[Rollingstone]

Hi folks,

I'm finally, this weekend, gonna get round to changing/flushing out my power steering fluid reservoir and replacing it with fresh liquid. I've put if off till now because of the cold weather we've been having for the past 12 weeks. []

Sorry for the long post, but I'm seeking clarification on the following issues:

1. http://mbdieseldiy.tripod.com/ps.htm

This is a great guide to the process. But the idea of cranking the steering-wheel is not mentioned in the guide. Can cranking the wheel be omitted? Does it matter? i.e. does it affect the efficiency of the fluid change? (I read from another link, somewhere last year, that getting someone to turn the wheel, lock to lock, is important during the process.)

Please enlighten me as to the reason why the steering wheel needs to be turned.

2. If steering-wheel turning is vital, should the wheel be turned also when one first drains the reservoir of the old stuff by getting one's assistant to start the car?

3. Is it more effective to drain the p/s reservoir by putting the hose into a catch-container? Or is it more effective to suck it out from the reservoir with some suction tool? (Like I've seen them doing when they last changed my 126's brake fluid at the dealership?)

4. Is it more effective to fill the reservoir first with p/s fluid, and then afterwards get someone to start the car to start the flush? Or is it more effective to synchronize it so that the flush and car-start happen at the same time, so that the liquid fills the reservoir quickly and is "pumped" out at the same time?

5. Should the filter be removed and replaced with a new one immediately after the initial drain of the old p/s fluid? Or only when the full flush is complete and the final amount of fresh p/s fluid is poured into the reservoir up to the level-point?

These are somewhat pedantic questions, yes, [:I] but I just want to be sure that I'm not making errors in the process. For example, http://mbdieseldiy.tripod.com/ps.htm states that the filter should be changed at the beginning of the process, whereas another guide last year advised that the filter should be changed only towards the end of the process. Also, as stated earlier, the link above doesn't mention turning of the wheel.

Guidance as to the proper procedures will be greatly appreciated.

Spring regards to all!

-- RS [8D]

 

[H-TownBenzoboy]

Here's my PS fluid and filter change procedure, step by step, and with photos.
http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/PsFluidFlush

 

[Rollingstone]

H-TownBenzoboy - 4/5/2006 3:44 AM

Here's my PS fluid and filter change procedure, step by step, and with photos.
http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/PsFluidFlush

Hi H-Town,

Many thanks for the pictorial. I have one question though. I had planned on flushing my p/s fluid reservoir earlier today, but came across a hiccup in the process. After I unclamped the return hose (with the catch-container at the ready), I had thought, not knowing all about the process, that the old liquid would drain out from the hose into my container. In fact, only a little dripped out.

Isn't it so, therefore, that one has to drain the old stuff out first, by starting the engine, which activates the drain from the reservoir --> to the hose --> thereon to the container? And that after that, as you've pictorialized in step 5, one starts the engine again and then begin the "pour through" process?

Please, also, anybody, for my education, let me know why the steering-wheel turning is important in the flush process.

-- RS [8)]