Power Steering Fluid and Such

Hey fellas, changing out my power steering pump today.....replacement pump from Orielly's. The old manual recommends Type F automatic transmission fluid which I have purchased. Prior to this, I was just putting "Power Steering" fluid in it. Before I go doing that want your thoughts?

Steve (OldPete), after reading your post and surfing the web, I purchased the Delo 400 15/40. Recall I was not happy with some of the sludge in my engine. It's not super bad but it's not how I like an engine to look. I'll probably put a couple hundred miles on this oil and then change it out. I guess my question to you is that this appears to come in two forms, an SDE and an XLE. Which of these do you use?

Happy 4th Gentlemen!!!  

 

I used ATF in my P/S system when I replaced the box with a Blue top box.
I followed their paper to a T on flushing and then bleeding the air out of the system.
No issues at all and I got about 4000 miles on it since Nov 2019
Dave ----

I've been running diesel oil forever.
I use any major brand that's on sale.
Synthetics for EOC of ~7,500 miles conventional for 3k.
You've got to remember how far a big rig goes on an oil change.

If I were you I'd leave the oil and just change the filter if you're only going 600 miles.
For that matter, if you intend to change that soon, I'd consider a quart of Rislone or ATF with this change.

It may come out black, but my engine is clean is a whistle inside.
You're not going wrong with Delo, Delvac, Motorcraft or Rotella.

I used to try all kinds of fluid with my C2 pump.
Even put a tube of LS additive in it to try and quiet it down.
But with the Sag I use Type F if I have it, and Mercon V if it's all I have on the shelf.

Just my opinion.

At 1 time I also used diesel oil, in drag car, because it had more zinc but you now have to watch that as the newer oil they have also lowered the zinc like the gas oil.

Now why I don't run it is because of foaming.
Look at what RPM diesels work at.
My work truck will not go over 1800 RPM, 75 MPH is 1500RPM, where a gas motor is running over that going down the high way.
That crank is just beating the oil into foam and the oil pump cant pump foam.

I will stick to gas oil and add a bottle of zinc if needed.
My .02
Dave ----

Here is what I use for engine oil Both the SDE and the XLE are good oils. The big difference between them is a lower sulfer content. I seem to rembember that you took the cats off of your pickup so it wont matter any ways.

As for power steering fluid, I changed my trans fluid, transfure case and power steering over to Mercon V. Because I change those fluids every couple of years I am still running the original PS pump, Trans and T-case. I did that because I towed a lot in the past with it.

Dave, I get what you are saying about the foaming...…….That being said, these oils have a antifoaming package in them because of the diesel engines that run a HUIE pump. These pumps run the injection systems in 7.3, 6.0, 6.7 Ford (IHC) engines and some cat engines like the C7, C8 and C9 engines.

Because these engines run these HUIE pumps( they take the 40 lbs of engine oil preassure and turn it into 400 + at an idle) they have to have an anti foaming agent in them to keep the HUIE pump from cavating. In these engines I normaly run Shell Rotella as it has a better anti foaming package in it.

I noticed you said you are using Mercon V in the transfer case. I changed my tranny and transfer case couple of weeks ago and I new that Mercon V was the replacement for Mercon. But i was doing some surfing and found this.
  https://www.motorcraft.com/us/en_us/home/our-products/lubricants/transmission-fluids/mercon-v-automatic-transmission-and-power-steering-fluids.html

 Direct from Motorcraft. It says NOT to use Mercon V in transfer cases. Not sure why?

Bruce, good catch, thank you. I have been running it in the T case for several years, I guess I need to change it back to Mercon/ Dextron II that orignaly came in it. Again, thank you sir.

Dave,
Now that many diesels have cats, the latest CI specs don't allow much ZDDP.
It's the phosphorus that poisons the Cat.
But I use them for the added detergent package and the high OCI.

I just went back to Type F in transfer case since I had some of that. Mercon is getting harder to find.

Bruce moose4x4 wrote

I noticed you said you are using Mercon V in the transfer case. I changed my tranny and transfer case couple of weeks ago and I new that Mercon V was the replacement for Mercon. But i was doing some surfing and found this.
  https://www.motorcraft.com/us/en_us/home/our-products/lubricants/transmission-fluids/mercon-v-automatic-transmission-and-power-steering-fluids.html

 Direct from Motorcraft. It says NOT to use Mercon V in transfer cases. Not sure why?

I wonder if it is for the same reason not to use GL-5 gear oil the transmissions, it hurts the yellow metal in the transmission. GL-4 is ok to use and the last I used was marked GL-4 / GL-5 so I hope I am ok.
So if there is any in a transfer case, thrust washers? they could be hurt.
Dave ----

Thanks Steve, that is exactly what I purchased.....$12 too!!!

As for the power steering fluid, went with the manual, Type F automatic transmission fluid......man, it's so pretty, makes you want to take a sip!!!  

I'm using it now in my Zf-5 where type H is the recommended fill.
There's plenty of brass synchros in there.

Ford has always had problems with their 4410 (?) transfer cases, and has gone so far as to produce a new fluid just for them.
I don't think they're giving much thought to 30+ year old 1345 & 1356 cases, but I'll keep that in mind when I go through mine.

Thanks for the heads up Bruce!  

Bruce, I found a case of "f" type fluid in my store room. I was hanging onto it for the C6 in my 62 Flair side. I changed the fluid last night and drove it down the hill and back and drained it again and re filled it with the F type fluid. I dident see any metal in the fluid so here's hoping I dident do any damage. Again, thank you sir.

Ford has never stated the reason, but they tell us to NEVER put Mercon V in a t-case. The current recommendation for all transfer cases that originally called for Mercon is to use Mercon LV (low viscosity).

As far as PS systems go, basically Ford uses the most common (current for the model year) ATF. It ain't rocket science, you just need a light hydraulic fluid - it really doesn't matter...