changing power steering fluid

[oh2wrx]

so i was lazy yesterday and decided to bring my car to valvoline and have my oil changed. they tried to convince me into changing the power steering fluid for $79.99. he told me they use a power steering fluid transfer pump or something. i was wondering if i really need this machine or if i can just drain it and fill it up.

they also wanted to change my belts for $139.99 a few months ago. i bought the belts at autozone for $30 and just changed them myself.

this thread originally started out by me wondering just about the power steering fluid. i will now end my frustrations about valvoline. /rant

any help on changing my power steering fluid will be greatly appreciated thanks

mike

[SicRedGt]

Not a bad idea to do every 60K. Do it yourself, all they do is evacuate the fluid from the resivoir and refill, turn the rack lock to lock a couple of times and repeat.

[oh2wrx]

sweet thanks. ill be doing this week. i had it done at subaru at 70K when i had intake/spark plug problems. im close to 60K now so i know it needs to be done again.

[AExiOn]

Yeah defiantly do it your self

Go buy a turkey baster

Suck all of that crap out of the resivoir.

Put the correct fluid in there (I cant remember the exact type but its not your traditional clear PS fluid)

Or be a man like me and drive with no PS because your pump failed lol.. I need to replace this..


For ****s and giggles, take a look at your break fluid too, the car may not need either fluid to be replaced unless it looks "cooked"
If you autocross, etc. I'd change both fluids.


It also sounds like this shop is trying to make you to spend money lol

[oh2wrx]

yeah i figured i would just do it myself. it cant be that complicated. i know my brake fluid is fine because i just got in an accident a month ago and had my brakes done while it was apart and my friend changed the fluid then.

and as for the shop trying to screw me...id go with yes. it a valvoline shop sort of like a jiffy lube. and if anyone has gone in there, thats what they do....try to convince you into anything new. they told me to change my fuel filter when i had changed it literally 3 months ago.

[AExiOn]

yeah sounds like a screw over shop to me with the fuel filter rofl

I have not once was told to replace it.. Though I figure 100k miles is a good time to change it :p


the baster trick is the easist way to change it. suck it out, pour new stuff in

Just make sure you get the right kind of fluid. Am too lazy to look up what kind for ya but its not the normal clear fluid you can buy at advance auto, some one said tranny fluid before, idk.. kinda seems off to me but am not too much of a mechanic


What you could do is use mom's baster and get her a new one for her birthday or mothersday, etc lol

[Big-E]

Yeah defiantly do it your self

Go buy a turkey baster

Suck all of that crap out of the resivoir.

Put the correct fluid in there (I cant remember the exact type but its not your traditional clear PS fluid)

Or be a man like me and drive with no PS because your pump failed lol.. I need to replace this..

For ****s and giggles, take a look at your break fluid too, the car may not need either fluid to be replaced unless it looks "cooked"
If you autocross, etc. I'd change both fluids.

It also sounds like this shop is trying to make you to spend money lol

Do as Art says. Get a baster and siphon out the fluid from the reservoir. Replace with Dexron III, run engine and let cycle for a minute or two. Shut off and then remove fluid and refill. Do this about five times.

This way you can effectively change the fluid without having to go through either the OEM procedure or having Jiffy Whatever do a job on you, er, I mean it.

[-=AKA=-]

When doing to break fluid do your clutch fluid ;)