After smelling my power steering fluid and almost throwing up from the horrible smell (2002 4Runner had 63000 miles on it with original PS fluid), I decided to flush the power steering system.

I found that the best way to flush the system was by doing most of the flush with the truck not running, because with the truck running, I found that the fluid comes out way too fast to do a nice controlled flush without running the PS pump dry. Here is the method I used (Stated volumes of fluid are in liters - pretty much the same as quarts anyways.)

Jack the truck up to get front wheels off the ground (raise front and rear to keep truck level.) Start with the front wheels centered. Cover your PS pump drive belt with a rag to keep any fluid spills off the belt (just remember to remove it before starting the truck). Remove PS reservoir cap, and use a Turkey baster with a short piece of rubber tubing attached to it to remove as much old fluid from the PS reservoir as possible (approx 1/4L.) Be careful not to damage the fine mesh filter screen located at the bottom of the reservoir.

Locate the return hose on the PS reservoir (it comes in approximately at the middle [vertically] of the reservoir on the passenger side of the truck, and is held on by a spring clamp.) Disconnect the PS return hose from the reservoir (wrap hose in paper towel when you're removing it from the reservoir to catch any leakage.) Cap the stub that the return hose was connected to on the reservoir (I just used a rubber cap that I had laying aroung the garage that fit snugly on the stub.)

--- See three attached pictures ---

Top up the reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L), and make sure the cap you installed is not leaking. Wrap end of hose in paper towel again to catch leakage, and tip end of hose down. I pulled the end of the hose down as low as I could without kinking the hose, and it went down just past the bottom of the engine, which allowed me to put the end of it into a drain bucket (my drain bucket was a clear plastic ice cream container that I had marked off in 1/2 liter increments to make it easier to see how much fluid was going into it.)

Get somebody else to start the truck (without turning the steering wheel) while you're watching the return hose in the drain bucket. When an additional 1/4L comes out (really quick - only approx 4 or 5 seconds), turn the truck off quickly (new fluid was coming out of hose by then.) Top up reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L.)

With the truck not running, turn the steering wheel to full lock towards passenger's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill driver's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of old fluid will come out of return hose.)

Turn the steering wheel to full lock towards driver's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill passenger's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of old fluid will come out of return hose.) Top up reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L.)

Turn the steering wheel to full lock towards passenger's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill driver's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of mostly new fluid will come out of return hose.)

Turn the steering wheel to full lock towards driver's side and hold it there for a few seconds to allow fluid to fill passenger's side of steering rack (approx 1/8L of mostly new fluid will come out of return hose.)

Ensure that the level in the reservoir is below the level of the return stub (if not, turn steering wheel a bit more to drain more fluid until it is). Remove cap from return stub (wrap it in a paper towel as you remove it because there will be some ATF trapped in the stub), and re-install return hose to reservoir with spring clamp. Top up reservoir with new ATF (approx 1/4L.)

Bleed system by starting car and slowly turning from lock to lock five or six times (hold steering wheel tight against lock for 1 or 2 seconds each time) while somebody watches inside the PS reservoir (air bubbles will come out in reservoir, and reservoir level will fluctuate up and down. When most of the air is out, shut off truck, remove it from the jackstands, and lower it to the ground.

Repeat bleed procedure with wheels on the ground by starting car and slowly turning from lock to lock five or six times (hold steering wheel tight against lock for 1 or 2 seconds each time) while somebody watches inside the PS reservoir (air bubbles may still come out in reservoir, and reservoir level may still fluctuate up and down. When all of the air is out, PS system bleeding is complete.

Shut off truck, re-install PS reservoir cap, and check PS level. Add or remove fluid as necessary. Whole job took approximately 45 minutes, and was quite easy.

 

i was wondering about this. as far as i know this has not been done on mine, but then again i dont when i check the level and its still red

what about using synthetic?

howzit feel after a coupla days?

 

I didn't use synthetic, although it wouldn't be a bad idea, I suppose. I just used Toyota ATF. I'll probably flush it every 30-40 thousand miles.

It's been two days and the steering feels great... although I can't say there was anything wrong with the steering before. It just feels good to get that old fluid out of there. It can't help but make the system last longer.

 

GS,

Thanks for the writeup. i'm going to add this to the tech forum.

Did you by chance take pics to go along w/ this? that would make this writeup
perfect

bob

 

No Bob, I didn't. We were in a rush. I know... that's not an excuse. In any case, we are going to be doing the same to P1Michaud's '99 Tacoma at some point in the next few weeks. If you want to post the link in the Tech section, I'll take pictures when we do his and email them to you.

 

Here is my write up: Get a turkey baister and and remove old fluid, replace with new fluid....

 

Yup. That's a great way to change 25% of your PS fluid.

Question: What do you get when you mix 1 cup of clean fluid with 3 cups of dirty fluid?

Answer: 4 cups of dirty fluid.

 

I've updated the very first post in this thread with pictures.

 

Do it a few times and you will have mostly new fluid and that is good enough IMO. Lets not get to anal on these things....

 

how about if you take off the belt, empty reservoir using a turkey baster and turn the pulley manually to bring out the remaining fluid in the steering rack.

 

You still have to physically turn the steering wheel both ways so that the ports in the steering rotary valve open to feed both sides of the rack. Removing the P.S. belt would just be an extra unnecessary step.

 

Dumb question i thought atf was auto transmission fluid and he said to put it in the power steering resivour?

 

Yes, atf is auto transmission fluid and yes, Toyota uses it in the power steering system...

hupptoy

 

Nice post, too bad you did not take the time to clean up my engine in the pictures you posted!



cheers ,
P

 

how much fluid did u use total? I know it will vary of flushing times, but just aprrox, because I plan on using synthetic, and don't want to buy too little or too much.

Good Job on the right up!

 

You will need a bit more than 1 Liter, so buy two quarts and you will be fine.
Cheers ,
P

 

I just thought I'd update this thread to say that it works the same way to do 2nd gen 4Runners without rack & pinion steering. I didn't bother starting the truck at all to do my '93 4Runner, though.

Right after I refilled the reservoir after having removed the return hose, I just went from lock to lock three times, and by then, new fluid was coming out of the return hose. I did it one more time for good measure, then connected the return hose to the reservoir, topped up the fluid, and bled the system.

 

well wish i looked at this before i did mine even though my procedure was pretty close...it would have been nice to do this effectively. With these kind of procedures, always consider what will happen when you do something (ie turning the wheel could equal fluid everywhere if you're not ready for it).

Take into consideration that you made end with leaks whenever you are flushing a system. new fluid usually means thinner/cleaner fluid that make work it's way through cracks that the old fluid couldn't. I know mine has, but there's typically some sort of stop leak fluid for whatever you're leak is. Make sure these stop leak fluids have worked for people in the past so you're not the guinea pig.

Thanks again for another great write up.

 

great writeup definitely going to be flushing after i put my PS cooler in...will probably do synthetic as well.

 

very helpful writeup thanks

yes I see it is old but still relevant

doubledown if you are still around? did you ever do your power steering fluid cooler?