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Wanna-be Car Girl here. My c55 has been making a groaning noise when turning now that it's cold in the mornings. Goes away once car warms up enough. Been searching the forum and checked the power steering fluid level and it appears low.
I know I need the Pentosin CHF 11S and ordered from amazon
Could use some help with some possibly dumb questions:
1. Where and how should I check for a leak?
2. Is there some way to tell if I need to just add some or need a full fluid flush/replacement?
3. If I'm topping off, how do I be sure to add just the right amount?
Any other tips? Nothing is too minute as I pretty much just today figured out I could even *check* the power steering fluid myself. LOL
If you don't know the last time you changed it, probably a good idea to replace it all.
The cap should have a little stick on it with Min/Max lines.
If any of the lines were leaking, you'd know... burning PS fluid is awful. You could have a slow leak on the reservoir (seeping, underside is 'wet'); they're cheap (like $20 cheap) if you're looking for peace of mind.
Hi there, I think I remember this screen name. Didn't we ask for a pic or something?
1) Look behind the pump to where the hoses go into the steering rack (aluminum). Look all around...
2) Good question, someone else can answer
3) Look at the stick that has two ranges, one for hot and one for cold. Whichever you pick, your level needs to be there.
For me, I topped it off a few years ago because it was low. No leaks or anything, or at least I couldn't find them. I'll probably do a flush here one of these days, the fluid must be just plain old.
Didn't we ask for a pic or something?
Don't forget the pic.
Way to make one of the only women on the board feel comfortable.
1. Where and how should I check for a leak?
I would start at the pump and follow the lines back to see if you can find any fluid.
2. Is there some way to tell if I need to just add some or need a full fluid flush/replacement
I agree with RenC55AMG if you don't know the last time it was replaced I would just change it. The can you bought from amazon will likely be more than enough.
3. If I'm topping off, how do I be sure to add just the right amount?
Just be sure that when you check it it is above the min line.
I don't know when it was changed last since I've only had the car about 16 months. My mechanic hadn't mentioned it and he gave me a big list in the beginning of when stuff should be changed and flushed so it wasn't on my radar. Although he did tell me only to use Pentosin when we went over the car in my teach-me-about-what-I-just-bought meeting.
Is it something I can do myself though? I've seen reference to just using a turkey baster to pull out the old fluid--is that really the right way to do it?
I'll update y'all when the fluid arrives from amazon and I get out there to do it.
thanks so much!!
~M
PS the pic comment just makes me laugh, btw, I take no offense. I've been around the internets long enough...and Viper has been super helpful to me. I'm sure imagination is better than reality, though, as I totally picture a centerfold girl leaning on my gorgeous C55!!
Oh wait, and I did successfully change out my headlight ballast thanks to y'all and this forum--my first DIY, although I admit that I chickened out and never swapped them because I was intimidated by taking apart the front end to get to the driver's side one. I was lucky that the passenger side is the one that failed. So here's a pic for you. No lie, I was still straight up this dirty afterwards:
As a general rule of thumb baselining a used car when you purchase it is always good so you have a frame of reference as to when the maintenance was done and youll know what your maintenance intervals would be and youll become familiar with the car. Baselining is basically just changing all your filters and fluids(plugs and wires are always good to do too). And examining known problem areas of the specific make and model of the car you purchased. Air five for being a diyer or atleast doing what you feel comfortable and have the time to do.
I am currently in the process of doing the "lazy" way of changing my power steering fluid. Jacking up the car in my condo parkade is a bit annoying to do for a full drain of the system.
I am in fact using a turkey baster. Basically I take out as much as I can from the reservoir with the baster, then pour in new fluid and top it back off.
I am doing this every few 100 km's of driving so that it has a chance to work it's way all through the system. Every time I have emptied the reservoir, what I take out is getting less and less dark brown.
This method will take more overall fluid than the conventional, lift, drain, and re-fill mind you.
Yea, I have a much stronger Annoyed Mom look than I have a Hot Centerfold look. A pic would surely disappoint!
BUT Y'ALL!!! I pulled all the fluid out of the reservoir and oh my gosh, it was gross. dark brown, almost black. I wasn't brave enough to jack the car and drain it all properly but hopefully just changing what I did will help a lot.
I could not get my turkey baster deep enough, so I used a syrup pump which worked quite well.
I drove the car and it seems much improved but of course, Mother Nature isn't cooperating and it's warm today so the true test will be once them temps drop this weekend. I am not 100% sure I have enough in there so I'll probably be OCD about it and check it cold and warm over and over in the next few days.
Below is a pic of the syrup pump. I recommend it over the baster!
I had this issue as well and changing the fluid helped with the noise, but the steering has gradually stiffened. I'm going to try to rebuild the pump to see if it improves the steering.
01-04-2016, 06:44 PM
