hey guys, i ve made use of this sticky at times, and for my mk3-a3 have found good info. i have a topic for my 1st post in this 'main' diy thread.
so a few days ago i was intending to swap in new power steering fluid. i had looked for info. not much in posts. i got some good info, advice and proceeded. so to help here are my result.
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doing the routine once i learned a lot to get it right. heres what i did.
jack up front end, i put on stands. remove passenger tire. loosen p/s belt, you want to rotate p/s pulley by hand. check belt, you may want a new one.
now to start routine. i first get as much of the fluid out of the reservoir. have a plastic baggie ready, and a zip-tie. take return hose off, fluid will drain from both sides, the rest of the reservoir you can drain, if your not afraid of a little mess. whether or not, put baggie on, i double it up, zip-tie it. keep reservoir cap off. use a connector from the return hose and a hose extension to your fluid waste 'collector', a gallon jug like an empty milk or water bottle will work. have help to turn steering wheel, have him turn wheel a few times, check if you have fluid flowing out. just to start, lower level some. put fluid in, you turn pump pulley, while help turns wheel lock-to-lock. check fluid level while doing this. as far as a system that has really dirty fluid, and/or hasnt been serviced since new, like i did, i got into 3 bottles to fluid flush. (16 oz bottles). so keep the fluid flowing, after your satisfied, button system/hose up. now check level, keep your help, fluid level doesnt have to be topped off, not when cold or to start anyways. you turn pump a few times, help again turns wheel, lock-to-lock, a few times, again check level, if good, you can do that last part one more time, you turn pump and the help turns wheel. this part is one to make sure the pump is primed, and the rack is purged of any air bubbles. tighten belt, put wheel on, now jack car down, check stuff, like connection, last fluid, have enough in, like above the top needed cold. if ok start, turn steering wheel lock-to-lock(3 times), turn motor off, (added:edit,>)_right here, if you want to be very careful, 1st when you start motor, let idle for about 2seconds, i give it some revs, to idle, shut off, do a quick fluid check, if ok, again start, now turn wheel lock-to-lock 3 times, again shut off, check fluid level. now just to be sure before taking out for a drive, start up again turn wheel lock-to-lock, 6times will do. again, if you want to be careful, shut off and check fluid for the last time.(<<,had added:edited) --and check fluid level, if everything is ok your ready for a drive, after engine/fluid is warmed up you can 'top-off'. doesnt take much to top-off. clean up any fluid mess in engine compartment, with motor warm and engine running. i take a garden hose and clean stuff up, run motor to dry out. <becareful you can get moisture in/near starter, so i keep motor running, take for another drive to dry out. you should have success!!
<- this is post #11 in topic. i ll put up the thread link.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=495102
ok that time maybe i got the link. i was going to say as a note about my topic. i in the thread i am chided for the p/s fluid i use. like i say in the topic, as long as/i hope i dont blow seal(s), other than that happen to have a thing for my fluid/lubes that i use. its for an older mk3, a3, i do believe the b4 is the same. they insist on a certain fluid here for compatibility, i dont doubt, used my amsoil stuff here.
hopefully this p/s fluid swap/fresh-fluid flush is good info and can help.
just thinking about it this may work/be similar for a mk4, and mk2s are much the same as 3s (p/s) should work for them as well. if not somewhat rare for a 2.(<<- just as far as fluid change, for a 2)