» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 06-01-2024 03:04 PM 7 Replies, 463,969 Views | | | | | | 09-29-2008, 07:08 PM | #1 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: 210, Texas Posts: 130 | Power steering dipstick? 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? __________________ Ballin' on a Budget 3rd Coast ti | | | 09-29-2008, 07:56 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 2,525 | 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. | | | 09-29-2008, 08:05 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: 210, Texas Posts: 130 | thank you very much, i'll check that out tonight after work __________________ Ballin' on a Budget 3rd Coast ti | | | 09-29-2008, 10:40 PM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 1,106 | 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) | | | 09-30-2008, 04:11 AM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: 210, Texas Posts: 130 | 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? __________________ Ballin' on a Budget 3rd Coast ti | | | 09-30-2008, 04:28 AM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: 210, Texas Posts: 130 | 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? __________________ Ballin' on a Budget 3rd Coast ti | | | 09-30-2008, 03:48 PM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 3,212 | 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? | | | 10-05-2008, 04:24 AM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,224 | 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. | | | 10-05-2008, 10:37 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Land of the Vikings Posts: 2,700 | castrol reccomends Transmax Z // atf TQ Dextron III __________________ Vin Number decode and Retrofit Pdfs Available Free ! Just PM | | | 10-07-2008, 11:40 PM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: 210, Texas Posts: 130 | 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 __________________ Ballin' on a Budget 3rd Coast ti | | | 10-08-2008, 12:20 AM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 1,106 | 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 | | | 10-08-2008, 12:29 AM | #12 | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 | 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. __________________ 4 MORE YEARS BABY!!! | | | 10-08-2008, 09:57 PM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Land of the Vikings Posts: 2,700 | do you guys have a product code on the Valvoline fluid? If may be ok , if its the correct type of fluid __________________ Vin Number decode and Retrofit Pdfs Available Free ! Just PM | | | 10-08-2008, 11:05 PM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: maritimes Posts: 1,433 | I use Amsoil ATF, says right on the back for use in BMW Powersteering. __________________ 11/97 Base 328Ti | | | 10-09-2008, 03:40 AM | #15 | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 1,106 | wow.. i woudl have never guess to put transmission fluid in there.. haha.. .. thanks a ton.. | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |