How exactly do you drain the power steering fluid? THe manual goes on about where to check for leaks and such but does not say anything about how to drain the old fluid out. If you remove all the hoses/pipes onto the "steering gear" (aka rack) and move the steering full left then full right, will that push the fluid out of the rack? I pondered this 2 years ago when I got the car and never figured out how to drain it.

There's no drain, you can pop a hose off at either end really and drain it.

Is there any benefit in changing it?

[quote name='Il RX8 lI' date='Mar 16 2005, 08:31 AM']Is there any benefit in changing it?


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Seeing how the fluid is probably 16 years old I would say yes. Things wear out, the teeth on the pinion do wear (anything metal to metal contact) probably causes metal particles to be deposited in teh fluid. Fluids break down as well.



Even my coffee cup wears out from my lip always touching the enamel at the same spot.

you must drink a lot of coffee!



i think the easiest way would be to take off the rubber hose thats the return to the resoviour.

[quote name='j9fd3s' date='Mar 16 2005, 09:37 AM']you must drink a lot of coffee!



i think the easiest way would be to take off the rubber hose thats the return to the resoviour.


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so basically the only way to completely drain the thing is to remove it from teh car and stand it up on the end and shake?

yeah it may be 16 years old but if it's been in there that long i wouldn't change it!!! the reason being it is likely all gummy and thick and crap, and it is helping seal the cracks if there is any in the seals, and if you change it you could cause the new (thinner power steering fluid or atf what ever you use) to leak, so i say leave it.

[quote name='Cheers!' date='Mar 16 2005, 07:11 AM']so basically the only way to completely drain the thing is to remove it from teh car and stand it up on the end and shake?


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if you care about everylast little drop yes, but changing 90% is good enough

Huh, changing PS fluid? Funny. I'm satisfied if mine is full.

Here is the easiest way to do it, unscrew one of the hoses tie a plastic bag to the end of it, and take it for a drive, the pump will push it all out, then screw it back togeather and refill it. Its that simple.

why dont you just suck it out with a turkey baster

im serious by the way

[quote name='Rob x-7' date='Mar 17 2005, 10:14 PM']im serious by the way


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Thanks for all the replies, i'll try the turkey baster approach as well but i have a feeling it won't reach down far enough to get the fluid out.

how about tryiong one of those gas shyphon dealies, it sould go down most of the way

hell..... in that case, a shop wet/dry vacuum would work great.

Im tellign you try my way, one turn should empty it all the way. I did it and it worked.

You don't want to run the pump dry. Damage could occur.

yeah like blowing out seals, and so on

could you un do the sending and reciving line, put some sort of catch can on the end of one and then take an air nossle and blast air thru the system forceing the fluid into the catch can?

put a hose on the end of the turkey baster