overfilling the power steering fluid reservoir

[jafero]

I had topped power steering fluid reservoir for a few week and recently I learned that overfilling the reservoir is no no. The steering worked fine without noise. Only thing I was concerned was that control input had some delay.

What could overfilling the power steering fluid reservoir result in?

[drifter808]

OMG....your car's gonna blow up!!

nah, i've done that before and never had any problems. it could cause problems but i haven't faced any.

[Slidin240Wayz]

take some out if you haven't already. The min and max are there for a reason.

[Dream240]

The problem with overfilling is that you will create excessive pressure in the system, which will eventually blow the seals on the rack & pinion. This problem will happen with any fluid based system that doesn't have a vent or overfilled relief of some sort. It's really hard to overfill a manual tranny or rear diff due to the fact that fluid above the fill plug will just pour out.

If you've got it overfilled, then just get a turkey baster and suck some out.

Also you mentioned a lag in the steering response....just a question but did you do some kind of maintenance on your steering system to warrant a fluid refill? If you were just topping of a low system then you might want to look into replacing both return hoses. They are very common for going bad at the clamps and seeping fluid out. You have to get one of them from the dealer but the other you can just replace with a piece of oil cooler line cut to fit. Look into it....

Also make sure you bleed the system after any fluid drain....otherwise your steering response will be non-existant. Hope this helps.

[aznpoopy]

yeah... if you're dirty like me just keep dipping your finger in the resovoir and whipping the contents at your friend.

turkey baster works well too.

[aznrib]

Originally Posted by aznpoopy

yeah... if you're dirty like me just keep dipping your finger in the resovoir and whipping the contents at your friend.

turkey baster works well too.

hahah that's awsome

i think i have the same problem. it's leaking from the end of the hose. The thing is if you get the hose from the dealer it's lik 200 something dollars.

[Dream240]

Originally Posted by aznrib

hahah that's awsome

i think i have the same problem. it's leaking from the end of the hose. The thing is if you get the hose from the dealer it's lik 200 something dollars.

No no....not the high pressure hose. I'm talking about the two return hoses. They are just simply rubber hoses, oil cooler hose specifically. The custom bent hose is about 25 bucks. And the other hose can be replaced with about 18" of oil cooler hose from Kragen. can't remember what the diameter was though.

I've done this on both of my 240s and it fixed the problem. Oh also get new clamps, those stock clamps are what lead to hose failure.

[s14slide]

Dude, seriously. Overfilling the resevior will do nothing but make a mess. Shit, just at normal fill level, I get the resevior to blow shit all over the place when I do gymkhana, but that seems to be only common on JDM s13's. And even if you let it drain all the way, what the hell do you need to bleed it for? It's a looping system, the fluid is always flowing as long as the pump is spinning. Fill the resevior, cycle wheel. Repeat till it stops sucking down fluid and fills up. And for pressure relief, it'll bleed past the seal for the cap before anything else. That seal has no pressure hold at all, and it'll leak there first.

[jafero]

Thanks for your advices, guys.

Dream240, I put HICAS front rack a few weeks ago and did complete bleed.
Haven't had a leak in the seals.

I took some of the fluid out and now fluid level is within the FSM's spec.
Handling got sharper but not the best. Still feels mushy. Does air pockets somewhere inside the PS system created by the excess fluid foaming delay the input made from steering wheel?

I will do complete bleed again.

[chmercer]

to bleed ps just jack the front of the car up and turn the wheels left and right a lot. easy as pie. if your handling is messed up id look somwhere besides an overfilled power steering resivor. overfilling that thing will do absolutley nothing, all it will do is get power steering fluid in your engine bay after it warms up. s14slide covered it pretty well.

[jafero]

I just found that too much fluid cause foaming in the PS system and induces air into the system. Doesn't air in the PS create steering input delay?

[chmercer]

yeah if you have air in the ps fluid the pump isnt gonna work but its not a closed loop system, resivor isnt even pressurised, so its super easy to bleed

[pr240sx]

Quite a while ago, because power steering fluid overfill, it started a small fire and burn my ignition resistor.
Hydraulic fluid is flamable under heat so be sure and drain some to be sure.

[darklynoon]

you are using dexron II/III auto tranny fluid, not power steering fluid right?

BTW, i just had my high pressure hose burst, so i'm about to replace it with an autozone model (not the best choice, but my only choice) its got the banjo bolt connector for the pump, but the bottom connector part, a metal rectangular block with a threaded hole on the side not attached to the presseure hose, where i assume it is supposed to connect to the high pressure tube (that actually bridges the gap from the hose to the rack and pinion) is drasticaly different. anyone ever run into this before?

[pr240sx]

Get your hose redone.
Cheaper and better than AutoCrap one.
Any truck autoparts or farm equipment store can do it.