Power steering fluid TD4

dog-man · Nov 16, 2013

Can anyone tell me what power steering fluid I should get for my 2006 TD4?

I have noticed that mine is dead on the minimum line so it could do with replacing or topping up.

Is it best to replace it or will just a top up suffice?

I have no idea when it was last changed.
Not during the two years I have owned it.

longdog · Nov 16, 2013

It tells you in the handbook what fluids to use.

dog-man · Nov 17, 2013

Cute!

jamesmartin · Nov 17, 2013

atf dexron 2 or 3

dog-man · Nov 17, 2013

Thank you.

TSR2 · Dec 30, 2018

HOLY THREAD REVIVAL BATMAN!

However, rather than starting a new one....

I want to top-up my PAS fluid in my ‘04 facelift TD4 Sport however the stuff I have in mine right now is blue or green (probably green), all the Dexron II/III stuff I’ve found is red and I’m pretty sure you don’t mix colours.

So, can anyone please point me in the right direction for what I need to search for. Is it Central Hydraulic fluid, Cold Climate PAS - or something else?!

Nodge68 · Dec 30, 2018

It's got the wrong fluid in it, if it's any colour other than RED. Having the wrong fluid can destroy the entire hydraulic system, so it needs to come out and be flushed ASAP.

TSR2 · Dec 30, 2018

Nodge68 said:
It's got the wrong fluid in it, if it's any colour other than RED. Having the wrong fluid can destroy the entire hydraulic system, so it needs to come out and be flushed ASAP.

Not the news I wanted half way through a 200-mile drive home!

Looks like that’s tomorrow planned for me then. I recall a thread with a how-to flush the system on here. Is there a particular brand you recommend?

Nodge68 · Dec 30, 2018

TSR2 said:
Not the news I wanted half way through a 200-mile drive home!

It'll be OK till you get home. It's probably been in there for ages anyway.
Just a thought. It could have FL2 fluid in it, which while not correct, uses a similar engine driven pump, like the FL1.

TSR2 said:
I recall a thread with a how-to flush the system on here.

It's not difficult to do. Just a bit messy.

TSR2 said:
Is there a particular brand you recommend?

Any quality D2 or D3 will be fine. I use Carlube ATF-U in them, but I buy that by the gallon.

TSR2 · Dec 31, 2018

Nodge68 said:
It'll be OK till you get home. It's probably been in there for ages anyway.
Just a thought. It could have FL2 fluid in it, which while not correct, uses a similar engine driven pump, like the FL1.

It's not difficult to do. Just a bit messy.

Any quality D2 or D3 will be fine. I use Carlube ATF-U in them, but I buy that by the gallon.

Nodge68 said:
Yes you can suck out the reservoir contents, refill, start the engine for a minute or so, suck it out, refill, run the engine and so on. Doing this 3 or 4 times will be sufficient to replace most fluid in the system.

In the last quote, would the gradual method be okay if I want to change from the current (possibly) FL2 fluid to the correct one, or would you recommend a full drain?

Nodge68 · Dec 31, 2018

TSR2 said:
In the last quote, would the gradual method be okay if I want to change from the current (possibly) FL2 fluid to the correct one, or would you recommend a full drain?

I'd just pull the lower steering fluid cooler pipe and drain out as much as possible. Then refill and turn the steering a few times, then drain it again. That way you'll remove the majority of the incorrect fluid, using as little as possible correct fluid in the process . A gallon of D2 will cost about £15 from a motor factors.

TSR2 · Dec 31, 2018

Nodge68 said:
I'd just pull the lower steering fluid cooler pipe and drain out as much as possible. Then refill and turn the steering a few times, then drain it again. That way you'll remove the majority of the incorrect fluid, using as little as possible correct fluid in the process . A gallon of D2 will cost about £15 from a motor factors.

Excellent - thank you. So would Comma AQ3 ATF be correct? It’s Dexron III/IIE/IID//II compatible, but I t is semi-synthetic and the Carlube you mentioned is fully synthetic.

Nodge68 · Dec 31, 2018

TSR2 said:
Excellent - thank you. So would Comma AQ3 ATF be correct? It’s Dexron III/IIE/IID//II compatible, but I t is semi-synthetic and the Carlube you mentioned is fully synthetic.

Comma is a bread and butter oil producer, so as long as it says it's D2 or D3 compatible, it'll be fine. It doesn't need it be a synthetic as it's in a pretty low stress environment.

TSR2 · Jan 8, 2019

After all that, I went to start to drain the PSF bottle this afternoon to discover the liquid inside was red after all, albeit nowhere as bright red as the Carlube stuff I bought. The bottle must be very thick as it certainly looked blue/green from the outside!

I am an idiot.

Nodge68 · Jan 8, 2019

TSR2 said:
After all that, I went to start to drain the PSF bottle this afternoon to discover the liquid inside was red after all, albeit nowhere as bright red as the Carlube stuff I bought. The bottle must be very thick as it certainly looked blue/green from the outside!

I am an idiot.

It won't hurt to change it anyway, as the fluid will have degraded massively over the last decade of use.

TSR2 · Jan 8, 2019

Nodge68 said:
It won't hurt to change it anyway, as the fluid will have degraded massively over the last decade of use.

Yep, that’s happening tomorrow.

wesky77 · Jun 20, 2019

Nodge68 said:
It'll be OK till you get home. It's probably been in there for ages anyway.
Just a thought. It could have FL2 fluid in it, which while not correct, uses a similar engine driven pump, like the FL1.

It's not difficult to do. Just a bit messy.

Any quality D2 or D3 will be fine. I use Carlube ATF-U in them, but I buy that by the gallon.

Hello

I just found this thread as I too have the exact same question/situation as TSR2, with blue colour fluid on minimum. It's been there since I got the car 4 and a bit years ago and had no issues, @Nodge68 - when you mention it possibly being FL2 fluid, is that blue and will I be alright topping it up with more of the same? As you can tell, I ain't exactly mechanically minded. Thanks

Nodge68 · Jun 21, 2019

wesky77 said:
Hello

I just found this thread as I too have the exact same question/situation as TSR2, with blue colour fluid on minimum. It's been there since I got the car 4 and a bit years ago and had no issues, @Nodge68 - when you mention it possibly being FL2 fluid, is that blue and will I be alright topping it up with more of the same? As you can tell, I ain't exactly mechanically minded. Thanks

It's clearly got the wrong fluid in it, so really needs replacing. The correct Freelander 1 fluid is Dexron 2 or 3. Anything else could damage the system seals and pipes. It's best to drain it out, fill as a flush with the correct fluid, drain, then refill again with the correct fluid.

TSR2 · Jun 21, 2019

wesky77 said:
Hello

I just found this thread as I too have the exact same question/situation as TSR2, with blue colour fluid on minimum. It's been there since I got the car 4 and a bit years ago and had no issues, @Nodge68 - when you mention it possibly being FL2 fluid, is that blue and will I be alright topping it up with more of the same? As you can tell, I ain't exactly mechanically minded. Thanks

Just be sure it is actually blue, because I thought mine was blue before changing but it wasn’t - the bottle just makes it look blue. That said, what came out was a very dirty red.

Nodge68 · Jun 21, 2019

The correct FL1 fluid is cherry red in colour. If it's very dirty, then it's well past it's best anyway.

Power steering fluid TD4

Active Member

Active Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Attachments

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads