Cold Weather Power Steering Fluid HELP!

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Hi. Its -7 degrees here and 40-50 below windchill. The past several weeks my power steering pump and brakes have taken a while to "warm" up. I suspected I had water in the pump for sometime. Backed it in the shed just a few minutes ago, and brown stuff was leaking all over. Sure enough it was from the Power Steering cap. WATER!

Ok so, how do you drain the pump. And how much fluid should I put in, what kind for REALLY COLD Weather.

Thanks in advance!

Gordy from Minnesota

 

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Ok, so I called a service department. They told me to jack up the front end of the truck, pull the hose running to the lower part of the pump. Drain as much fluid as possible, turning the wheels (with the engine off) from lock to lock. And refill with a synthetic power steering fluid.

I ended up pulling the hose off the top of the power steering pump. You can see it if you look down by the radiator and the winshield washer fluid. Then I also unscrewed the return line. I blew the pump itself out, and out popped ice. Then I blew the return line and all the fluid came popping out of the resevore (my spelling ain't so great). Then I buttoned everything back up and filled the resevore back up with synthetic. Turned the wheels from lock to lock (engine off). And the lower'd her down off the blocks and fired her up.

Since the windchill is running -34, so I'll give it a test.

Let you know the results.

Gordy

 

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Mine is doing the same thing. I plan on draining and putting in synthetic asap.

 

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Gordy,
What kind/brand of fluid did you get? I want to do this to my truck too since it sounds ( when cold) like it can't be too healthy on the pump. How's it now?
Thanks
Corey

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1998. 5 2500, 4x4, SB, Red Sport, Agate Interior, Quad Cab, O. H. Console, Auto, 4. 10 LSD, Trailer Tow and Camper Special Packages, Mopar Aluminum Nerf Bars, Spray In Bedliner, Pioneer/Jensen System, 255/85's, Bd Adjustable Preformance Box w/boost module, Boost Elbow, 4" Exhaust Split Into Two 3" w/5" cans, K+N Scotty Style, Exhaust Blanket, Bill K's Valve Body, Etc, Etc... .

 

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Guys mine did that last winter. I flushed it out, replaced it with valvolines pyroil brand p/s fluid and knock on wood have had no problems again.

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I noticed that even with the ESPAR running for two hours, when the ambient is below zero (f) and the windchill is significant (now below -30), the powersteering pump is back to it's cold weather tricks...

I am thinking the new AMSOIL universal transmission fluid. Anyone try this is the steering system or have an opinion about it??

 

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Guys,

Just one minor nitpick. The wind chill means absolutely nothing as far as our trucks go. Wind chill is a subjective thing and is simply how cold it "feels" to the average human with the wind blowing at a given speed. They obtained the wind chill by getting a bunch of air-force guys to stick their hands in a wind box and telling the experimenter how cold it felt. They came up with a chart or formula based on that.

Obviously, the steel/aluminum/plastic in our trucks doesn't feel any temperature difference just because the wind's blowing. Try it some time when the temperature is 33 and the wind chill is below 32. Stick some water out there and see what happens. Nothing, because the *temperature* has to be below 32 for water to freeze.


Gary

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2k Dodge Ram 2500 QC, Cummins 24v Diesel, 5-Speed Manual, SLT, 4x4, Full-Length Bed with Spray-On Ultimate Lining, Xenon fender flares

 

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David,check out this thread, Changing to synthetic Power Steering Fluid

Gary,you are correct about windchill not effecting inanimate objects,they just cool faster but never below the ambient temperature. What the wind can do though is blow the heat that a block heater or Espar generates and spreads to the engine compartment away. Thus something like the PS pump will get colder than it was when heated when the wind blows.