Power steering dipstick?

[led_zeppelin84]

so my car makes a crazy electronic cranking sound when i reverse and turn or turn at slow speeds, my brothers old z made the same sound when it needed power steering. problem is, all i got is one dipstick, the oil one, am i missing something?

[mohaughn]

There is not a dipstick that just plugs in like the oil dipstick. You check the power steering fluid by unscrewing the top of the PS fluid reservoir.

The level indicator is extending off the bottom of the PS cap.

[led_zeppelin84]

thank you very much, i'll check that out tonight after work

[hotmilk400]

if its like my car.. the powersteering reservoir is under the air intake box and u needa remove the op part of that to get to.. then u can stick your hand down and remove the lid of the reservoir and there is a dipstick on the lid.. if u need some, the fluid is only like $3 a bottle, and u wont use more then half the bottle.. i took it to sears auto center, and they filled it up for free. (i also work at sears, but it would have been free anyway)

[led_zeppelin84]

really? sounds like a lot of work...I saw mine, i think, but it was right there. No moving nothing around or anything. you got a ti?

[led_zeppelin84]

also, is it necessary to drain it before adding ATF, i mean i am not sure if the previous owner used power steering fluid or ATF. All I am saying is, will there be a problem if it was power steering fluid and i just fill it up with tranny fluid, do I need to flush it?

[elchicano]

i may have to do this as well. So all we do is unscrew the lid. Nothing else or nothing to make sure we do before we are done?

[zboot]

you don't have to drain or flush it. Also, the BMW recommended fluid is NOT power steering fluid. You are to use Dextron III ATF.

[Mallard]

castrol reccomends Transmax Z // atf TQ Dextron III

[led_zeppelin84]

oh wow, i used valvoline power steering fluid. its what the dudes at autozone said, even after i asked if i should use atf. that sucks. will this cause any problems?

also, thanks to mallard and zboot for the responses

[hotmilk400]

as did i. they grabbed a bottle of powersteering fluid, and mixed it right in with the old stuff.. it is working fine, but will it wreck it? should i drain it or something, or let it go? i dont car about preformance, i dont want it to wreck it

[cooljess76]

You guys need to flush it, refill it and bleed it now. The power steering fluid will damage seals and eventually damage your pump and steering rack. Doesn't it say right on the cap to use ATF? I know it says so in the owners manual. And WTF do the guys at AutoZone know about BMWs? Have fun flushing your systems, hope it didn't already harm anything.

And Dave, before you unscrew the cap on the power steering reservoir, I recommend spraying the reservoir with brake cleaner and wiping it clean to ensure that no particles fall into the reservoir when the cap is removed. I also recommend doing this when opening the brake/clutch master cylinder.

[Mallard]

do you guys have a product code on the Valvoline fluid?

If may be ok , if its the correct type of fluid

[Philly]

I use Amsoil ATF, says right on the back for use in BMW Powersteering.

[hotmilk400]

wow.. i woudl have never guess to put transmission fluid in there.. haha.. .. thanks a ton..