GEN 1 Power Steering Flush

[Shekkie2432]

Always better to ask a “how to” type question AFTER doing the work but here
I go.

I flushed the power steering in my ‘10 today. Any videos or discussion had the method as, basically, to disconnect return hose from reservoir and put that in a bucket. Plug return port in reservoir then keep it full as cranking the truck over to use the pump to flush the fluid until the clean fluid flows from the hose. Button it up and done.

Well, I am a one man operation and I had some concerns over running the pump dry with the above method so instead I did the same disconnecting of the return hose, putting it into a bucket and plugging the port on the reservoir. Then I put the front end on jack stands, left the engine off and just turned the steering from lock to lock multiple times while keeping the reservoir full until the fluid came out clean. Buttoned it up, done.

Any reason why I shouldn’t have done it this way?

 

[FordTechOne]

Seems like you basically accomplished the same thing, just using the rack to move the fluid through the system. I don’t see anything wrong with it. Note that if the system did have contamination, the power steering reservoir should be replaced as it contains the fluid filter.

 

[Meat2022]

bumping this....anyone done a video on this on our forum? I am wanting to go ahead and flush mine. I understand that a lot are going with Royal purple ATF...did you do the same>?

 

[BalanBro]

To add another easy steering flush option if you have a Mityvac fluid extractor, I also removed the lower return hose, drained the fluid from the reservoir and plugged the port. I then filled it to the top with Mercon LV. It turns out that the lower return hose that connects to the reservoir fits really well over the largest hose on my Mityvac 7201. So basically, I just pulled vacuum through the return line and kept the reservoir topped off until bright red fluid started coming through the return.

Really easy, minimal mess and didn't even have to turn the wheel or start the engine.