power steering fluid

[dingle]

I've done some looking around here and looked at the owners manual and can't find what i'm looking for. I looked at my power steering fluid is alittle low and I wanted to top it off and was wondering what kind of fluid to use. I know some cars use atf and my Hondas all use Honda power steering fluid. But I've never added any to this before and don't want to destroy any seals. Did that in my old f150.
Thanks for the help..

 

[meerschm]

Power Steering
System
GM Power Steering Fluid (GM Part
No. U.S. 89021184, in Canada
89021186)

copied from the owners manual

I have been using some Prestone power steering fluid (without stop leak) from a local store, have pulled fluid from the reservoir, refilled, drove a while and repeat poor mans fluid change, needed after nine years.

the 32 ounce bottle fills the reservoir twice for how much I can pull out.

 

[dingle]

Thanks. I just wasn't sure I'd I should use transmission fluid or not. I will probably do that way of exchanging fluid. I'm not about to go thru all the pain to remove lines and all that.

 

[deekster_caddy]

Definitely don't use transmission fluid. These are not the power steerings systems of the 60's and 70's where you could get away with that. If you have a vacuum pump (mity vac etc) suctioning out the reservoir and refilling with new fluid at each oil change is a great way to keep the PS system like new.

I had to flush the entire system on my suburban once (different vehicle, i know) - I disconnected the return line and pointed it into a bucket, then kept turning lock to lock until the reservoir was drained, and just kept topping off the reservoir, until I had clear fluid running into the bucket. On my newer GM cars I prefer the suction-out reservoir at each oil change method.

 

[Hypnotoad]

Definitely don't use transmission fluid. These are not the power steerings systems of the 60's and 70's where you could get away with that. If you have a vacuum pump (mity vac etc) suctioning out the reservoir and refilling with new fluid at each oil change is a great way to keep the PS system like new.

It wasn't so long ago that cars took ATF for the power steering. My 91 and 93 Ford Taurus SHO both take type F according to the service manual.