PS reservoir overflowing with green fluid?

[DN101]

So I sprung some sort of leak a few weeks ago that had me filling the power steering reservoir every day or so. Then I decided to give Lucas' PS Stop Leak a shot before doing anything more invasive.

Now, I exchanged the PS fluid many months ago and it is indeed clear from the bottle. The Lucas I added this week is as red as lightly used transmission fluid.

Tonight when I went out to check on the fluid level, I saw that not only was it totally full, but that the reservoir had burped up green fluid everywhere through the cap.

Now, I'm no color expert or anything but I'm pretty sure clear and red do not green make.

Any idea what's going on?

I'll snap a picture in the morning.

-Ed

[downhill]

The only fluid you should use is Mercon V in your pump. It is not connected to the radiator or cooling system so antifreeze should have no way to transfer. You could disconnect the cooling line to the power steering cooler under the radiator and drain the system.
You need to make sure you use the Mercon V.

[SoNic67]

I used the Lucas PS stop leak and it stopped my steering fluid leak - previously I was adding one pint of Mercon V every other week.
I did use a turkey baster to remove the old black fluid (10 years old?) from the reservoir.

Green fluid is watery/foamy - coolant? I cannot tell how it could get into PS circuit... The lines are going trough a cooler pipe (with fins) located in front of main radiator, but there is no connection as far as I know.

[downhill]

Originally Posted by SoNic67

I used the Lucas PS stop leak and it stopped my steering fluid leak - previously I was adding one pint of Mercon V every other week.
I did use a turkey baster to remove the old black fluid (10 years old?) from the reservoir.

Green fluid is watery/foamy - coolant? I cannot tell how it could get into PS circuit... The lines are going trough a cooler pipe (with fins) located in front of main radiator, but there is no connection as far as I know.

The Lucas stop leak is a temporary patch. MERCON V prevents ever needing the additives to save a dying pump. Most pumps are neglected until they cause a problem!! Kinda like black fluid after 10 years.

[YoungGunzBass01]

My fluid was black after 7 years so use mercon v in the ps pump? ill have to buy a couple quarts. where was it that you drain it from?

[JW657]

Originally Posted by DN101

So I sprung some sort of leak a few weeks ago that had me filling the power steering reservoir every day or so. Then I decided to give Lucas' PS Stop Leak a shot before doing anything more invasive.

Now, I exchanged the PS fluid many months ago and it is indeed clear from the bottle. The Lucas I added this week is as red as lightly used transmission fluid.

Tonight when I went out to check on the fluid level, I saw that not only was it totally full, but that the reservoir had burped up green fluid everywhere through the cap.

Now, I'm no color expert or anything but I'm pretty sure clear and red do not green make.

Any idea what's going on?

I'll snap a picture in the morning.

-Ed

Some P/S fluids have a bit of green tinge to them, are you sure that it wasn't green? If it was antifreeze, I bet that pump would whip it into a milk sake, like instantly.

[SoNic67]

That's why I asked if it was foamy. Green might be just oxidation. But I don't get why would overflow.

[JW657]

Originally Posted by SoNic67

That's why I asked if it was foamy. Green might be just oxidation. But I don't get why would overflow.

The leak is probably causing it to foam and shoot out of the cap. When you have a leak, air gets in, air gets compressed and when you shut the car off it wants to go somewhere. Fords also tend to puke fluid out of the cap when you try to turn the wheel without the car running. I believe he has the common symptoms of aerated p/s fluid. I would fix the leak and do a complete steering flush with the mercon type your car calls for.

[Prismatic]

If you're unable to find an obvious leak, see here

A case for the magical vanishing -- and subsequently reappearing -- steering fluid!

[Breeves002]

^
That was a funny and interesting thread.

My P/S fluid I think is original at 12 years on my car... it's brown, I'll buy a couple of quarts of Mercon V and a turkey baster and slowly switch it all out to new fluid. Is the best way to drain and flush it to take the line off the cooler and let it dump out in a bucket? Put the other end of the cooler in a bottle of mercon v so no air gets in?