otherwise fluid will pour out as you fill the tank.

 

- Open 2-3 quarts of fluid and have them ready.

 

- Start the truck and start pouring fluid into the PS tank at a rate necessary to keep the level up near the top. You don't want to starve the pump of fluid. It doesn't come out really fast so you can easily keep up. I started by using a funnel but I couldn't watch the tank level so I just got good at my aim. If you have to stop, just shut off the engine and add fluid to the tank before you restart.

 

- When you see the fluid color change in the tubing to the new/fresh fluid, run about another pint through and then shut off the engine.

 

- Reconnect the line to the tank.

 

- Top off the fluid. If you need to remove some, a turkey baster works well.

 

- Start the engine and then turn the wheels left and right ALMOST to the stops but don't go to them. Do that 10 times. Odds are you won't have any air but this helps get any out.

 

- Shut the engine off and let it stand for 10 minutes.

 

- Recheck the fluid level and add or remove if necessary.

 

- Restart the engine, let it warm up and recheck the level.

 

- Test drive and you are done!

 

From everything I can tell this flushed the hydroboost too. Once done, the fluid has remained clear so if anything was left in the HB it's never showed up.

 

Is someone sees a problem in this procedure, speak up!

[yukon25008.1]

I changed my brake fliud and pwr steering,by sucking out with this vacuum drain tool my freind had, i got all the fluid out, put in new syn fluids. drove about 200 miles or so and just did it again, by then im sure i got allmost all of the old fluid out, was very easy, and now garage labor cost

[Stylous]

Wanted to know if someone could tell me the proper procedure for flushing ps fluid with hydro boost. I just went to get my oil changed and they said i could use a power steering flush. Any ideas? Thanks

 

It helps to have two people to do this but you can do it by yourself if you pay attention to the fluid level in the pump tank and shut the engine off quickly when you need to open a new bottle (or have them already open). Figure it will take 3 quarts to completely flush the system so get 4.

 

- Raise the truck so the front tires are off the ground.

 

- Remove the return line from the back of the PS pump (it comes from the cooler and goes into the tank) and extend the hose (using clear tubing if possible so you can see the color change). Make the hose long enough to go to the ground and then into the container to capture the fluid. A one gallon milk jug works great. You want to be able to see the fluid coming out WHILE you are pouring it in. You don't want to have to stop pouring for any length of time while you check the color.

 

- BLOCK THE RETURN PORT TO THE TANK ON THE POWER STEERING. A short stub of hose with a bolt in it work. Otherwise fluid will pour out as you fill the tank.

 

- Open 2-3 quarts of fluid and have them ready.

 

- Start the truck and start pouring fluid into the PS tank at a rate necessary to keep the level up near the top. You don't want to starve the pump of fluid. It doesn't come out really fast so you can easily keep up. I started by using a funnel but I couldn't watch the tank level so I just got good at my aim. If you have to stop, just shut off the engine and add fluid to the tank before you restart.

 

- When you see the fluid color change in the tubing to the new/fresh fluid, run about another pint through and then shut off the engine.

 

- Reconnect the line to the tank.

 

- Top off the fluid. If you need to remove some, a turkey baster works well.

 

- Start the engine and then turn the wheels left and right ALMOST to the stops but don't go to them. Do that 10 times. Odds are you won't have any air but this helps get any out.

 

- Shut the engine off and let it stand for 10 minutes.

 

- Recheck the fluid level and add or remove if necessary.

 

- Restart the engine, let it warm up and recheck the level.

 

- Test drive and you are done!

 

From everything I can tell this flushed the hydroboost too. Once done, the fluid has remained clear so if anything was left in the HB it's never showed up.

 

Is someone sees a problem in this procedure, speak up!

 

 

 

+ 1, but I removed the return line on the hydroboost unit (HD models only) instead. This allowed me to control the refill rate as it only dumped fluid when I pressed on the brake pedal. Filled up the PS unit about every three pumps. Easy as a one man job.

 

Also, GM shop tech recommends switching it out with Vavoline SynTech fluid. Better for the hydroboost unit. It also made the steering whine less noticable.

[yukon25008.1]

Wanted to know if someone could tell me the proper procedure for flushing ps fluid with hydro boost. I just went to get my oil changed and they said i could use a power steering flush. Any ideas? Thanks

 

It helps to have two people to do this but you can do it by yourself if you pay attention to the fluid level in the pump tank and shut the engine off quickly when you need to open a new bottle (or have them already open). Figure it will take 3 quarts to completely flush the system so get 4.

 

- Raise the truck so the front tires are off the ground.

 

- Remove the return line from the back of the PS pump (it comes from the cooler and goes into the tank) and extend the hose (using clear tubing if possible so you can see the color change). Make the hose long enough to go to the ground and then into the container to capture the fluid. A one gallon milk jug works great. You want to be able to see the fluid coming out WHILE you are pouring it in. You don't want to have to stop pouring for any length of time while you check the color.

 

- BLOCK THE RETURN PORT TO THE TANK ON THE POWER STEERING. A short stub of hose with a bolt in it work. Otherwise fluid will pour out as you fill the tank.

 

- Open 2-3 quarts of fluid and have them ready.

 

- Start the truck and start pouring fluid into the PS tank at a rate necessary to keep the level up near the top. You don't want to starve the pump of fluid. It doesn't come out really fast so you can easily keep up. I started by using a funnel but I couldn't watch the tank level so I just got good at my aim. If you have to stop, just shut off the engine and add fluid to the tank before you restart.

 

- When you see the fluid color change in the tubing to the new/fresh fluid, run about another pint through and then shut off the engine.

 

- Reconnect the line to the tank.

 

- Top off the fluid. If you need to remove some, a turkey baster works well.

 

- Start the engine and then turn the wheels left and right ALMOST to the stops but don't go to them. Do that 10 times. Odds are you won't have any air but this helps get any out.

 

- Shut the engine off and let it stand for 10 minutes.

 

- Recheck the fluid level and add or remove if necessary.

 

- Restart the engine, let it warm up and recheck the level.

 

- Test drive and you are done!

 

From everything I can tell this flushed the hydroboost too. Once done, the fluid has remained clear so if anything was left in the HB it's never showed up.

 

Is someone sees a problem in this procedure, speak up!

 

 

 

+ 1, but I removed the return line on the hydroboost unit (HD models only) instead. This allowed me to control the refill rate as it only dumped fluid when I pressed on the brake pedal. Filled up the PS unit about every three pumps. Easy as a one man job.

 

Also, GM shop tech recommends switching it out with Vavoline SynTech fluid. Better for the hydroboost unit. It also made the steering whine less noticable.

 

 

 

good lookin truck evillax. thanks for that post, im gonna do my pwr steering a 3rd time with the dex6 synthetic

[trask]

I had the power steering fluid changed last summer to synthetic, the power steering pump was very noisy in 90 degree plus temperatures. the dealer was going to use Valvoline Syntech but said it was discontinued or unavailable, so they used Redline synthetic power steering fluid. The synthetic oil made a difference in reducing power steering pump noise, but did not eliminate it.

[pm26]

I had the power steering fluid changed last summer to synthetic, the power steering pump was very noisy in 90 degree plus temperatures. the dealer was going to use Valvoline Syntech but said it was discontinued or unavailable, so they used Redline synthetic power steering fluid. The synthetic oil made a difference in reducing power steering pump noise, but did not eliminate it.

 

That is what I was told to do. I too have anoisy pump but the noise comes and goes. If I drive the truck every day it usually goes away for days. I too was going to replace the stock p.s. fluid with Red Line synthetic. I have 3 quarts of it. Is that enough? It disappoints me that the noise did not go away. Does GM have a problem with noisy Power steering pumps?

Are the replacement pumps different or quieter?

[Stylous]

I had the power steering fluid changed last summer to synthetic, the power steering pump was very noisy in 90 degree plus temperatures. the dealer was going to use Valvoline Syntech but said it was discontinued or unavailable, so they used Redline synthetic power steering fluid. The synthetic oil made a difference in reducing power steering pump noise, but did not eliminate it.

 

That is what I was told to do. I too have anoisy pump but the noise comes and goes. If I drive the truck every day it usually goes away for days. I too was going to replace the stock p.s. fluid with Red Line synthetic. I have 3 quarts of it. Is that enough? It disappoints me that the noise did not go away. Does GM have a problem with noisy Power steering pumps?

Are the replacement pumps different or quieter?

 

 

 

No. The new pumps are just as loud. I had to replace my hydroboost unit about a year after replacing my SP. The synthetic fluid does quiet it down a bit, but it is still there. NOTE: Fluid flush is not a rec. service, but to avoid having to replace these units prematurely replace your PS fluid every 50k for some cheap insurance. Wish someone would have made that rec to me about 30K miles ago, I'd be $700 richer!

[jro909]

how much does it normally cost at the dealer?

[Black02Silverado]

Wanted to know if someone could tell me the proper procedure for flushing ps fluid with hydro boost. I just went to get my oil changed and they said i could use a power steering flush. Any ideas? Thanks

 

It helps to have two people to do this but you can do it by yourself if you pay attention to the fluid level in the pump tank and shut the engine off quickly when you need to open a new bottle (or have them already open). Figure it will take 3 quarts to completely flush the system so get 4.

 

- Raise the truck so the front tires are off the ground.

 

- Remove the return line from the back of the PS pump (it comes from the cooler and goes into the tank) and extend the hose (using clear tubing if possible so you can see the color change). Make the hose long enough to go to the ground and then into the container to capture the fluid. A one gallon milk jug works great. You want to be able to see the fluid coming out WHILE you are pouring it in. You don't want to have to stop pouring for any length of time while you check the color.

 

- BLOCK THE RETURN PORT TO THE TANK ON THE POWER STEERING. A short stub of hose with a bolt in it work. Otherwise fluid will pour out as you fill the tank.

 

- Open 2-3 quarts of fluid and have them ready.

 

- Start the truck and start pouring fluid into the PS tank at a rate necessary to keep the level up near the top. You don't want to starve the pump of fluid. It doesn't come out really fast so you can easily keep up. I started by using a funnel but I couldn't watch the tank level so I just got good at my aim. If you have to stop, just shut off the engine and add fluid to the tank before you restart.

 

- When you see the fluid color change in the tubing to the new/fresh fluid, run about another pint through and then shut off the engine.

 

- Reconnect the line to the tank.

 

- Top off the fluid. If you need to remove some, a turkey baster works well.

 

- Start the engine and then turn the wheels left and right ALMOST to the stops but don't go to them. Do that 10 times. Odds are you won't have any air but this helps get any out.

 

- Shut the engine off and let it stand for 10 minutes.

 

- Recheck the fluid level and add or remove if necessary.

 

- Restart the engine, let it warm up and recheck the level.

 

- Test drive and you are done!

 

From everything I can tell this flushed the hydroboost too. Once done, the fluid has remained clear so if anything was left in the HB it's never showed up.

 

Is someone sees a problem in this procedure, speak up!

 

 

Nice write up.

 

AMSOIL offers a Synthetic Power Steering fluid as well.

[trask]

how much does it normally cost at the dealer?

 

 

Dealer charged me $96.00 for the flush and Synthetic oil.