MattVR4

Thanks for this write up. I did the complete drain and fill today by unhooking the line under the car. I filled mine with Lucas and some toyota atf b/c my pump was leaking before so it is worth a try with some Lucas in it

Stage3

iTrader: (3)

Sorry for the thread bump, but thanks for this excellent post! I just did mine in under 20 minutes and it solved the sluggish steering that I was experiencing!

maisinh

Since I already have the Toyota ATF TypeT-IV Can I use it instead of ATF Dexron II/Dexron III ATF???
Apreciate for your advice.

ClearP

Did this on my sc a long time ago as well, bought a suction pump, topped the reservoir, fully turned the steering wheel a few times, sucked out most of the fluids (not all), refill the reservoir. I did this a few times and it was clean afterwards. Took 10 min

moat

My understanding is that when the engine is running, the power steering fluid is constantly flowing through the reservoir (and through the tubes of the entire power steering system).

So, using a total of approximately one quart of Toyota T4 ATF, I just did about 5 to 6 "suck" and "fill" of the fluids in the reservoir (using the Mix-MIzer, available at WalMart) while the engine is running.

Each time during this process, I also turned the steering wheel from L to R, R to L, to get rid of any possible air bubbles (I actually think this was not necessary because doing it this way, air never enters the system).

After using about one quart of ATF (5 to 6 suck and fill), the fluid in the reservoir became pretty pink and clean, so I stopped.

A story about Lexus dealership ... and this may be typical ...

I have owned this 93 LS since new. Except for oil changes, I have always serviced my car at the Lexus dealership where I bought my car. During that 18 years, the power steering pump has been replaced two or three times (very expensive each time because it's the dealership). I looked over my records more carefully this week, and now realize that they probably have never changed my power steering fluids. They do change or flush all other fluids at regular intervals, but for some reason never the power steering fluid.

A question for the forum: If I always keep the power steering fluid clean, will this translate to a much longer life for the power steering pump/system?

I started paying much more attention to the transmission fluids as well. I have started doing the two-quarts of drain-and-fill much more frequently to keep that fluid nice pink and clean.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

Although fluid is moving with the engine running, it is still required to move the steering wheel back and forth, as pockets of old fluid will sit inside the rack (it has many places for fluid to hide) and not come out unless you do manually move the steering wheel...

Clean fluids typically mean a longer life, though power steering pumps are subject to a lot of abuse... When a pump is changed, 75% or more of the fluid is changed as well - there is almost no way to reasonably change a pump without draining the reservoir completely... Power steering fluid, in theory, should last the life of a car, well, when a cars life was 100k, that was probably true... in todays world though, it should probably be replaced much more often than that... just because manufacturers don't say it should be done doesn't mean its a bad idea to do it!

Akachan LS

I am currently using the "Quick/Incremental Method" as SeattleGS400 reffers to it. I have done this four times as of this writing, using Amsoil Univeral Synthetic ATF. I'm using the hyperdermic needle-like device "the-miximizer" to extract the old/mixed fluid from the resivior. The initial batch that I had removed looked somewhat cloudy and more like thick power steering fluid, not ATF. This only after 3 years. The later batches that I have removed look very red in color as the new fluid is added to the system.

moat

I think it has been discussed here before. One should only use Toyota T4 ATF in the Lexus power steering.

Akachan LS

I'm a stickler when it comes to maitenance on my vehicles. I stick with genuine OEM Toyota parts. Fluids and lubricants are another matter. My ES 350 manual does not specify the use of Toyota T4 in the system. Just any ATF that meets Dexron II or III specs.

According to Amsoil, their Universal Synthetic ATF meets or exceeds Toyota ATF Type TIV requirements while being more resistant to oxidation and breakdown than the petroleum based TIV. Their site also recommends their ATF for Lexus/Toyota Power steering systems.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

All Toyotas call for Dexron based (3, IIRC) transmission fluid for the power steering system. Reasoning is simple - the big difference between Dexron and T4 fluid is that T4 has a friction modifier additive in it. Aside from that, they are essentially the same / similar. This friction modifier is not necessary for power steering, so, putting T4 fluid in the power steering system is not necessary. Personally, I use Mobil1 multi-vehicle synthetic transmission fluid, both in the transmission and power steering reservoir... I figure if Mobil makes the OEM T4 fluid, why not...

Akachan LS

Sounds like a winning formula!

War34642

So after the full flush and replace, when you started the car how bad did it sound?? I just did the full flush job on my 03 GS300 and when I started it back up it sounded pretty awful but much much worse when I turned the wheel Looks like you had the same issue but I was just wanting to be certain that it's normal and that I'm not majorly screwing something up. Thanksa bunch for anyhelp! or if anyone else knows the answer I'd really appreciate it. I just started attempting to do maintenance on my ride and really enjoying it but sounds like that give me the ******* Thanks again!

gemigniani

Incremental method has kept the power steering and steering rack system of my 23 year old, 301,000 mile Corolla troublefree.

No need to perform the risky, troubleprone "full method" IMHO

wallacejr

Hi,

Here's a suggestion that works really great, is faster, cleaner and easier. I used the hand pump from an old bottle of Head & Shoulders Shampoo. I took apart the pump, easy to do as pulls apart - then washed all remnants of shampoo out of the pump, then put back together.

The clear tube at the bottom of the pump is about ten inches long, diameter is small enough to fit inside the power steering reservoir, to the bottom. Then I found an small deep old empty cardboard box. Placed two (2) layers of plastic grocery bag inside and placed a couple sheets of newspaper shaped into a funnel inside, then discarded shredded paper (from shredded documents) on the bottom and a couple inches of "clumping cat litter."

Removed power steering reservoir cover and stuck bottom tube of hand pump in, positioned cardboard box with prepared contents. Then pumped the old fluid out in about ten seconds. Removed pump and let sit in box for a minute to drain out, then folded newspaper inside cardboard box and disposed in rubbish can with regular trash.

The clumping cat litter absorbs the fluid and will be rock hard and dry within a couple hours.

vwynn

iTrader: (4)

ehh i want to do it once n call it a day.. n this is how i did it in my video. Disregard the typos.