Red_Bean_Bun
Well-Known Member
One of the most neglected and one of the most used component of the car is the steering system. And that is assisted in most cars hydraulically (with the exception of a few models like the E85 which is electrically driven).
Hearsay neglect would result in noisy pumps and a heavy steering. Seals would harden as well.
My ride was making noises at full lock like this - you may need to turn up the volume - Sounds like a growling dog.
[video=youtube;Mc0Mjr9kPJw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc0Mjr9kPJw[/video]
So from past experience - it just requires a top up and so I thought.
Popped the bonnet and looked for the power steering reservoir -
View attachment 58638
Double check what fluid to use -
View attachment 58639
Cap says CHF11S.
Check the existing level as per the WS manual - fluid must not be over or under filled.
View attachment 58628
Mine is below the minimum -
View attachment 58629
As a precautionary measure - I extracted the fluid to check the color.
This is what I found -
View attachment 58640
The color as you can see is Brown.
That is something very wrong. This is because there are 2 fluids used for the power steering fluid for BMWs - Either
- ATF (Red in color)
- Pentosin CHF11S (Green in color)
Here's what red ATF looks like -
View attachment 58641
The ATF as a PS fluid is dated. And BMW now references the Pentosin as the current fluid of use.
A quick reference to the manual confirms that mixing the 2 fluids is not recommended -
View attachment 58627
And my teacher in my NTC 2 did mentioned before - if you mix red and green - you will get brown.
So I have 2 problems -
- the fluid is low
- more importantly its mixed up
Likely by the PI dealer's WS.
2 approaches possible -
- just deal with the fluid in the reservoir
- replace the entire reservoir
I decided that I could get away with just flushing the reservoir - It should get me at least get a 90% thoroughness with 3 flushes.
But being that the reservoir holds about 300ml and since I have 2 litres of CHF - I could do 5 flushes and get more than the 90% I was looking for. Also the CHF caps are not re sealable anyway so might as well use all of it ........
and here's what is needed -
1 Big oil baster ($20 from Isetan kitchen dept)
2 Tins of Pentosin CHF
1 Measuring flash
View attachment 58630
The key tool - has a stainless steel body
View attachment 58631
DIY Starts here -
- Open the cap -
View attachment 58632
- Squeeze the rubber bulb to expel the air BEFORE sticking the oil baster into the reservoir. Do not introduce air bubbles into the reservoir.
View attachment 58633
- Pump the fluid out into the measuring flask. Keep doing that until the reservoir is empty. The white plastic is the filter at the bottom of the reservoir - seeing it means it is close to being empty.
View attachment 58634
- Pour the CHF into the reservoir with a steady hand - no bubbling if you can.
- Replace reservoir cap
- Get into the car
- Start the car engine
- Turn your steering wheel left and right full lock 10 times
- Turn off the engine
- Repeat the from where the "DIY starts here" header above 3-5 times depending on how much CHF you have or how thorough you want it to be.
After the fifth flush - top it up and make sure the level does not go over the max line.
Another way to see it is to not cross the line inside the reservoir -
View attachment 58642
Here's how it looks like after Flush no. 1 -
View attachment 58635
Left is CHF. Right is the extracted fluid.
After Flush no. 5
View attachment 58636
And this is how it sounds like a few days later - no pump noise at full lock - ignore the tyre noise.
[video=youtube;Q7zZWO61zRE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7zZWO61zRE[/video]
All done ....
Caveat - Do this at your own risk - as with any DIY.
Hearsay neglect would result in noisy pumps and a heavy steering. Seals would harden as well.
My ride was making noises at full lock like this - you may need to turn up the volume - Sounds like a growling dog.
[video=youtube;Mc0Mjr9kPJw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc0Mjr9kPJw[/video]
So from past experience - it just requires a top up and so I thought.
Popped the bonnet and looked for the power steering reservoir -
View attachment 58638
Double check what fluid to use -
View attachment 58639
Cap says CHF11S.
Check the existing level as per the WS manual - fluid must not be over or under filled.
View attachment 58628
Mine is below the minimum -
View attachment 58629
As a precautionary measure - I extracted the fluid to check the color.
This is what I found -
View attachment 58640
The color as you can see is Brown.
That is something very wrong. This is because there are 2 fluids used for the power steering fluid for BMWs - Either
- ATF (Red in color)
- Pentosin CHF11S (Green in color)
Here's what red ATF looks like -
View attachment 58641
The ATF as a PS fluid is dated. And BMW now references the Pentosin as the current fluid of use.
A quick reference to the manual confirms that mixing the 2 fluids is not recommended -
View attachment 58627
And my teacher in my NTC 2 did mentioned before - if you mix red and green - you will get brown.
So I have 2 problems -
- the fluid is low
- more importantly its mixed up
Likely by the PI dealer's WS.
2 approaches possible -
- just deal with the fluid in the reservoir
- replace the entire reservoir
I decided that I could get away with just flushing the reservoir - It should get me at least get a 90% thoroughness with 3 flushes.
But being that the reservoir holds about 300ml and since I have 2 litres of CHF - I could do 5 flushes and get more than the 90% I was looking for. Also the CHF caps are not re sealable anyway so might as well use all of it ........
and here's what is needed -
1 Big oil baster ($20 from Isetan kitchen dept)
2 Tins of Pentosin CHF
1 Measuring flash
View attachment 58630
The key tool - has a stainless steel body
View attachment 58631
DIY Starts here -
- Open the cap -
View attachment 58632
- Squeeze the rubber bulb to expel the air BEFORE sticking the oil baster into the reservoir. Do not introduce air bubbles into the reservoir.
View attachment 58633
- Pump the fluid out into the measuring flask. Keep doing that until the reservoir is empty. The white plastic is the filter at the bottom of the reservoir - seeing it means it is close to being empty.
View attachment 58634
- Pour the CHF into the reservoir with a steady hand - no bubbling if you can.
- Replace reservoir cap
- Get into the car
- Start the car engine
- Turn your steering wheel left and right full lock 10 times
- Turn off the engine
- Repeat the from where the "DIY starts here" header above 3-5 times depending on how much CHF you have or how thorough you want it to be.
After the fifth flush - top it up and make sure the level does not go over the max line.
Another way to see it is to not cross the line inside the reservoir -
View attachment 58642
Here's how it looks like after Flush no. 1 -
View attachment 58635
Left is CHF. Right is the extracted fluid.
After Flush no. 5
View attachment 58636
And this is how it sounds like a few days later - no pump noise at full lock - ignore the tyre noise.
[video=youtube;Q7zZWO61zRE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7zZWO61zRE[/video]
All done ....
Caveat - Do this at your own risk - as with any DIY.
Last edited by a moderator:
