Old wive's tale or true

[70NPORT]

Transmission fluid can be used in power steering system in older cars also. I've heard this pop up every now and then. My wife's car uses transmission fluid in its power steering system directly, but it's an import. Old wives tale, BS?

 

[polara71]

True...

 

[polara66hardtop]

no old wives tale here. All mine have transmission fluid in them,(65-77 models) even the 2001 Neon.

 

[Samplingman]

Honda was the only POS I ever had the displeasure of owning that had their own special PS fluid.

 

[polara71]

Shame on you

 

[Samplingman]

Shame on you

Never "Owned" them directly, one was my wife's car the other my son's, but of course I took care of them.:chain saw:

 

[70NPORT]

Power steering fluid: the great conspiracy.

 

[commando1]

True.
I use ATF.
And when it leaks, I use ATF Sealer...
Yes, my bad. But I do it anyway....

 

[Big_John]

Here ya go... From Chrysler themselves. Page 11 (13 of the PDF).

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/mtsc/275.pdf

It's been my experience that every pump that I've encountered that leaks has ATF in it.

ATF has other additives in it to promote friction with the clutches. Bill Hancock (Chrysler's auto trans engineer) explained some of the additives to me once. He called them "friction modifiers" and also told me that Type F fluid had more friction additive and that's why it shifted harder in a Torqueflite, but I digress.

I just looked up the cost of ATF v. the cost of PSF and it's pretty much the same price to run the correct fluid.. in fact it may even be cheaper... so why would you use ATF?

 

[Samplingman]

I just looked up the cost of ATF v. the cost of PSF and it's pretty much the same price to run the correct fluid.. in fact it may even be cheaper... so why would you use ATF?

Mostly convenience. I always had a quart of ATF around to fill up the leaky automatics.

 

[70NPORT]

Same here. I've got a couple jugs of ATF just sitting around. Damned if I'm buying any more PSF.

 

[Joe Sportone]

I used trans fluid in my power steering pump on my '66 Monaco. I was a stupid kid... But... It worked. If I had it to do over again, though, I wouldn't have taken the chance.

why not just use the right fluid for the job. Surely there is some difference? Or maybe I am a lemming....

 

[polara71]

mostly convenience. I always had a quart of atf around to fill up the leaky automatics.

bingo!!

 

[Yatzee]

Transmission fluid is basically just hydraulic fluid but not all hydraulic fluids are the same. Their additives define their properties and application. Red was the popular color so owners could readily see any leaks and attend to problems before it became a serious issue with transmission replacement/rebuild or loss of steering. Today's modern fluids foam less, handle heat better and flow more easily in cold climates. Always use what the manufacturer specs or better because seals on pumps and gear boxes do not do well with some of the newer fluids meant primarily for "rack and pinion" systems and pumps that run the higher pressures.

 

[polara66hardtop]

very true, you can't add P.S. fluid to a transmission! HA HA

 

[Wildaugust]

It's true that you can use Transmission Fluid in most of them. Some of them actually call for it. My '70 Mercury actually says right on the P/S dipstick to use Type F ATF in the power steering system. My 2005 Chrysler Sebring says to use ATF+4 in the P/S system.

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

True.
I use ATF.
And when it leaks, I use ATF Sealer...
Yes, my bad. But I do it anyway....

Brake fluid can be used as a rubber oil seal leak preventer in the older car PS system. It will slightly swell the seals. I used it once with my Imperial as a emergency. It worked and got me home.

 

[furyfinn]

I got my first C in 1989.

I heard of PSF in 2009 IIRC...

Still using ATF.

 

[65 500]

Here ya go... From Chrysler themselves. Page 11 (13 of the PDF).

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/mtsc/275.pdf

It's been my experience that every pump that I've encountered that leaks has ATF in it.

ATF has other additives in it to promote friction with the clutches. Bill Hancock (Chrysler's auto trans engineer) explained some of the additives to me once. He called them "friction modifiers" and also told me that Type F fluid had more friction additive and that's why it shifted harder in a Torqueflite, but I digress.

I just looked up the cost of ATF v. the cost of PSF and it's pretty much the same price to run the correct fluid.. in fact it may even be cheaper... so why would you use ATF?

I don't know about you guys, but I like my power steering to shift hard.

 

[ceebuddy]

Most Euro cars' power steering systems are designed to use ATF. At least that's what I grew up with. So hearing about a special power steering fluid was learning a new thing for me back then.

If you ever tried to replace the shaft seal on a Federal type power steering pump, the extra mile to walk for PSF seems a small price to pay. I once had a leaking power steering pump and there was ATF in it, so that - and Chrysler Corp's instructions - sold me on PSF.