Quest. about Power steering fluid
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Bear, DE
Quest. about Power steering fluid
I bought some Lucas PS fluid and I was about to change out my PS fluid, when I looked into my owners manual for the correct amount to use and it said to use Motorcraft MERCON ATF. So ATF is PS fluid now? Anybody use a good quality PS fluid instead of ATF with good results?
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Joined: Oct 2009
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The problem with the Lucas PS fluid or any other PS fluid is is basically a fairly simple hydraulic fluid with some dye in it. The PS pump is designed not just for ATF, but specifically Mercon. Mercon has been superceded by MerconV, which is the correct fluid to use in the PS system. The reasons Ford decided to use ATF in the PS system is one, it is designed to withstand heat, it is very slippery, it has lots of strong detergents in it, and it is highly friction modified. Regular PS fluid is basically none of those things.
If you run regular PS fluid, basically expect the pump to run hotter, get noisier, and in general, not last as long.
If you run regular PS fluid, basically expect the pump to run hotter, get noisier, and in general, not last as long.
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Bear, DE
I got some Pennzoil Mercon V for about $4. I saw some Mobil 1 synthetic ATF Mobil 1 Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) , which was $9 and was wondering if I should have bought this instead? Anybody use anything different? Thanks.
Freshman User
Joined: May 2011
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From: Northern New Hampshire
just for shegrin
you know, about 10 yeard ago, i had this horrible sound coming from my power steering... this was in a Lincoln town car... i tried changing the fluid.. no luck, took the resivoir out, cleaned it.. still nothing.. there was no leake anywhere..... so i got to thinking mabe it was the wrong fluid... unlikely but i decided to use ATF mixed with about 1/8 of that Marvel Mystery Oil the whinning went away... and it was fine!
same thing happened in my 98 f250 - ATF and Mystery Oil did the trick.... i duno.. just tomething to ponder
same thing happened in my 98 f250 - ATF and Mystery Oil did the trick.... i duno.. just tomething to ponder
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
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a variety of oils will work. If your truck is 10 years old and came with MERCON in the trans, then it had MERCON in the steering. Newer trucks with MERCON V in trans, have that in the steering. GM cars have DEXTRON. I would guess chrysler does the same... All have standardized on the oil use in the trans AS OF THE BUILD DATE.. You can always use a newer fluid. That being said, trans fluid is EXTREAM when it comes to cleaning. That might be why the noise was noted above the the addative helped. BAsically its not the addative, its the dilution of the MERCON. Type F or type A trans fluid might do just as well.
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JH1975
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