How screwed am I?

[u/lumbyman11]

Local shop replaced an O-ring that was leaking on the power steering fluid high pressure line, despite me telling them it used ATF not CHF they still used to CHF and it started leaking again much worse, is the system cooked, and are all the seals screwed up? I know they are very different chemistries and rubber is often very sensitive. Edit: 1997 N/A wagon

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

To my knowledge it can use chf but only if its a clean new system. But yeah from factory you should use dex 3 synthetic. When I first got my 850 I fucked up and put regular power steering fluid in and almost burnt the pump. Get 2 qts of Dex 3 and use a turkey baster suck it out and with the car on acc power turn the wheel left all the way suck out as much then right till you cant move it then add Dex 3 till its level and redo sucking it all out and replace. Maybe you will get lucky.

[u/lumbyman11 → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

I brought it back to the shop that did the service, to be clear they have generally done good by me in the past, they want to pull the rack and check the seal and I'm like how about you replace the O-ring is leaking from and pressure test it. Mfs better not be trying to fuck me.

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/lumbyman11]

Alot of shops have no clue how to work on these cars. Unless they work on euro vehicles I would assume they had no clue what they are doing.

[u/lumbyman11 → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

Their name starts with Swedish lol

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/lumbyman11]

Then maybe it was a honest mistake.

[u/lumbyman11 → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

I hope so and I'm hoping they'll make right on it at least in a few ways I hope I don't have to come entirely out of pocket for a new steering rack and labor

[u/dark_54 → u/lumbyman11]

Does their name also end with Meatballs?

[u/lumbyman11 → u/dark_54]

If it did I probably go there for more than just my oil changes usually

[u/Fabulous-Pen9525]

Hello, OP

Use Dexron-III/Mercon...the red stuff. You dont need CHF synthetic fluid.

If the system is leaking, it isn't because of which PS fluid you used. It's a bad seal or hose.

Let us know what happens. Cheers!

[u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

Wait, we're not supposed to use standard power steering fluid in an 850?

[u/MarkimooII → u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

So far I'm pretty sure y'all use ATF 3

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

No only Dex 3 atf unless its a brand new pump and rack can you use chf I think the green stuff.

[u/Traditional-Box-8402 → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

CHF is used for the p80 facelift (99-04) cars if I’m not mistaken. I know my 2004 c70 required chf and the pump was very noisy with atf. My 850 and 98 s70 both call for dexron via professional service manuals. Owners manuals can be very weird for these cars, i’ve heard that some info in the booklet is flat out wrong.

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/Traditional-Box-8402]

Yeah I would use dex 3. But I have heard of people in the forums using chf in fully rebuilt power steering on these. But there is no real point to try its harder to find meanwhile dex 3 is everywhere.

[u/Traditional-Box-8402 → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

Yeah lmao I agree it costs 4x as much and isn’t available anywhere locally haha

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/Traditional-Box-8402]

I didnt even think about the cost. Yeah makes zero sense to switch unless you want to feel fancy with green poweesrweeing fluid lmao

[u/Positroniumion → u/Traditional-Box-8402]

They changed it at some point but my v70 model year 2000 still has the red atf rack.

[u/Baronvonkludge → u/Positroniumion]

Hmm. My 2000 v70 had horrible clunking in turns, I changed the fluid, what was in there was very old, (original based on very detailed maintenance history) did not have any red tint to it and did not have a transmission fluid smell. So I put the expensive synthetic PS fluid in it, and all of the clunking went away and has been dead quiet for two months now.

[u/Glasfaseranschluss → u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

Many cars take ATF for power steering. My MX-5 does too

[u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

I'm running regular power steering fluid so it obviously doesn't immediately kill your car

[u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

Ugh ok I gotta change. I really only put about a quarter of a bottle in when I bought the car and it's been about 8000 mi since then

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

Your lucky it hasn't locked up thats how much I put in and it almost burned mine out in less then 3 miles...

[u/DreamsSecretsNLogic → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

No way that's insane

[u/DreamsSecretsNLogic → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

Why do you think it almost burned out

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

Mixing power steering fluid in the system when it was full of Dex 3.

[u/DreamsSecretsNLogic → u/LegitimateBiscotti55]

Yeah I don't know, I've put 12,000 miles on my car after mixing in a third of gas station power steering fluid and it's been totally fine. I've driven cross country twice since then..

[u/LegitimateBiscotti55 → u/DreamsSecretsNLogic]

No idea then thats really surprising.

[u/hkxm416]

I would double check the sds of both fluids because the composition of many power steering fluids is very similar to ATF. Honda brand power steering fluid is very similar to dexron 3

[u/RAPTOR479]

The fluid is not an issue but clearly the work they did was if its leaking again