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Power Steering Fluid #1618152
05/09/14 01:51 PM
05/09/14 01:51 PM
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Athens, Greece
Pyper70 Offline OP
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I have a bottle of the good old fashion Chrysler Steering fluid from the 90s but I reserve it for my own vehicle.

Moving on to address the slop in the steering on this 72 RR, I am replacing the steering box with a freshly rebuilt one from Firm Feel. The local shop brings fluids and additives from the States and he has Castrol GT Power Steering fluid. Looking on their website I can't read anything about the product. Will this stuff work or is nothing more than ATF fluid in a fancy bottle?


Family owned 1969 Charger R/T DualQuad 440/727/GVO/3.55s
Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: Pyper70] #1618153
05/09/14 03:13 PM
05/09/14 03:13 PM
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Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
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Any power steering fluid will work. Be warned that power steering fluid is a much different fluid than ATF. You don't need any high dollar brand. Don't use ATF it wasn't made to be used for steering fluid.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: stumpy] #1618154
05/09/14 05:23 PM
05/09/14 05:23 PM
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new york usa
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pattyboy 572 Offline
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can not compare the lubrication properties of trans fluid to power steering...not the same properties... use power steering fluid

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: Pyper70] #1618155
05/09/14 07:37 PM
05/09/14 07:37 PM
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Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
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http://www.valvoline.com/products/consum...ission-fluid/34

"Other applications include air compressors, general purpose hydraulics and power steering system"


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Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: John_Kunkel] #1618156
05/09/14 08:24 PM
05/09/14 08:24 PM
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Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
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It could be used for power steering but not what is recommended by Mopar or anyone else. I also bet firm feel would not warranty any part failures if you told them that is what you used in the system.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: stumpy] #1618157
05/09/14 08:27 PM
05/09/14 08:27 PM
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ahy Offline
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Originally ATF was recommended. Old ATF formulas like Dexron and Type F worked OK as PS fluid. Newer formulas maybe not so much. I would run the PS fluid personally.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: stumpy] #1618158
05/10/14 08:39 PM
05/10/14 08:39 PM
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Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
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Quote:

It could be used for power steering but not what is recommended by Mopar or anyone else.




A great many threads on this forum are devoted to circumventing what the factory recommends.

Every time this subject is broached the comments are predictable...."don't do it", "it's not formulated the same" but nobody has ever provided proof of damage that can be 100% attributed to using ATF.


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Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: John_Kunkel] #1618159
05/10/14 10:48 PM
05/10/14 10:48 PM
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Blair County,PA
62maxwgn Offline
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Quote:

Quote:

It could be used for power steering but not what is recommended by Mopar or anyone else.




A great many threads on this forum are devoted to circumventing what the factory recommends.

Every time this subject is broached the comments are predictable...."don't do it", "it's not formulated the same" but nobody has ever provided proof of damage that can be 100% attributed to using ATF.




John,the only fact that I can attest to is that about 30 yrs ago I put ATF in a new pump on a 65 Monaco.One year later the ATF was almost black and you could get a black film on you finger just by wiping it on the inside of the reservoir.I cleaned everything,put in power steering fluid and and the color never changed after that.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: 62maxwgn] #1618160
05/10/14 11:02 PM
05/10/14 11:02 PM
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Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
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I'm no engineer but when all the automotive manufacturers call for power steering fluid and not ATf there must be a good reason. I do know that ATF is thinner than power steering fluid which tells me it lubes better when hot and for a longer time.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: stumpy] #1618161
05/11/14 11:09 AM
05/11/14 11:09 AM
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North Carolina
cjskotni Offline
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Quote:

I'm no engineer but when all the automotive manufacturers call for power steering fluid and not ATf there must be a good reason. I do know that ATF is thinner than power steering fluid which tells me it lubes better when hot and for a longer time.




I don't get why people even want to run non-recommended fluids here. Am I missing something where ATF is a fraction of the price of power steering fluid or something?? Maybe it's the 'cool' thing to do?

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: cjskotni] #1618162
05/11/14 11:29 AM
05/11/14 11:29 AM
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North Dakota
6PakBee Offline
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I can only post what the FSM says.


"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: stumpy] #1618163
05/11/14 03:18 PM
05/11/14 03:18 PM
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Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
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Quote:

I'm no engineer but when all the automotive manufacturers call for power steering fluid and not ATf there must be a good reason.




OK, let's look at the reality; when the change was made from Type "A" ATF to dedicated P/S fluid, neither the steering box nor the pump changed in design, in fact, many parts in both remained unchanged until the end of production (even same P/N).

For many years you would go to your LAS and find P/S fluid designated (by automotive engineers) for certain brands only but nowadays you find "one size fits all" P/S fluid that is suitable for all makes.

Perhaps I tend to over-simplify things but this tells me it doesn't make a hill-a-sh*t difference what you use. Anecdotal experiences of failures without lab tests mean nothing that's why I stated "nobody here has ever provided proof of damage that can be 100% attributed to using ATF.".

Why deviate from the recommended fluid? To keep from having to stock dozens of different fluids when one will do the job of many.


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Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: John_Kunkel] #1618164
05/11/14 04:35 PM
05/11/14 04:35 PM
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Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
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I would think the changes to the seals composition over the years would have something to do with the need to use the correct fluid. I'll bet you only have one weight oil for all your cars also. A sledge hammer will do the job of a tack hammer but that doesn't mean it you should use it to hang pictures.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: stumpy] #1618165
05/11/14 05:53 PM
05/11/14 05:53 PM
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Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
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Seal compatibility is another often cited myth, look at the P/N of seals/O rings in late seventies boxes and you'll see numbers like 15xxxxx or 17xxxxx that date back to the Type "A" days.


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Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: John_Kunkel] #1618166
05/11/14 06:23 PM
05/11/14 06:23 PM
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Posts: 5,888
Athens, Greece
Pyper70 Offline OP
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I didn't mean to cause such a stir with this...I just don't have the luxury of ordering from Summit because they won't ship the fluid internationally.

I am going to call Firm Feel tomorrow and ask them if they think the Castrol is sufficient for the job at hand.


Family owned 1969 Charger R/T DualQuad 440/727/GVO/3.55s
Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: John_Kunkel] #1618167
05/11/14 06:37 PM
05/11/14 06:37 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
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Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
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Quote:


Seal compatibility is another often cited myth, look at the P/N of seals/O rings in late seventies boxes and you'll see numbers like 15xxxxx or 17xxxxx that date back to the Type "A" days.




Just because the part number is the same doesn't mean the rubber is the same. BTW did you look at the FSM page above where it says NOT to use type A trans fluid?

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: Pyper70] #1618168
05/11/14 06:42 PM
05/11/14 06:42 PM
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snuggles Offline
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I have nothing proven to add. I did however put atf in a ps system after an engine swap. After the atf the pump leaked a lot. Would I do it again? not a chance. Scientific? not at all.Wrong conclusion? possible.

Anybody know what the seals are made of? It could be looked up in an o-ring handbook to see if they are good for both fluids. I do know I would never put ps fluid in a trans. Beyond that who knows.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: Pyper70] #1618169
05/11/14 10:42 PM
05/11/14 10:42 PM
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NC
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1970A66 Offline
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Dick at FF told me to "use any quality PS fluid" in the stage II box I bought from him. I took that to mean a reputable brand.

Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: 1970A66] #1618170
05/12/14 03:12 PM
05/12/14 03:12 PM
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Athens, Greece
Pyper70 Offline OP
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I just got off the phone with Dick at FF and he said the Castrol is fine. Just in case anyone looks through a search later on and finds this thread.

Now I am off to paint the gearbox all nice and purty


Family owned 1969 Charger R/T DualQuad 440/727/GVO/3.55s
Re: Power Steering Fluid [Re: stumpy] #1618171
05/12/14 05:06 PM
05/12/14 05:06 PM
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Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
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Quote:

Just because the part number is the same doesn't mean the rubber is the same.




If the part changed the part number would change.


Quote:

BTW did you look at the FSM page above where it says NOT to use type A trans fluid?




Did you read my comment about circumventing the factory recommendations?


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