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Power Steering Filters Myth or .....

Moparfiend

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Hi mythbuster ok getting ready to install my new Power Steering Pump to my old box. Thinking who knows what is still in my system made me think I should put a filter on the liw side.
Anyone do this or determine its not helpful or is bad for flow etc.

Give me your thoughts...... especially KD lol
 
A filter can’t hurt, I don’t know why we aren’t doing this. Could just run the filter for a day and then remove it. Got to be some crud to get out.

I rigged up a pulley on a drill to the PS pump pulley and ran the return hose to a container to flush the box and it worked good. You could just crank engine without starting and flush some fluid out.

Be careful, it comes spraying out and can make a mess everywhere, it’s good to have a helper.
 
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I have never seen one, though they may exist somewhere. My 2007 Ram 1500 has 319,000 miles on the original P/S fluid though.
I do have an inline P/S cooler though, pulled from a mid 80s Cop Car.
 
I have never seen one, though they may exist somewhere. My 2007 Ram 1500 has 319,000 miles on the original P/S fluid though.
I do have an inline P/S cooler though, pulled from a mid 80s Cop Car.
Yeah they are aftermarket but only. Lots of folks reviewing them said they leak rather quickly. Its probably just another point of failure in a hydraulic system that can be avoided. Was just curios as my system maybe contaminated.
 
At least flush out the steering box before hooking up the new one. Replaced many back in the day and didn't even do that.
 
At least flush out the steering box before hooking up the new one. Replaced many back in the day and didn't even do that.
Is there a simple way to do that?
 
Is there a simple way to do that?

Like R413 said, you could rig up a pump, whether on a drill or just a hand pump, even gravity flow. Hook up a couple of hoses, you could make use of the actual supply and pressure lines. Have a couple of containers to catch the oil. Just running a quart or two through it would be sufficient.

When rack and pinions started coming out, we were advised to flush out the pump when replacing the rack. We never did this on the older cars and never had any problems. Doesn't hurt to do this to satisfy your OCD.
 
I installed a filter several years back, it was difficult to even find one. It was basically a small cone made out of mesh that slipped into the rubber line so there was nothing to leak. Better than nothing I suppose.
 
You could catch what's coming out with a automotive paint filter and see what comes out. If you see crud or particles, just flush until it clears up.
 
Ok so I am wondering about about the flushing procedure. Would it be possible to passively flush the system by draining the fluid from the low side while moving the steering wheel (front end up off the ground) end to end while topping off the reservoir? Or is that only good for R&P set up?
 
If you are worried/concerned about contamination, maybe you could just fill and run it, drain, repeat a couple of times.
 
If I remember correct the federal and trw pumps have a filter screen/cup in the return side.
Sits right on the return nipple and into the neck.
 
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