Changing Steering Fluid On S2 Stagea Rs4 ?

[QLDR31]

Anyone got some tips and pics on changing the steering fluid on a S2 RS4 stagea ?

The old fluids getting a bit blackish.

It only has front wheel steering.

I haven't had a look at it yet. Do they have a drain plug or you need to take off a hose?

Thanks in advance

Brendan

[Daleo]

You could start by syringing the reservoir empty, refill with clean fluid, remove return line at reservoir, (usually on the side, bottom one is feed line to rack) fit return line into the top of a coke bottle or similar fluid receptacle, remove fuel pump fuse (stops engine from starting, needed for next step) get someone to crank engine as you add fluid to reservoir to replace fluid flowing into bottle from return line. Continue until you are getting fresh fluid from return line, (I'd have at least a litre or two to ensure you get it all out) Reinstall fuse and return line, check for leaks whilst running; Done!

Good luck!

[QLDR31]

Thanks Daleo

Sounds like the way to do it.

I didn't realise the fluid pumped around by cranking the engine. I thought it was just when you use the steerring wheel.

Why do you need to remove the fuse and not have the engine running? too much fluid presure ?

[Stinky Rooster]

...because the power steering pump runs off the engine, and if you bring the pump up to speed with no pressure in the lines, you may cause the fluid to cavitate, turn into foamy smoo and and make the job 100 times harder. Cranking speed "should" be fine, but if it starts coming out all foamy then shut it down, as you run the risk of this foamy smoo getting into the steering ram and it can then take a couple of days for all the air to bleed out.

Another thing - as the power steering system is a self bleeding set up, its pretty important you do all the flushing with the front wheels in the air. The best way to bleed the air out as much as possible before driving, is wind some lock on and off. And if there is any air in there, you really dont want the tyres fighting the system when its got pockets of air and no oil around the ram.

[QLDR31]

Good tips.

I might have a crack at it now

[Daleo]

...because the power steering pump runs off the engine, and if you bring the pump up to speed with no pressure in the lines, you may cause the fluid to cavitate, turn into foamy smoo and and make the job 100 times harder. Cranking speed "should" be fine, but if it starts coming out all foamy then shut it down, as you run the risk of this foamy smoo getting into the steering ram and it can then take a couple of days for all the air to bleed out.

Another thing - as the power steering system is a self bleeding set up, its pretty important you do all the flushing with the front wheels in the air. The best way to bleed the air out as much as possible before driving, is wind some lock on and off. And if there is any air in there, you really dont want the tyres fighting the system when its got pockets of air and no oil around the ram.

Foamy smoo, lol, can't believe nobody spotted that one. You guys have changed...

[QLDR31]

I finally got around to doing it the other day.

I used about 2L of fluid flushing it through. I ended up using Nissan Auto Transmission Fluid at $12 a Litre.

Only problem I had was catching the old stuff, I thought I was catching it pretty well, but ended up finding heaps on the ground.

Next up is new rotors and a diff fluid flush.

Edited November 1, 2009 by QLDR31

[kidafa]

So did you do it as recommended? Fuel pump fuse out ect...?

[pyro-ns]

well there wasn't any mention of foamy smoo.....

[QLDR31]

So did you do it as recommended? Fuel pump fuse out ect...?

Yeah I followed instructions. I also added a few of my own. Cranked the engine a few times to get rid of fuel before taking the pipe off the steering tank (The pipe I removed was the rear most pipe). I also temporarily added another pipe to the tank so fluid didn't leak. I also had a few rags around to soak up the mess.

I think I made a bit of a mess because my bottle was a bit dodgie, and I didn't have a helper to catch fluid while cranking.

well there wasn't any mention of foamy smoo.....

It tried hard to smoo but all it could do was a few bubbles.

[66yostagea]

Mine is due for a change and I bought a bicycle pump to use as a syringe to suck the old fluid out. $2 at Crazy Clarks.

[QLDR31]

Mine is due for a change and I bought a bicycle pump to use as a syringe to suck the old fluid out. $2 at Crazy Clarks.

How did the bike pump go? I thought they only blew and didn't suck.

[Daleo]

How did the bike pump go? I thought they only blew and didn't suck.

The pump will do either, there is normally a little check valve in the flexible hose on a cheap bike pump that stop you losing the air you pump in.

[QLDR31]

Mines due again, Steering fluid is browning up.

Might see if i can get a blocker for the reservoir return this time.

At least my son is old enough to do the cranking job.

I was thinking it might be nice to add a T tap on the return to make future flushes easier. Anyone tried something like that? Probably too much hassle.