Hi.

I got some "grinding" noise when turning even a little bit, so i looked under the hood and found that power steering fluid is near MIN.
Not below but little above MIN mark. I checked with cold engine.

But how i figure out what's inside there? ATF or special power steering fluid?
The guy in the parts store told me that the red and green fluids should never be mixed with each other.

But if the fluid is brown? Im not sure if it's brown, i looked this with white rag and with my mobile flashlight (which could change color) at dark night outside.

I will have to look again which color it has actually.
I know i should replace the fluid completely, but it's too cold outside and too much snow to do anything.

So i need temporarly fill it up.
But what should i pick? ATF fluid or special PSF?

Will this cause some bubbles in system? The guy in shop told me that mixing different fluids could cause this and it would be bad. So he said that i should find out exactly what the car factory recommends and what color the current fluid in system has.

So now i looked into my fat red factory service manual book and it recommends: MOPAR ATF PLUS (type 7176) / Automatic Transmission Fluid "DEXRON II"

I saw DexronII in store, he recommended me this for first time but that wasn't a ATF oil but power steering fluid.

Should i pick it?

 

I bought Dexron II, added it but there is still significant "grinding" noise when turning. Adding fluid didn't change anything.

Noise is even louder if i turn to the right. There is a little of it when turning left.


What could cause that? "Dead" tie rod ends? I have them in pretty bad shape.
I have new ones also but i can't change them atm.

 

No-one knows the cause of the noise?
Let me explain:

When i just drive straight and my steering wheel is centered i don't have any significant noise, if i just even a little bit turn my wheel to the right the sound appears, when i turn steering wheel back to center, noise disappears.

There is no noise when turning left.

Any ideas what should i look at? I know one thing for sure, tie rod ends are in very bad shape. I already bought them and will change, but this noise couldn't be because of tie rod ends or could?

If needed i would even try to record that noise.
I just want to figure out what it is.


Maybe i didn't notice that power steering fluid was low in the right time and it screwed the pump, but again the question, why is strong noise only when turning right?
And disappears as soon as steering wheel is centered again.

 

Noise is near impossible to diagnose over the net ....
What you describe as a grinding noise is WAY to general '

I'd check the CV joints and axles first to see if these are worn causing the noise when turned
Also check tthe lateral control arms.

Also check WHY you lost fluid , Leaks? Cracked Rack assembly ? bad hoses?

 

I don't know why i lost it.
One day after i was getting home from work and before leaving i opened the hood. Looked near the NON drivers side cooling ventilator and saw that there is some fluid on the ground, i think that was power steering fluid. The roads are in pretty bad shape on winter here, all the hard ice etc. Im not surprised if broke something when i drove over some of the high hard ice pieces on the road.
It was ok before the winter. Nothing leaked. And no sounds.

I will check the things you mentioned. But actually without looking i can tell that they are worn out. I know that. Seems like the "pre-previous" (the owner before the girl who sold it to me) owner didn't do anything for maintaining.

In the last summer i looked into the bushings and stuff, they looked terrible.
Everywhere.

But i didn't know that lateral arms or something like these can cause sound. The left cv axle could be bad, because i had to open the drivers side one in last summer, because i was unable to change brake parts because of one rusted bolt. And maybe the grease is gone from axle, i don't know.
I wouldn't drive the damn car if we could get warmer weather here already. But the cold doesn't want to go away. It's april soon.
I would just drive the car to my second house and i would start changing parts (I love to do things by my own) and for work i would use public transportation.

The woman at car parts store for US cars told me that i shouldn't drive this car at all until all is replaced that needs to be replaced. Shes right, but what i can do!

 

Left Side: MR325009 AWD (same as 2wd)
Right Side: MR325010 AWD (same as 2wd)
order these from the mitsubishi dealer it's both arms and knuckle

I got them for $78 from mitsubishi parts online

 

Thank you bad_venge!