I've never done it before but I think that it was either done incorrectly or not at all by the people I paid to do it. I know I made a thread about this about a month ago but I'm just gonna go ahead and do it tomorrow. Let me outline the steps and you guys tell me if I got this correct.

1) Disconnect the two hoses that come from the cooler (which is in front of my radiator). One comes from the PS reservoir and the other goes from the pump itself but they both come out of the cooler in the front
2) Let the fluid drain into a bucket until it stops
3) "Bump the starter" so that even more fluid drains
4) Reconnect the hoses and fill fluid
5) start truck and turn steering wheel left to right a few times
6) Check fluid level again and fill to proper level.

A few questions: Are these steps correct? Is it required that I lift the truck so that the front tires aren't on the ground? Can someone recommend a good ATF+4 for the PS aside from mopar? I cant find that stuff around here, anywhere.

 

disconect the pump line let it go into a bucket run it till it stops flowing hook it up and rfill

 

It will be easier to turn if the front wheels are off the ground but not necessary.

Yout could also unhook the belt and turn the PS pump by hand.

http://www.centerforqa.com/licensedatf4brands.html

Any of those fluids meet the requirements and will work just fine.

 

So I go into the autozone and head for the ATF+4 fluid. I noticed that they all said "Synthetic". I picked one up and headed for one of the people working there and asked if it were okay to use synthetic ATF+4 in the power steering system. For one thing, the man got smart with me, and then said that "Transmission fluid in the power steering system??!! You don't put transmission fluid in the power steering". Anyway, should it be non-synthetic that I put in the PS system?

 

Haha, shows the quality of help at that store. All ATF+4 is synthetic so your good to go. Dodges put ATF+4 in all their PS. It says so in the manual. It cought me off guard the first time i heard about it to, but if you look into it ATF is a far better choice. Mopar, mitsubishi and a few other brands all use ATF. I would bring your manual in to show that guy so that he doesnt tell someone else the same.

 

Just to reinforce what has already been said....

ATF+4 is synthetic. Their is no such thing as conventional (or NON Synthetic) ATF+4. Unlike motor oil where the rating is simply the viscosity of the oil and it can be conventional, synthetic or a combination as well as having a certain blend of additives. ATF+4 is an actual spec. No matter what brand you buy, it's all identical.

And yes, it is what Dodge specs for their power steering system and transfer case on some trucks as well. Never assume that because someone works in an auto parts store that they must know all about what you need for your vehicles.

As for doing the fluid change, the method i was told was to have two quarts opened and ready to go, then pull the hose that goes from the pump TO the cooler and direct towards a bucket under the truck. Start the truck and feed in the two additional quarts as needed so the pump does not run dry. Once both quarts are in, shut off the truck, reconnect the hose and top off the fluid. If you do this method properly their should not be any need to bleed air from the system.

Another method is to simply use a suction gun to suck the fluid out of the reservoir (with the truck OFF) and then refill it. Then re-start it each time. Do this 3 times and the system should be all new (i have been told).

 

Thanks, bought the stuff tonight, will do this tomorrow. Can you guys tell me if this stuff looks fine to use?



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Its ATF4 so I dont see the problem.

 

Thanks. I'm sorta thinking they didn't do(the people I paid) it, I'm not sure. While the fluid currently in the system isn't brown or black, it's really thin and smells "electric" and burned. Wish me luck! I'm a little nervous but it can't be too bad.

 

So I began doing this today, started by removing the clamps on the hoses to the cooler. Then I came into my problem... I CAN"T GET THE HOSES OFF THE COOLER! They won't come off... How can I get them off?