Q45 Power Steering fluid change?

[DrewQ45]

All along I have been using standard PS Fluid instead of the recommended ATF. No problems with the system so far but I think it's time I made the switch. I've siphoned the reservior and added cheap Advance Auto Dextron III for now. I'll keep adding and siphoning everyday for about a week or two eventually making the change over to Mobil I syn ATF. Can anyone forsee any trouble with a temporary mix of ATF and PS fluid? It's kind of late to be asking as I've already started the process but just thought I might gain the knowledge anyways.

I'm using a cheap gravity siphon which simply consists of two 2 ft long hoses with a rubber bulb in the middle. I place a container on the ground then insert one end of the hose into the canister...the hose is pretty skinny so I am able to push it down past the bottom of the cannister and deep inside the large vertical PS hose that leads into the steering rack (I think that's where it goes).... I squeeze the bulb, block the end of the hose with my finger then release the bulb...it sucks up a load... I then squeeze the bulb again releasing the load into the container down below. The fluid is pretty thick so I don't get a free gravity flow...well kinda, but I speed up the process. I think this will be faster than using a turkey baster and allow less fluid mix time.

I'm curious about the ps fluid flow when the system is operating. Does the fluid in the container constantly circulate at a pretty good rate? I'm hoping to exchange about twice a day. Morning and eve.

...Drew....

[maxnix]

Well, when it is mechanically extracted and added by the Sun machine, the wheels are rotated lock to lock several times to get all the fluid circulated. This is not soemthing you want to try without the machine as you can starve the pump and rack.

As an aside, ATF may not be suffcient by itself without seal conditoners. I recently had seeping from all seals and switches on a 70K unit with pristine fluid replaced by M1 ATF at 60K. After an exchange of emails with Texasoil, he told me that ATF would shrink the seals and to use MMO (and replace fluid every year) or some kind of seal conditioner. BG uses a conditoner in their PS service, and I highly recommend the service as it is usually less than $100 and worth it for such a highly stressed component in extending its life. Leave the turkey basters for the bird if you want long life. Same for the transmission fluid exchange. The machines do a much more thorough job that playskool attempts cannnot duplicate.

I will make a complete post after I check the rack next week.

[elwesso]

Heres what I do...

I use conventional ATF..... I bought a gallon of the cheap stuff... I change my fluid in the resovoir roughly 3000 miles (right after every oil change)... I have no leaks with my steering rack at 123k, feels good as new (10x better than my old Q, and i even had comments that it felt brand new) and no leaks...

Seal conditioner is probably a good idea as well, buti say leave the machines for warranty work... Fresh fliud is fresh fluid no matter how it gets in there.

[DrewQ45]

As an aside, ATF may not be suffcient by itself without seal conditoners. I recently had seeping from all seals and switches on a 70K unit with pristine fluid replaced by M1 ATF at 60K. After an exchange of emails with Texasoil, he told me that ATF would shrink the seals and to use MMO (and replace fluid every year) or some kind of seal conditioner.

If ATF is causing seals to shrink then I wonder what's the benefit in using it versus regular PS fluid?

In researching this issue here on Nico, I read that Nissan wants us to use ATF to prevent leakage? If what you say is correct then it would have the opposite effect. Maybe we need to use conventional ATF which may have a higher viscosity than synthetic and change often or just stick with PS fluid for that matter. I've been running it since 98' with no adverse effects.

...Drew....

Modified by DrewQ45 at 11:00 AM 11/11/2005
Modified by DrewQ45 at 11:02 AM 11/11/2005

[DrewQ45]

Synthetic Versus Conventional OilViscosity, Temperature, And Horsepower

Nice little article lauding Moblil 1.

http://carcraft.com/techarticles/15378/

[chinaonnitrous]

Hmm...2 q45's ive looked at, both have had power steering leaks........

whats the deal?

[maxnix]

Seal conditioner is probably a good idea as well, buti say leave the machines for warranty work... Fresh fliud is fresh fluid no matter how it gets in there.

Perhaps, but contmainated fluid is contaminated fluid, not matter how it is left in. That is the point.

Fresh fluid with contaminated fluid is just contminated to a lesser degree.

As Q45tech says, member's standards vary.

[maxnix]

If ATF is causing seals to shrink then I wonder what's the benefit in using it versus regular PS fluid?

The benefit to synthetic PS fluid is that it is less prone to breakdown in the highly stressed PS system that has no cooler. In town, winding roads low speed or continuous parallel parking in summer heat would be the worst conditions.

Note that BG uses a synthetic PS fluid along with its conditioner. I will post all information in Infiniti Mechanic Forum next week after I get to view the rack again when new pulleys and blts are installed. I will also quote Texasoil's emails.