Power Steering Flush & Evaporator Clean

[DC Dude]

Went to the dealer today for some service.

Got an oil change for $25, and got my lifetime alignment done. I paid like $120 for lifetime alignment, meaning I get 1 alignment per year covered for as long as I have the vehicle, and it's transferrable.

They recommended that I do a power steering flush (the fluid is dirty) and an evaporator flush to prevent the mold smell/condensation backup.

Both of these services were quoted at about $140 each. Is this ballpark?

 

[Nuke]

I sold my 2nd gen 4R at 205,000 miles and my friend has put another 150,000 miles on it. I sold my 3rd gen recently with 152,000 miles it. I've also owned 3 other Toyotas; 1 had 205,000 miles, another had 178,000 miles and the 3rd has 180,000. Not a single one of them ever needed a power steering flush and an evaporator flush.

 

[DC Dude]

I sold my 2nd gen 4R at 205,000 miles and my friend has put another 150,000 miles on it. I sold my 3rd gen recently with 152,000 miles it. I've also owned 3 other Toyotas; 1 had 205,000 miles, another had 178,000 miles and the 3rd has 180,000. Not a single one of them ever needed a power steering flush and an evaporator flush.

Funny, in the service waiting area, they had a before and after sample of power steering fluid.

The before was clear as vodka, and after was as dirty as used oil....for what it's worth.

The warning is that the dark power steering fluid can gum up.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

The power steering can be easily flushed yourself. Disconnect the power steering cooler hose at the left front of the radiator. With the hose disconnected and the engine off turn the steering wheel back and forth and the fluid will drain out of the reservoir and rack and pinion. I jack up the front end to make it turn easy. I reconnect the hose and fill the reservoir. Start the engine and turn the wheels back and forth several times. Repeat this several times untill the fluid is clean. Mine was dierty at only 43k miles. Make sure you use the correct fluid.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Super easy DIY:
1) Go to Home Depot, Lowes etc and buy a 3 feet of the thinnest vinyl tubing the have.
2) Remove power steering cap and stick hose down in. Follow the exact path of the dipstick as it'll go even deeper.
3) Start a syphon into an empty soda/water bottle which you've placed low in the engine compartment.
4) Come back in ten or 15min, pull the hose and replenish the reservoir. Repeat once a week (or that day after a drive) for a total of 3 times and you're there!


That doesn't technically flush it but after 3 drain and fills the fluid is fresh and good. It'll cost you the purchase price of the hose and 2 quarts of power steering fluid (you'll have leftover too). Take the old fluid to the autoparts store for recycling. Just to avoid prolonged conversations about nothing with the moron at the autoparts store claim the fluid is oil from the lawn mower


I DIY my oil changes and every 3rd oil change or so I siphon and refill one time. The avg age of the fluid, in theory, can be no more than 45k that way


My 03 4x4's method will absolutely get the job done too...

 

[DC Dude]

Thanks for the tips.

All I know is that power steering fluid is some harsh stuff.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Thanks for the tips.

All I know is that power steering fluid is some harsh stuff.

Nah, it's pretty mild but a little stinky. Brake fluid on the other hand can remove paint, give you a minor chemical burn etc...

 

[Uneek]

Thanks for the tips.

All I know is that power steering fluid is some harsh stuff.

For most cars I've had in the past, it was transmission fluid.

 

[MikesToy]

They recommended that I do a power steering flush (the fluid is dirty) and an evaporator flush to prevent the mold smell/condensation backup.

Getter done for the winter.

 

[Mabuse]

What kind of power steering fluid is best for a 4th gen?

 

[CJ3Flyr]

What kind of power steering fluid is best for a 4th gen?

I use Valvoline SynPower power steering fluid. Is that the best one? Who knows.

I think the manual suggests ATF. ATF seems thicker than genuine power steering fluid to me. When I have used ATF in power steering units I have not been favorably impressed with the cold weather performance. Genuine power steering fluid leaves the steering feeling better in the cold weather to me. Maybe the new DexronVI/WS type fluid would be better.

 

[Worlok]

I just used Prestone PS fluid to flush out my PS unit. It seems to work well with the system so far. It is water clear like the original fluid was!

 

[jeober]

4th gen PS uses ATF which is red.

I've exchanged my PS every year using a method of raising the front wheel off the ground, extracting the reservoir fluid using a mechanical pump, removing the pump return hose and routing to a 1/2 gallon milk jug, running fresh fluid though the pump by running the engine for a few seconds, running fresh fluid through the rack by rotating the steering wheel from lock to to lock, etc.

I used Dexron VI last time on my 4th gen since I was also doing my sealed trans with the same but I advise that you use the standard per manual.

Don't do anything to your evaporator heat exchanger if it is fine. These should have anti-fungal coating.

 

[074.0Runner]

What kind of power steering fluid is best for a 4th gen?

It says it on the cap: Dextron III or IV. I'd go with Mobil 1 transmission fluid.

BTW I have done this on both my Dodge and S-10 and used Valvoline MaxLife power steering fluid in both of them. That was a bad dicision. First, Maxlife fluid does not meet neither of the specs that my S-10 and Ram require for PS fluid. And after flushing the system with the maxlife, both of the steering boxes started to leak. They never leaked a drop of fluid before. Moral of story, avoid PS fluid with stop leak at all costs.

BTW this the evaporator core on my Ram after 177,000 miles and 10 years:

I had a horrible musty smell from it and the crap that accumilated on it must have damaged it and caused it to leak refrigerant. This accumilation was caused because my Ram has no cabin air filters(it does now), but your 4Runner does, so the musty smell and accumilation will be avoided.

 

[810moto]

so am i reading all this correct when everyone is saying to use tranny fluid in the PS system? why not "normal" ps fluid. is there a meaning to the madness?

 

[ellsworb]

Atf

Further, I flushed my tranny a couple weeks ago with AmSoil low viscosity ATF. Would that be sufficient to use in my PS?

Thanks

 

[rbdhd]

Should I use the same fluid for a gen 3 1999 4 Runner with a v6?

dhd

 

[00328]

Super easy DIY:
1) Go to Home Depot, Lowes etc and buy a 3 feet of the thinnest vinyl tubing the have.
2) Remove power steering cap and stick hose down in. Follow the exact path of the dipstick as it'll go even deeper.
3) Start a syphon into an empty soda/water bottle which you've placed low in the engine compartment.
4) Come back in ten or 15min, pull the hose and replenish the reservoir. Repeat once a week (or that day after a drive) for a total of 3 times and you're there!


That doesn't technically flush it but after 3 drain and fills the fluid is fresh and good. It'll cost you the purchase price of the hose and 2 quarts of power steering fluid (you'll have leftover too). Take the old fluid to the autoparts store for recycling. Just to avoid prolonged conversations about nothing with the moron at the autoparts store claim the fluid is oil from the lawn mower


I DIY my oil changes and every 3rd oil change or so I siphon and refill one time. The avg age of the fluid, in theory, can be no more than 45k that way


My 03 4x4's method will absolutely get the job done too...

This seems reallly easy to do. Do you worry about getting air in the system doing it this way?

 

[Mabuse]

I've used CJ3Flyr method three times now. I did a change like he described and it worked great. Very easy. 5,000 miles later I started to feel a little...it's hard to describe...a little roughness in the steering, especially out at the ends, you know when I'm really far over left or far over right. So I changed the fluid again, and the roughness went away.

It came back again 5,000 miles later, I changed the fluid, it went away. It's 5,000 miles again and it's doing it again. I'm about to change it again.

Could air in the system be the cause of this?

 

[Medvedko]

I used this method and it worked great-http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19334

Toyota must use similar PS reservoirs in their models. Don't turn on your engine when you use this technique, make sure you turn the key to position 1 so you can turn the wheel only. Mobil 1 has a universal synthetic ATF that meets all the specs, DEX III, IV etc...has worked great for us.