td5 steering box oil

Turboman said:

I would be sceptical about service schedules. Manufacturers like to sell parts.
I used to change the PSF on my 90 every few years, and it looked dirty when it came out.
On my car now, I don't know if there is a recommended change interval, and I can't be bothered to take off the shields and gubbins in order to look for a drain plug on the power steering rack, which may not exist anyway.
So I use a small plastic tube to siphon out the reservoir of PSF, and replace the contents of the reservoir with clean fluid.
Do that a couple of times a year, it must be changing 90% of it every few years.
Fluid is cheap, power steering components aren't.

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Top Tip ill give it a go and have a look at the old fluid,

discool said:

Like engine oil that only has just a 3 years shelf life perhaps.

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I think I would ignroe the shelf life of unused sealed oil, once open to the atmosphere then all bets are off.

discool said:

My D1 still has the fluid it left the factory with, 23 years ago. So not leaked....

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Perhaps the potential leaking points are clogged with sludge from that old oil then

lynall said:

I think I would ignroe the shelf life of unused sealed oil, once open to the atmosphere then all bets are off.

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Shame, I went to the council tip to get rid of a brand new 5 litre tin of Duckhams Q and Castrol GTX both 20w50, which I found at the back of my Garage must be at least 30 years old plus, so may they have been gallon cans...

I did an oil change last year on my 44year old Capri which 20w50 is the recommendation and I did wonder about using it, when I opened the Duckhams was still it’s deep green colour and smelt the same the Duckhams does/did, the Castrol pile also look still brand new, but I when out and purchased oil which said classic on the tin from Halfords of course as i have a trade card.

sierrafery said:

Perhaps the potential leaking points are clogged with sludge from that old oil then

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Possibly but I doubt it, but I will do I partial replacement of the fluid next time the sun shines in my part of the world
I will be following Turbomans Top Tip above and drain &refill the reservoir only, not a total drain, the bleed valve on top of the steering box is not very accessible due to all the stuff crossing over the top, so won’t be going there.

I changed the oil in mine in around 5 minutes. Removed the return pipe from reservoir, clogged the port with a bung and directed the pipe into a 2l bottle, filled other 2 l bottle with oil, asked my son to start the engine and kept pooring the oil into the tank untill it came out clear on the return then stopped immediately the engine, refitted the pipe and topped up, job done... took aprox 1.5 litre and i know that it's fresh oil in it

lynall said:

I think I would ignroe the shelf life of unused sealed oil, once open to the atmosphere then all bets are off.

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I always ignore the shelf life of oil, I have used stuff 30 years old in the past.
That is mineral oil for old engines, I would be more wary with common rail etc.
Brake fluid, I throw away once it has been open for a few months.

Turboman said:

I always ignore the shelf life of oil, I have used stuff 30 years old in the past.
That is mineral oil for old engines, I would be more wary with common rail etc.
Brake fluid, I throw away once it has been open for a few months.

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Save it, brake fluid is great for lighting bonfires

discool said:

Save it, brake fluid is great for lighting bonfires

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I usually use diesel emptied out of fuel filters!