Drove the truck over 100miles today, hasn’t done any kind of distance in awhile.  After about 30 miles, started to feel gravelly pedals, both brake and clutch felt weird, when pressed felt gravelly under my feet.  Braking seemed a little weak too and power steering more intermittent than normal.  At about mile 40 had to brake hard compared to normal braking and the truck pulled left...  not sure where to start my chase, any thoughts?

2 hours ago, dripley said:

Mine is the opposite, While sees some colder weather depending on where I am working, it seldom gets changed except for siphoning the reservoir out and adding new fluid. but I seem to be the exception to the rule.

 

as soon as it drops to 35-40 out it foams and humms through the wheel. like clockwork!

Is there degradation in ps fluid?  Or does it retain moisture?  If I make it easy to flush and swap I will definitely do it more to keep everything alive that much longer.

Yes, powersteering fluid degrades with use over time but there is no drain and refill interval mentioned in the maintenance guide so the interval is of your choosing.  Power steering fluid is a hydraulic fluid much like transmission fluid and is not hydroscopic.  It is so much like transmission fluid that the 3ed gen RAM uses the type+4 transmission fluid in the powersteering system.  

 

Note:  There is an interval for changing engine oil, engine coolant, front and rear differential gear oil, automatic transmission fluid,  and transfer case lube, but none for manual transmission or powersteering fluid. 

 

 

30k for power steering fluid, and brake fluid.

 

Manual transmission is considered life long fluid. I was changing every 100k miles now with 50 SAE changing at 50k miles. 

BMW says (life long) that about the trans fluid in my 335i too, but boy did it change for the better when I did a fluid change on it....  Planned obsolescence my friends..   I was reading about a W124 Mercedes diesel taxi cab the other night that the engine went its first 1,000,000 miles on fluid and filter changes.  

 

https://allaboutdieselz.blogspot.com/2016/04/34-million-km-mercedes-benz-w124.html

6 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

30k for power steering fluid, and brake fluid.

30k , or 24 months for brake fluid because it is hydroscopic, is a good interval for these fluids but the Chrysler Corp didn't think to mention this in either the factory service manual or the owners manual. 

1 hour ago, IBMobile said:

30k , or 24 months for brake fluid because it is hydroscopic, is a good interval for these fluids but the Chrysler Corp didn't think to mention this in either the factory service manual or the owners manual. 

Thank you, I will set the reminder for 24 months.

2 hours ago, portlandareae28 said:

I will set the reminder for 24 months.

 

Should consider yearly being brake fluid is hydroscopic.

23 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

30k for power steering fluid, and brake fluid.

 

Manual transmission is considered life long fluid. I was changing every 100k miles now with 50 SAE changing at 50k miles. 

What do you use for a flushing fluid for the power steering?

 

Thanks

Michael

8 minutes ago, int3man said:

What do you use for a flushing fluid for the power steering?

 

Thanks

Michael

More power steering fluid. Flush till the return hose runs clear and clean.

O.K.  Thanks!!

So I pulled the power steering pump with the vacuum pump.  I needed to replace a hydraboost to steering box line anyway and I wanted to get a good cleaning in there.  When reinstalling the pump to hydraboost line felt a little strange going in but seemed to smooth out and tighten down.  Fill it with fluid, wheel back and forth a few times, top off, repeat.  Finally feel like it's time to start it.  Fire it up and it is just spraying fluid out of the reservoir around that fitting (pump to hydraboost).  I ordered a new hose for that run (pump to hydraboost). Will be in late today.  Any wisdom/thoughts to share on this?  

All back together, seems to be normal.  Power steering still sucks (this was not a power steering project so I didn’t expect a miracle).  Should the hydra boost lines get hot (metal fittings)?

I think every thing associated with the hydoboost gets hot.

Depend on how hot...

 

Edited June 29, 20195 yr by Mopar1973Man

Mine gets hot enough you cant touch it for long. 

Heat is what breaks down the fluid. This why it need to be changed every 30k miles. Remember the power steering gear box hold a bit more than 1 quart empty. 

Plugged up ports in either hydrobooster or steering gear box will create heat from lack of good flow. 

Excessive requirement for hydro-assist will create heat. Excessive pedal pressure, steering on larger tires, holding the steering at full lock, etc.

 

Hmmm... I guess I'll have to grab my IR temp gun.

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Heat is what breaks down the fluid. This why it need to be changed every 30k miles. Remember the power steering gear box hold a bit more than 1 quart empty. 

Plugged up ports in either hydrobooster or steering gear box will create heat from lack of good flow. 

Excessive requirement for hydro-assist will create heat. Excessive pedal pressure, steering on larger tires, holding the steering at full lock, etc.

 

Hmmm... I guess I'll have to grab my IR temp gun.

Seems we had a good discussion about this a while back and ir was common for it to be to hot hold. But we never concluded how hot is too hot.

Definitely wouldn’t want to hold it for too long.  Steering felt great until I was pulling it out of the car wash bay.  Upon start up, no power steering like normal.  Think I may try clean that little screen today.

6 hours ago, portlandareae28 said:

Definitely wouldn’t want to hold it for too long.  Steering felt great until I was pulling it out of the car wash bay.  Upon start up, no power steering like normal.  Think I may try clean that little screen today.

 

I recommend changing your fluid to this. It stopped my right turn groan noise that I have had forever, this is hot or cold. I also changed out my '91. Also added filters to both trucks.