Just wanted to share my recent power steering adventure although, the first half was completely my fault, for future reference.

So driving along I turn and notice power steering gives out and comes back. So I pull off to oreilly and see its low. Being dumb I run in grab some PS fluid, fill it and leave. Problem 1. Go home and decide to flush. Mid flush I read the cap saying dexron 3 ATF. Now I feel dumb. So get in car to go back and grab ATF. No power steering. No problem I think. Get fluid, get home, flush system, attempt to bleed results were still no power steering. After some NASIOC searching I replaced the return line. As I took this line off I saw it was cracked thus producing a ton of bubbles(so I thought). Still no power steering. More NASIOC search and decided to replace the clamps with some worm coil type. Bam fixed. I turn the wheel a few times and drive around in some figure 8 and its fixed and running better than ever.

So all in all ATF dexron for fluid. (Duh, says on cap)
Replace those damn clamps that hold the hoses to and from the resevior ( My car is 05 wrx)

Troll on as I know this was a dumb move but lesson learned.

 

hahah ... i need to get those hoses replaced too.. glade them have em in stock at the dealer.. you replace that o ring too?

 

Nope just did the clamps as that was the true problem aside from cracking the return hose

 

All that trouble and no pics? lol JK good info!

 

cost of the hose? im looking to roll by there there lunch to pick up the hose's and o ring and perhaps a new alternator/power steering belt. car just hit 70k lol.

 

Hoses are like $40 a piece and the supply is special order. Dunno if any returns are left as I ordered prolly the last one. I would start with just the clamps as it is like $4. Don't go to big on clamps as you need to tighten these down and if its to big it will break.

I can post pics of my garage floor, new clamps, oil change box full of power steering fluid and ATF fluid, a broken clamp aaaaaaand a Black boring hose. It was all just a PITA learning experience.

 

i use ATF for my PS fluid... well, use to. It works fine. Now I use redline synthetic.. just to keep it from boiling.
just to aware, subie ps pumps tend to die often. you'll notice it feels normal, then gets hard to turn, then normal again, all in the same turn. pain in the *** when autoxing for sure.

 

Hmm after work maybe ill test it in a parking lot to make sure g's aren't gonna affect it.

 

Hmm gave out intermittently again. The journey continues. Maybe tighter on the clamps

 

Or like Cory said, your PS pump is going out

 

if you arent spewing fluid all over (its under fairly high pressure) then chances are, your ps pump is dead. do a search on here or naisoc, it's common...

 

Be patient with it mine took a couple of days to go back to normal after getting air in the system

 

they should be tight.. but don't over tight them.. you can cut or rip the hoses.

 

Mines was doing the same, but only during AutoX. threw on a mini oil cooler. Fixed!

 

I like reading posts like yours Phillip...it's real and you are sharing what you did so that we may avoid problems like you've had. If people want to focus on what you did wrong rather than what you are sharing...oh, well...you know what their life is really like...

My 04 STI power steering pump went out at around 6x,xxx miles...it was short lived...I think they improved on them there after. After speaking with a few of my friends with the same year, theirs went out within 5000 miles of mine also...The dealership wanted $800 for a new one, with the i-club discount, it went down to the high $6xx. Luckily, I found one on Ebay for around $200 shipped off a new STI that had recently been totaled.

I don't mind buying reman ones either...I recently purchased a reman pre-oiled AC Compressor, dryer, and o-rings shipped for $199...now that is a deal. Installed it myself...had it evacuated, then had it evacuated/recharged with freon...all for under $400 total. The dealership charged me $1800 to do the same thing on a 4-runner I had...like you, I like to fix what I can myself to save a lot of money...Knowledgeable friends and the internet is your friend...

Thanks for sharing.
Brent