I recently changed the PS fluid in my Taco by sucking out the old from the reservoir and replacing it with new. I drove for a few days and repeated. I used ATF and not PS fluid. Afterward the power steering seems to be a bit stiffer and at times seems to go out for a split second.

The steering wheel will turn halfway into a turn fine and then hit a hard, resistant spot and then be fine again.

Any ideas?

Is changing the fluid in an old truck a bad idea?

Can air get in the system?

Thanks.

 

Sounds like air got into the system....unless you had similar symptoms before. Did you run the vehicle with the reservoir open?

 

ThorInc,

No I did not run it with the reservoir open. Will this help "burp" air from the system?

 

No, don't do that, lol. That's one sure way to get air into it......

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...utf-8&oe=utf-8

 

The sticky power steering had nothing to do with PS pump, pulley, belt, etc.

It was the steering shaft number two. The best way to check it is to spray it liberally with WD-40 and then drive. If the steering gets all silky again then there's your culprit. Spraying WD-40 on a spent U-joint is not a fix by the way, no matter what you hear. The rough steering will come back.

The bottom one that has the universal joint that spends all of its time getting sloshed by road crud. Not a tough fix but expensive. Could only find it at Toyota. $350. Penetrating oil and some patience. Got the old one out and the new one in. Careful with getting everything aligned with the new one. Surprisingly, all you need is a 12 mm box wrench and some PB Blaster.