Technical Power steering fluid

[HP]

Hi all,

Just changed the power steering fluid a few days ago. It was particularly black when the fluid should be red. The pump now runs a fair bit quieter too.

As these Barchettas are mostly getting on a bit now, has anyone else changed theirs?

Think my fluid may have been original....

 

[bollie69]

I really shoud this too. My fluid is as black as it can be. how did you change yours?

 

[HP]

I didn't see a drain plug and the way I did it was a bit of a faff really on reflection. I started siphoning off and refilling then running the car to circulate it, but was getting nowhere really.

There's two pipes on the reservoir, the front one is the feed to the pump and the rear is the return. So I siphoned off the fluid from the reservoir and washed it out. I refitted the reservoir, plugged the rear hole on it and extended the return line from the car to a bucket.

Then the assistant started the car as I poured fresh fluid in, it goes in a bit bloody quick though - 4 litres in about 15 seconds. By this time the fluid coming out into the bucket was nice and clear.

Refitted the rear pipe and topped the reservoir up, started her up again and topped back up.

As I say, there may well be an easier method.

 

[dave]

is there no drain plug on the pump?

should be bled after filling too by turning to full lock each way a few times whilst engine is running

 

[HP]

It was never drained, always had a level in the reservoir but the point on bleedng is valid.

The thing is Dave, there's quite a bit of pipework and rack cylinder so there's a fair old volume of fluid to drain down. The pump is above all these bits too so it'd only drain about 1/2 pint out.

 

[dave]

The thing is Dave, there's quite a bit of pipework and rack cylinder so there's a fair old volume of fluid to drain down. The pump is above all these bits too so it'd only drain about 1/2 pint out.

that don't really answer my question

 

[HP]

I don't know if there is a drain plug, but as mentioned above it'd be worth splitting a coupling lower down if you're thinking of draining off. Draining from the pump would only take a small amount of the fluid out.

 

[bludvl_x19]

I don't know if there is a drain plug, but as mentioned above it'd be worth splitting a coupling lower down if you're thinking of draining off. Draining from the pump would only take a small amount of the fluid out.

Or it could pump all the fluid out :chin: :idea:

 

[HP]

True, the issue is how to get the rest of the fluid out of the system though. Access to the pump could be described as 'a bit cramped', it'd be easier to do the reservoir trick.