My power steering fluid looks pretty bad. Whats the best way to replace it – without disassembling the entire system?
[Response: Steve Ringlee/Jerry Andersch] While you can try to remove the top (return) hose and flush all the fluid out that way through a hose into a bucket, the return line is VERY TOUGH to remove because of an aggressive barb at the end of the outlet pipe. Be careful not to be overly aggressive in removing the return line to the plastic P/S reservoir. Lines that have never been removed can be tough to free up. Resorting to yanking, twisting, and swearing can result in a unexpected trip to the wrecking yard to find a replacement reservoir. Easy does it and save yourself some grief.Be prepared to cut about one inch of hose, enough to peel it off the reservoir, so make sure you have a little extra hose you can pull up from the pump. To make life easier next time, file off the sharp edge of the barb to make the hose removable. Frankly, it is better to use one of the flushing methods below (turkey baster or rack fitting). [Response: Gary DeFrancesco] In my car, the oil was never changed b
Flushing Using a Turkey Baster. You can use a turkey baster and just replace the fluid several times in the reservoir as it cycles through. Get a quart of new fluid (I use Mobil 1 synthetic ATF.) Start the car and have a friend cycle the steering wheel back and forth. Shut down, suck out the fluid in the reservoir, and do it again. When you’ve used up the quart, you will have almost completely flushed out the old fluid. Bring the reservoir up to level and you are back in business. If you suspect metal contamination in the old fluid, place a strong magnet on a thin wire into the reservoir and leave it there for a week, removing it to check it and clean it off. Then bleed. This method may still leave some old fluid in the system since it works by successive dilution. Flushing Via the Return Hose at the Reservoir. [Response: Steve Ringlee/Jerry Andersch] While you can try to remove the top (return) hose and flush all the fluid out that way through a hose into a bucket, the return line is
