A power steering gear box is a essential component of any car, and it can sometimes become clogged with debris. In this article we’ll show you how to flush a power steering gear box so that it can resume functioning properly.
Description of the issue
If your car’s power steering gear box smells rank, there’s a good chance your fluid levels are low. Fluid is essential to keep the power steering system working properly, and over time it can become contaminated with oil and other debris. To flush out the system and restore fluid levels, follow these steps:
1. Open the hood and locate the power steering gear box. It will likely be housed near the rear axle or on the passenger side of the car.
2. unbolt the box’s upper housing and unscrew its four hex bolts. Be careful not to lose any of the fluid!
3. Pour 4 qts of clean water into the gearbox, making sure to add enough to cover all of its interior surfaces. Replace the housing and bolts once water is fully in.
4. Close the hood and return to your vehicle. Drive for 10 minutes or so, until you notice a decrease in steering feel and/or a strong odor coming from the engine compartment. If all goes well, you can refill the gearbox with new fluid once it’s drained.
Removal and Replacement of Power Steering Gear Boxes
If you have a car with power steering, you’ll need to replace the gear box at some point. This is a fairly common maintenance item, and there are a few different ways to do it.
The first thing to do is to determine if your car has a manual or automatic gearbox. Manual gearboxes use torque applied to the wheel to turn the engine, while automatic gearboxes use sensors in the wheel to figure out how far the car has moved and turn the engine accordingly.
If you have a manual gearbox, you’ll need to remove the hubcap and take off the wheel. Once that’s done, you’ll see two screws holding on the gearbox cover. Remove those and lift off the cover.
If your car has an automatic gear box, there will be one screw holding on the cover, and it will be accessible from outside the car. You’ll need to unscrew that screw and lift off the cover. Underneath it will be three or four bolts that hold on the gearshaft assembly. Remove those bolts and pull out the gearshaft assembly.
Now you can work on either type of gearbox: manual or automatic. For a manual gearbox, you’ll need
How to Read the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC)
The best way to read the diagnostic trouble code (DTC) for a power steering gearbox is by using a scanner. A scanner will read the codes and tell you what the problem is.
To find a scanner, go to your local car or truck dealership and ask them to recommend a good scanner. There are several scanners on the market, so it is important to find one that will work with your car model.
Once you have found a scanner, plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter and turn it on. The screen will display various codes and should show the DTC for your power steering gearbox. To read the DTC, use the buttons on the scanner to scroll through the codes until you find the one for your gearbox.
Once you have found the DTC, use the buttons on the scanner to read it. The code should tell you what is wrong with your gearbox. For example, a code that might be shown for a power steering gearbox problem could be P0700 which means that there is an issue with fluid pressure in the system.
Flushing the Power Steering Gear Box with a De-Icer
The power steering gear box is a vital component of your vehicle, and it should be kept as clean and free of debris as possible. One way to do this is to flush the gear box with a de-icer.
Restoring Power to the Vehicle
If your car has power steering, it may need to be flushed and refilled with fluid. This can be done by following these steps:
1) Loosen the pressure cap on the power steering reservoir
2) Open the power steering lines by removing the bolts that hold them in place
3) Remove the power steering pump by unscrewing it
4) Pour enough fluid into the power steering reservoir to cover the pump and lines
5) Replace the pump and lines, tighten the bolts and cap
6) Drive your car until it is warm and the fluid has been absorbed into the system