Power Steering flush idea

So I'm lazy and had this idea to flush the power steering fluid and see no reason why it wouldn't work.
1 suck out the fluid until its lower than the return inlet
2 detach the return inlet and hook that up to a vacuum pump
3 attach a piece of hose to the return inlet and pop the other end in a fresh bottle of fluid
4 turn on the vacuum pump and stop when the fluid being pumped out is sufficiently clean

Anyone see any problems with this? I for sure am just making things more complicated but hey like I said I'm lazy and don't feel like running back and forth turning the wheel and jacking up the truck.

 

You need to work the valves......

Get the front end off the ground. You can turn the wheels lock to lock using one wheel. No need to use the steering wheel. Don't get in a hurry. The fluid will trickle out, but it will come.

I screwed up when I flushed mine. I got the bright idea to start the truck and let it idle while I worked the wheels..........well, the pump quickly emptied the reservoir and my bottle. It ran for a little time without fluid. When the "OH SH1T!!" moment dawned, I shut off the engine. Connected everything back together, filled reservoir, cycled the wheels to purge the air, filled, purged, filled, purged.......eventually was able to button everything up. I have not detected any damage, been running since Oct '20 without any abnormalities.

 

Well that was a short lived idea. Think there would be enough suction by turning the wheel for the bottle on inlet idea? I guess worst case scenario it wouldn't work and I would just have to do manual fill.

 

Honestly it sounds like more work to do it that way haha.

Drain reservoir, unhook return line, cap return nipple, re-direct hose into empty bottle. Turn wheels back and forth while refilling the reservoir with new fluid.

No chance of getting air sucked in and no need for a vac pump

 

Lots of techs use your method.

I find it lazy and ineffective.

ATF/Dex3 PS fluid is a detergent and the pump and rack need to be moving and worked when flushing.

I suck as much old fluid out as possible, get it warm, and keep cycling the reservoir until I've used a liter.

 

I kind of want to do this, but still don’t know what power steering fluid to use... any recommendations without screwing up the system?

 

this

but when its running half the fluid you're sucking out is the clean stuff you just put in. The above way displaces the fluid pretty well IMO

Merc/Dex 3 (auto trans fluid)

 

I actually make it take a long time, heat and time are my secret. I usually suck it out, fill it up, let it run and torque wheels etc.

I actually consider P/S flushes to be unnecessary unless really high miles. Tacomas tend to wear out the rack before the fluid becomes an issue.

 

I am lazy. So I use a gear oil bottle style pump, place in reservoir , pump some out, top off with ATF. I usually do this every oil change , since 90k

 

I found the turkey baster, always leaking back out as i am trying to remove the fluid

 

I had problems with the Turkey baster also so I got one of these on eBay. They work great. Just add about 5” of tubing to the end.

 

Another trick instead of jacking up the front end to make the wheels turn easy. Put a couple of pieces of Cardboard under each front tire, it will eliminate tire friction with the ground so you don’t need to take the weight of the front tires. Even some plastic squares would probably even work better.

 

You're a genius! I've been stealing my wives Turkey baster for years only to get dirty looks and drips everywhere.

 

This is how I have always done it. Really works good!

 

Yeah this is the best way to do it, you just have to jack the front wheels up so you can turn them side to side to pump out all the old fluid, do not start the truck while doing this.

 

The top of your PS reservoir will say what to fill it with. Mine says use ATF fluid. I went with Valvoline MaxLife.