Correct fluid for power steering on 1998 Tacoma

I had my 1998 Tacoma 2wd Xtra Cab pickup power steering system flushed and serviced at my local Toyota dealer about a year ago and just discovered today that the fluid they refilled it with is Blue Mountain professional brand power steering fluid. It does not say that it is ATF type Dexron II or III compliant. It says only that it mixes with all other power steering fluids. The owner's manual to my truck and the power steering cap says to use Automatic Transmission Fluid Type Dexron II or III to refill the power steering system. Does anybody know if the Blue Mountain power steering fluid is harmful to the Tacoma power steering system?

 

Never hear of it but I run Lucas Power steering and have never had a problem out of it.

 

Use tranny fluid. NOTHING ELSE

 

Power Steering fluid will F up your power steering pump. This is what me and many other guys use.

http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/maxlife/automatic-transmission-fluid/37

Learn how to change the fluids yourself because most places don't care what they put in your truck. They just use the standard fluids they have in their garage. They're not concerned with your specific needs.

 

Our tacos call for Dex III or equivalent ATF.

 

always used dot 3.

 

I use PS fluid...

PS fluid will not F up your PS pump, if you mix the 2 it can, thats where people have problems, when working on Tacomas I see about 50% of them running clear fluid (PS fluid). When mixing the two they tend to foam and thats where you have loss of hydraulic function..

The big difference is PS fluis is not flammable, trans fluid is, so in the event of a front end collision it could start a fire, however since an automatic has a heat exchanger in the radiator it will leak trnas fluid anyway, so...

My recomendation is just to use whats in there, if its red use dextron, if clear use PS fluid.

In my personal truck I always ran PS fluid and had over 180,000 miles with no problems whatosever.

Just dont mix the fluids is the most important thing..they will both work just fine, I know this from over 20 years of first hand experience..

 

All I know is that the PS resi cap says to use Dextron III ATF...so I do. It had regular PS fluid in it, so I did a good flush and replaced it with Dex III.

 

I put Redline MT90 in my old Tacoma
the guy who bought it hasn't had a problem since then
(he called me a couple days ago asking about how to do a BPV flip)

 

my 03 pre runner has brake fluid from the factory , yea i sh-t to,, but it does make sense

 

Yeah thats fine they do the same thing, just as long as you flushed it like you said its totally fine.

Power steering fluid not brake fluid.

 

What kind of PS fluid are you using?
I put Mobil DTE light hydraulic fluid in my Cruiser when i installed a PS cooler. Been running it for years. It really quieted and smoothed the steering pump.

 

Just curious, what is the difference between the clear an red ps fluid? An anyone think Toyota ws trans fluid would work good in there?

 

Amsoil DEX III

 

Is Dex/Marc an Dex III the same thing? Just flushed it an put Dex/Marc in an seen a little foaming. It had the red stuff in it from factory an the cap said Dextron. I also bought a small trans cooler Im going to install as a PS cooler. Any idea's on good locations an good ways to mount it?

 

I dont think its the same thing, but I think its close enough. After flushing your PS system its okay to see a bit of foam, its just air in the system that needs to be bled out.

 

Is there a way to bleed it or will it just bleed itself in time?

 

jack up your front end w/ the tires off the ground and remove the PS resi cap. Turn the wheels back and forth (avoiding full lock) about 20 times. Let it sit off for about 30 mins then let it idle and check for foam/bubbles. Repeat till no foam/bubbles.

edit:

Is it more foamy or bubbles? Foam may be bad, but a little bit of aeration is from air in the system.

 

It was only foamy/bubbly ( kinda in between ) about half way down. I pumped it out an refilled. Did the back an forth with the wheels an it was good. Thanks

 

good to hear!