Mercon ATF for power steering?

[Plati]

2003XLT. I have a power steering pinion leak at boot end. This BEATER is way too rusted to try to repair so the general consensus seems to be add the Lucas Stop Leak product and monitor ps fluid level to keep between the lines. Owners Manual says use Motorcraft Mercon ATF QT-2-QDX. I'm not see'ing that for sale so is Mercon V QT-5-QMC the stuff to use now? If I do that , can I just mix whatever is in there (who knows after all these years)? Can I add as much as I want of the Lucas Stop Leak in place of the Mercon whatever. It's only low a bit so I think the bottle of Lucas is going to keep it going for a while unless the leak gets much worse (which it won't since Lucas will put the kibosh on that). Maybe I should be turkey baster sucking some out of reservoir so I can add more Lucas product than the piddling amount it would take to bring up to ***** at the moment?

thanks for the help

 

[smith627]

Mercon V is what I use in my 2004 XLT. Fortunately no leaks yet but about once every two years I use turkey baster to remove what I can and refill with fresh Mercon V.
What you suggest is what I would do as the Lucas can't hurt.

 

[Boostedbus]

Yeah I’d pull out enough with the turkey baster to use the entire bottle of Lucas in the the reservoir. I’d assume the Lucas is just power steering/ hydraulic fluid with seal additive mixed in it. Otherwise the label would give you some sort of ratio to mix in I’d presume.

 

[TobyU]

Lucas dos nothing to stop leaks other than being thicker.
Get some TransX power steering stop leak or TransX trans stop leak (same stuff different bottle)
Fill it up twice with this stuff and then with fluid.
I have had major leaks on seals dry up completely!

OR try Red Angel BLue Devil products stop leak for hydraulic systems. It is $20 a bottle though and I think transX is just as good and better bang for buck,

 

[Plati]

Lucas dos nothing to stop leaks other than being thicker.
Get some TransX power steering stop leak or TransX trans stop leak (same stuff different bottle)
Fill it up twice with this stuff and then with fluid.
I have had major leaks on seals dry up completely!

OR try Red Angel BLue Devil products stop leak for hydraulic systems. It is $20 a bottle though and I think transX is just as good and better bang for buck,

what does "Fill it up twice" mean?

 

[TobyU]

what does "Fill it up twice" mean?

Fill it to the full mark or a decent deal above the first time because if it's leaking it's going to get low. Then if it goes through the first fill of fluid fill it up again with the Trans X. I have found that it often takes two applications to cut the leak down to a manageable or not noticeable level.

 

[Plati]

Fill it to the full mark or a decent deal above the first time because if it's leaking it's going to get low. Then if it goes through the first fill of fluid fill it up again with the Trans X. I have found that it often takes two applications to cut the leak down to a manageable or not noticeable level.

Its leaking very little ... so I think you would advise removing some before the fill. I already bought the Lucas honey so if it doesnt work I'll buy the other stuff later I guess.

Does the stuff you add get mixed in (throughout system) with the stuff thats in there (recirculating)? .... or just it just sit in the reservoir on the top, mostly?

 

[TobyU]

Its leaking very little ... so I think you would advise removing some before the fill. I already bought the Lucas honey so if it doesnt work I'll buy the other stuff later I guess.

Does the stuff you add get mixed in (throughout system) with the stuff thats in there (recirculating)? .... or just it just sit in the reservoir on the top, mostly?

It all gets mixed open the system. If it's not leaking excessively and it doesn't matter what you add to it. The liquor should slow it down some or you could just top it off with a trans X and that will do the same.
Typically when people talk about using another type of fluid in a system for power steering it means it's leaking quite excessively and they've been pouring it through on a regular basis and they just get tired of buying the exact right stuff or having to keep it on hand and want to know if any pink looking transmission stuff fluid will work.