Power Steering Fluid Chocolate Milk? Cleanout?

[o2manyfish]

Hey Guys,

I was doing a fluid check on my 07 Expedition (148k miles) and when I shook the power steering resevoir something the fluid didn't move - It was at the right height but not moving.

I opened the top and stuck to the top was chocolate yogurt. I used a baster and pulled basically chocolate milk out of the resevoir.

I've only owned the truck for 18 months. Im not sure where along the line but I am guessing during an oil change someone topped off the power steering fluid thinking it was the windshield washer resevoir.

I pulled off the resevoir and dumped it. I back flushed with clean power steering fluid, but the chocolate milk residue is pretty sticky and it just doesn't go away. I hooked up the power steering pump inline to a bucket of clean fluid and then the return line to a collection bucket and ran the truck till Greenish fluid finally came out the return line.

I filled the system with all new fluid. I drove the truck about 7 miles. I checked the resevoir and it's chocolate milk again.

I understand it will take a couple of flushes to get back to clean. Is there anything I can run through the system to breakdown the chocolate milk? My expedition has a power steering cooler on the radiator. So there's lots of tubing that the chocolate milk is stuck too. Would like to try to make some headway with breaking it down and not at $8/quart for power steering fluid.


Thanks Guys for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Dave B

 

[bobmbx]

Kerosene will do it. If you can put it on a continuous cycle for a while, like a pond pump system, that'll speed it up. You'll have to flush it really well with a detergent afterwards.

 

[gixer2000]

Kerosene will do it. If you can put it on a continuous cycle for a while, like a pond pump system, that'll speed it up. You'll have to flush it really well with a detergent afterwards.

I'd recommend flushing it with transmission fluid. It contains detergents that will clean everything but also once it comes out clean can be left in the system in place of power steering fluid.

 

[deweysmith]

My expedition has a power steering cooler on the radiator.

It's built into the A/C condenser. You might have bigger problems than you think, you may have A/C refrigerant bleeding across the cooler into your power steering.

 

[deweysmith]

I'd recommend flushing it with transmission fluid. It contains detergents that will clean everything but also once it comes out clean can be left in the system in place of power steering fluid.

Ford recommends Mercon V automatic transmission fluid in the power steering system.

 

[Boose]

I had a sporadic increased effort/notchy feel to the steering in my 05. Almost like the pump was cutting in and out when turning the wheel. The fluid looked very similar to how you describe it. I drained it by disconnecting the return line from the reservoir and ran the motor until it was spitting. Then filled up the system with some cheap PS fluid & bled. I did that 2 or 3 times until it stayed clean. Then drained it again & refilled it. I never did see any additional evidence of water in there after that one time.