Refilling Steering rack and Pump

T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004

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Jul 16, 2008

#1

• Jul 16, 2008

• #1

Is there anything I should be aware of? I'm pulling off my old one tonight, and putting
on a rebuild that I'm sure is dry.

ATF type F, right??

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jul 16, 2008

#2

• Jul 16, 2008

• #2

I fill it all up without turning the wheels. To do this, I disable the ignition and fill, crank, fill, crank until we're close. Then I put the front end just off the ground and turn the wheels back and forth, almost lock to lock but not quite. Continue to fill as needed (as air bleeds out).

Having the wheels off the ground unburdens the system while you bleed it.

Consider replacing the high pressure and low side lines. THe low side lines are bulk 3/8" line IIRC (be sure you get Power steering/hydraulic line).

Good luck.

 

R.J.

Member

Aug 20, 2003

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Warwick, Rhode Island

Jul 16, 2008

#3

• Jul 16, 2008

• #3

I usually fill it up and turn it by hand until it will not except any more fluid by hand. If you start it up, it will suck the fluid down so fast that it will suck in air until you can get more fluid into the reservoir.

 

T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004

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Jul 17, 2008

#4

• Jul 17, 2008

• #4

Do you leave the Cap off the pump during all this?? I'm wondering if it will spray fluid
everywhere...

And type F fluid, right??

 

9

94v6GT

New Member

May 13, 2006

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Jul 17, 2008

#5

• Jul 17, 2008

• #5

i also have to refill my PS system. can i jus turn the pulley by hand to circulate the fluid? Im working by myself so if i could turn pulley and pour at the same time that would be great. Or will turning by hand take hours or days to purge air?

oh and is ATF type F recommended? I assume its cheaper than labeled PS fluid?

 

T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004

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Jul 17, 2008

#6

• Jul 17, 2008

• #6

I think I remember Type F labeled on the cap...


I like the taking the belt off and spinning the pump pulley concept....

 

R.J.

Member

Aug 20, 2003

813

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Warwick, Rhode Island

Jul 17, 2008

#7

• Jul 17, 2008

• #7

You only have to turn it by hand until the system will not except all of the fluid in the reservoir. At this point when you start it the reservoir does not empty and air fill the system. Now you let it run and slowly fill the reservoir till it stays full.

 

T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004

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Jul 24, 2008

#8

• Jul 24, 2008

• #8

Bumping this to help a similar post... maybe he'll see it

 

T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004

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Jul 26, 2008

#9

• Jul 26, 2008

• #9

upon further research... It appears the Power Steering system uses Mercon ATF not
type F as I stated previously...

 

Methodical

15 Year Member

Dec 1, 2003

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Clinton, MD

Jul 26, 2008

#10

• Jul 26, 2008

• #10

As far as fluid, I use what is recommended by the rack manufacturer. I no longer have the Ford rack and the rack manufacturer does not recommend ATF because it damages the seals on their particular rack. So I Just used power steering fluid. Type F is for Ford specific rack the way I see it. So if its a Ford rack then go with Type F.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jul 27, 2008

#11

• Jul 27, 2008

• #11

tderrick said:

upon further research... It appears the Power Steering system uses Mercon ATF not
type F as I stated previously...

Click to expand...

Type F is specified on OEM components on our stangs. What is the source of your info (someone might have decided to supercede Type F in our systems but I'm not aware of it).

FWIW, one of the aftermarket repair manuals I have lists Mercon, though my Ford literature says otherwise.

 

T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004

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Jul 27, 2008

#12

• Jul 27, 2008

• #12

Well... Now I'm totally confused!

Haynes Manual says Mercon...

My Ford owners manual says type F (which I have to go with,right??)

But all I could find the other day was type FA at the parts store... What the heck is that??
Do you think it's Type F compatible??

Man I'm just getting ready to button it up! Help !!

 

T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004

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Jul 27, 2008

#13

• Jul 27, 2008

• #13

Well... This should be the last word on this subject...

The Haynes manual is wrong... Do not use Mercon.

The Ford Mustang Owner Guide is correct (of course). Type F


After receiving much grief at O'Reilly's that I was an idiot for returning Type FA
for Type F. I left with simply a refund ,not wanting to deal with them anymore.

FWIW... Autozone and O'Reilly are out in my book.

Going to my old standby, Advance Auto, I quickly located on the shelf Castrol Type F
with the exact Ford # in the Owner Guide... ESW-M2C33-F

I Love Advance Auto... Always top name-brand parts, well stocked fluids and knowledgeable CAR people

Everyone else, at least around the my area, has idiots on their staff and
stocks to many cheap parts....

As soon as I calm down, I'm going back out to work on the car....

This project just won't die!

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jul 27, 2008

#14

• Jul 27, 2008

• #14

Glad you got it. I went through the same thing awhile back (it made sense that we'd be using Mercon by 1994, but that's not so). I also wondered if half my PS fluid was Mercon from previous owners topping it off (that was one reason I flushed it).

Most of the multi-usage fluids don't lump Type F into their description because Type F has such a high coefficient of friction. Type F also has some different seal compatibility properties.

Chevron also has a Type F available in many parts stores.