Trivia Question #6

Frank M

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Apr 7, 2000
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NH
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What would cause air bubbles in power steering fluid?
<ul type="square">[*]1: Checking the fluid before it reached operating temperature
[*]2: Overheated fluid
[*]3: Engine idling too fast
[*]4: Slightly low fluid level

Only one is correct [/list]
 

DeafBug

Gone but Never Forgotten: Requiescat In Pace
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Answer: 4
Yep, it will make bubbles if there is low fluid. Not sure what a good analogy is. I have seen such things that make it bubble if the fluid is low.
 

Frank M

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Frank, is your life that borring or are you teasing all the non-mechanics types on the forum???
Most of the folks on this forum are not mechanics by trade. They are very intelligent so I thought I would share some of the simple day to day stuff that they may experience in their maintanence. Believe it or not this answer is packed with information most techs may not even know...We will all see when I post the answer...(I learned alot from this question) although the answer may be obvious..
 

Judson

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Jan 18, 2001
Location
Cheyenne, WY
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2001 Jetta
It ain't #1 'cause it ain't a pressurized system at the fill point;
i.e. the seal isn't strong enough when cold to "keep out" excess air.

It ain't #3 because power steering pumps are driven off the
engine, so a fast idle would only mean a faster moving pump,
which only allows for better manueverability, say, in a
parking lot. Too low an idle can mean the power steering
pump isn't doing enough, and steering effort is thus fairly
high.

Jeez, practically every single power steering fluid level is
slightly low - these things have a tendency to leak on all
cars, in my experience, so yeah, these system better be able
to operate at low levels! Let it run out and you destroy
the pump.

So, it's #2, which makes sense: extreme high heat has
a tendency to break down and "froth" the fluid anyway....

Jud

Of course, I'm probably wrong about this, but who knows....?
 

dzljet

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Location
TEXAS
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00 Jetta
#2

Hmm, low levels could/would cause overheating I'm going to go with #2 because I have seen overheated fluid bubbling like mad back in the days of racing cars on the track rather than on the street.
 

gardentender

RIP, Gone But Not Forgotten
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Dullest Texxus
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Jetta GL 5 spd, 2001, Galactic Blue
5. Champagne added to verrry low fluid level. This is only recommended when on journeys far, far away from your support base, AND you have sufficient champers remaining for refreshment. Life does go on.
 

Frank M

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Answer is #4

1,2 fluid would not have air bubbles in it either hot or cold

3 engine speed makes no difference if the resovoir is full.
 

Judson

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Cheyenne, WY
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Hey Frank -

I gotta ask: is this the *real* answer, from your
experience, or just the answer for the exam question?

Two different things on most exams I've taken in my
life.

Since most power steering fluid systems I've checked
have been low, then that assumes right off the bat
that I probably have bubbles, which then, since I
don't have problems with the ones I've checked/changed/
or otherwise fixed, makes it seems like this is a
non-issue.

So, if it's a non-issue, what is it doing on the
certification exam?

Or is it an issue and I've never noticed?

Jud.
 

dzljet

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Jan 6, 2002
Location
TEXAS
TDI
00 Jetta
Hey Frank -

I gotta ask: is this the *real* answer, from your
experience, or just the answer for the exam question?

Two different things on most exams I've taken in my
life.
Jud.
That's the screwy nature of tests like these. They have little bearing on "real world" stuff. For most of these questions, if the car was brought before you, there would be a host of specific things related to the brand, eqpt, condition, age, etcetera of vehicle that would have to be considered and you'd go off on a different direction completely to fix the problem.
Test anwsers do not reflect real world solutions too often.
In many other work fields besides automotive.
 
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