[Vwdiesel] Power steering "fluid"

[Kneale Brownson]

Besides providing lubrication for the pump and rack, the PS fluid has to have a viscosity under temperature extremes that permit it to function without overstressing seals in the system.
 
In the Audi world,  where the manufacturer specifies a particular (and significantly expensive) hydraulic oil for its PS systems, many Audifans.com participants settled upon cheaper substitutes said to have very similar properties to the OEM fluid.  Some have used Mobil 1 ATF also.  I've used Shell's Tellus 32T, which my local Shell distributor supplies in a 5-gallon pail for about $8 a gallon, compared to the $20 a quart for Audi's preferred oil.  I selected the Shell product because the Audifans list recommended Mobil product, called DTE13M, is only available locally in a 55-gallon drum and there are no local users I could buy a smaller quantity from, and because the other list recommendation from Chevron, called Rykon Premium 32, is not available to me at all.

--- On Sun, 9/6/09, Sandy Cameron <scameron at storm.ca> wrote:


From: Sandy Cameron <scameron at storm.ca>
Subject: [Vwdiesel] Power steering "fluid"
To: vwdiesel at audifans.com
Date: Sunday, September 6, 2009, 10:35 PM


Perhaps the forum would have information on PS fluids in general, and VW A2
PS oil in particular?

In my ignorance, I see the system as an ordinary oil hydraulic system of
energy transferrance like a supermarket door acuator, farm machinery,
garbage packer, etc.

What's so special about the old VW PS system that it would require
Proprietary "fluid" ? A normally "open circuit" (continuous flow) hydraulic
system would require oil that had better  lubricating qualities to care for
the pump and ram, whereas in a closed, push-pull circuit (google
Peterborough lift lock) could use water or  liquified pig manure as long as
it could flow at low speeds

There are generic PS fluids (oils) available at FLAPS (like cTc) that
purport to be useable in "most" PS systems.

I understand why ATF should NOT be used in this application, but I would
think that generic PS fluid or hydraulic oil should be OK as long as its
viscosity is not too high..

Sandy
VE3AAC

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