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      08-15-2015, 11:08 PM   #1
Bushum
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DIY: Power Steering COMPLETE Flush

Tools Needed:

Flat head screwdriver
10mm socket
Jack stands (optional)

Supplies needed:

1/2" OD clear tubing
Vacuum port plug
1 or 2 hose clamps
2 Liters power steering fluid http://www.ecstuning.com/ES2550608/
OEM reservoir (optional) http://www.ecstuning.com/ES2194319/

I would recommend jacking the front of the car up on jack stands before starting. It only needs to be high enough to remove the tire contact from the ground. This is optional but will make things much easier later.

The first step is to drain the reservoir with a syringe and unbolt it from the car. There are two 10mm bolts holding the bracket onto the car and one 10mm bolt holding the bracket onto the reservoir.



Use a flat head screwdriver and remove the one time use clamp from the bottom, smaller hose and remove the hose from the reservoir.

*Optional* The reservoir has a built in filter. I chose to change the entire thing out because my car is seven years old. If you choose to do this you need to remove the one time use clamp from the larger hose also, remove the reservoir and replace it with a new one. **

Use a vacuum port plug and cover the nipple left open when you removed the small hose from the reservoir.





Push a length of clear tubing into the small open hose. The tube needs to be long enough to reach into a catch can of some sort.




Refill the reservoir with new fluid and turn the ignition on. Do NOT start the car. It is unnecessary and the job is much safer with the car off. Turn the wheel from lock to lock and the new fluid will push out the old. This is easier to do with a partner but can be done alone as long as you keep checking the reservoir. This is tiring if you did not use the jack stands but it will still work. If your fluid is dirty it will be coming out brown. When you see green fluid in the clear tube you are done. It took me a whole liter before I started to see new fluid. Add fluid slowly while you are doing this and try to time it so there is little to no fluid in the reservoir when you finish. If there is fluid just syringe it out before the last step. Do not ignore this part or you will have a mess.

Pull out the clear tubing, remove the vacuum plug from the bottom of the reservoir, and hook the smaller line back up to the reservoir. Make sure you add new hose clamps before you finish. Fill the reservoir back up, start the car and check for leaks. This method will clear 100% of the fluid out of the system with no mixing and no diluting clean fluid with dirty fluid. There is no need to mess with banjo bolts and crush washers which I find can be finicky.

Last edited by Bushum; 08-15-2015 at 11:17 PM..
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      08-22-2015, 06:59 PM   #2
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Nice. Thank you for sharing.

Can you please clarify, "Use a vacuum port plug and cover the nipple left open when you removed the small hose from the reservoir." ???
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      08-22-2015, 10:30 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MTM View Post
Nice. Thank you for sharing.

Can you please clarify, "Use a vacuum port plug and cover the nipple left open when you removed the small hose from the reservoir." ???

You can buy an assortment of vacuum caps from an auto parts store. You need a 1/2" cap.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...1167/N1171.oap

When you remove the hose from the reservoir you must block the reservoir nipple so fluid doesn't come out. Look at picture #2. The bottom, smaller nipple has a vacuum cap on it while the top, larger line is still hooked up to the steering rack.

Last edited by Bushum; 08-22-2015 at 10:45 PM..
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      08-26-2015, 06:31 PM   #4
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Cheers. Thanks.
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      11-14-2015, 11:21 AM   #5
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Did you use just regular hose clamps? Or was there a special replacement part?
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      11-14-2015, 01:39 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MTM View Post
Did you use just regular hose clamps? Or was there a special replacement part?
I used regular hose clamps. The stock ones are just the one time use crimp on style.
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      11-14-2015, 07:09 PM   #7
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you have to do all that you mentioned here plus replace the reservoir which I did because the filter inside the reservoir can not be taken out...
I bought new OEM reservoir and hooked it up to the intake line and kept return line into the bottle after flushing entire system just hooked up the return line to new reservoir and it was done. Very quick and easy DIY...
I followed your steps before I did it so BIG THANKS!!! only issue I ran into was that my return line was melted onto the reservoir nipple and I had to spend 5 min wiggling it and finally got it off and I had to cut about 1/8 of an inch because the rubber was deteriorated... that didn't change anything and hooked up new setup without issue and now fluid is nice and green!!!
Thanks again!
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      03-05-2016, 10:42 PM   #8
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yea i thought this was gonna be a piece of cake but that return line would not budge for the life of me. I finally pulled so hard with a set of hose pliers it ripped a little so i just started cutting with a little drywall saw i had. Wish i had used a finer saw. finally when I cut off about 1/2" or maybe a little more i got the res off.

My plan for minimum spillage is rather then connecting the new res to the feed line directly, I am going to run a tube from the new res to the feed line and operate the steering wheel. Then empty the fluid in the new res, detach both tubes and install the new res as usual. I just don't want the new res dumping fluid as I try to connect a shortened return line.

Maybe i should upgrade the power steering radiator to keep the fluid nice and cool so that return line is less likely to fuse with the res.
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      03-26-2016, 01:29 PM   #9
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Wanted to thank the OP for this very helpful DIY. Did it today on my wife's 328, and will do the M3 next weekend.

I have one additional lesson to add:
- when removing the reservoir, take note of the sleeves between the threaded bolts and reservoir. If they drop, you might end up taking off the underbelly cover to retrieve it!
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      11-04-2018, 08:16 PM   #10
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this is by far my favorite and cleanest method for changing PS fluid!

I haven't done it yet but will be using your method.

Just 2 quick questions

1. so having the ignition on, but car off .. will cylce the fluid when you turn the wheel correct?

2. After the new fluid is coming out and you are ready to hook it back up to the reservoir, what happens to the fluid in the return hose and clear tubing? does it drain back down or will there be fluid right at the top of the hose?
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      05-23-2020, 03:07 PM   #11
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Reviving an old post, did this today in less than an hour while taking my time. Super easy, little mess to clean, no crush washers/gaskets to deal with.
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      07-26-2020, 03:54 PM   #12
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Old thread but if anyone could advise. It took you 1 liters exactly to see the new fluid come out? Was that with a empty reservoir? I have a bottle with about 4 quarts/400ml left and didn't want to order 2 bottles for no reason.

I have active steering to I wonder if it takes more.
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      07-26-2020, 04:04 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal View Post
Old thread but if anyone could advise. It took you 1 liters exactly to see the new fluid come out? Was that with a empty reservoir? I have a bottle with about 4 quarts/400ml left and didn't want to order 2 bottles for no reason.

I have active steering to I wonder if it takes more.
You should have plenty, I used roughly 1 1/2 quarts after everything was said and done (w/ an empty reservoir to fill).
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      07-26-2020, 07:01 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajolives View Post
You should have plenty, I used roughly 1 1/2 quarts after everything was said and done (w/ an empty reservoir to fill).
Alright thanks I think I'll just get 2 bottles to make sure 100% then.
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      03-13-2021, 03:31 PM   #15
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ok, i just did this and the flushing part was easy thanks to this process but i still.made a huge mess with the fluids. I siphoned as much as possible from the reservoir but there was still a lot left in there that when i undid the pipes, good bit still came out and drained into the belly pan. I had an old t shirt underneath but apparently that want enough to absorb all. anyway i wiped down everything so it's ok now. just curious how others were able to limit the mess. :
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      03-13-2021, 05:18 PM   #16
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I used a fluid pump in reverse to suck out the reservoir as best I could. I also took 2 or 3 rags and built a rag dam underneath the PS reservoir to catch the fluids. Still splattered a bit when I had to yank that bottom fitting off though.
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      04-05-2021, 05:35 PM   #17
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Great method. I have done mine today!
For those who want to replace new reservoir, you can buy hose clamps as this size in O'Reilly Auto Parts. Both hoses can use this clamp 3/8" to 7/8".
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      11-07-2021, 07:24 PM   #18
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Thought I was the only one. Don't understand eithger why people go for the hardest line to detach when you can just detach it at the reservoir lol.
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      11-09-2021, 02:17 AM   #19
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thanks for this DIY. I want to post for anyone having similar issues.
for the record I have an E90 335d, not an M3.

With key on and just turning the wheel lock to lock, no fluid was moving out of the resevoir or the return line.
I even applied 15psi vacuum to the return line and it wasn't doing shit.

At least in the E90 335d, and I imagine for the non-m cars too, needs the pump to move the fluid out.

Basically with the accessory belt off, I then just rotated the pump with a 6mm hex bit, a drill and some piece of shit amazon flexy thing I had laying around. I didn't have a low profile thing to do this, but an electric ratchet, 90degree screw driver will all work perfectly. You do not need much torque at all to rotate the pump.

My fan was already off when I was doing this, so I had enough clearance, but if you have your fan in the car, you'll need something lower profile than what I'm using

This moved all the old fluid out extremely quickly.



After refill, I also recommend to have a friend/spouse/enemy rotate lock to lock while youre running the pump with the drill, this bubbled a lot of air out in order to fill to the proper level, you'll see air bubbles coming out of the resevoir. For example, after doing the lock to lock trick the level went from Full to min, then i just did the final fill.

If you have a vacuum pump you might be able to do a better bleed by applying vacuum to the resevoir opening, but I didn't have anything that would properly seal there.

Also, if you're using a new resevoir, it comes with a clear little plastic cap for dust protection. This cap is actually sufficient to do this DIY (if installing a new ZF/BMW resevoir), no fluid leaked out of the return bib.
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      11-09-2021, 02:32 AM   #20
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Kinda strange that, it worked for me without turning the pump.
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      01-14-2022, 03:25 PM   #21
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Going to do this again tomorrow for the sixth time. It has worked every single time. Thanks once again OP.
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      01-14-2022, 03:52 PM   #22
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Going to do this again tomorrow for the sixth time. It has worked every single time. Thanks once again OP.
Wow. Why you're doing six times?
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