Is clear power steering fluid ok to use?

["Turbo-T"]

In the middle of doing my hydroboost conversion, most of my old power steering fluid ended up on the floor. :redface: The fluid that came out was a reddish color, but it was not transmission fluid.

I purchased 2 bottles of power steering fluid. Both of them in a black bottle. The fluid color is actually clear. One was a bottle of Pyroil, the other was the Autozone brand. (not the Valuecraft)

Before I run this stuff thru, I just wanted to verify if it was alright to use? I can't say I've ever seen clear power steering fluid before.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gsgns4me]

I can't say I've ever seen clear power steering fluid before.

I can't say that I've ever seen anything "but" clear power steering fluid. Just my opinion....you should be fine.

 

[1quick6]

I haven't seen anything but clear either. I am guessing yours was topped off with transmission fluid at some point. Existing clear and a bit of ATF will give it that "mystery fluid" quality. You definitely do NOT want any mix of trans fluid going through that hydrobooster for a long period of time. I'd flush it a few times after you get the project done. Just suck the fluid out of the reservoir and replace it with new fluid. Drive a while and check/replace it until you get mostly clear fluid sitting in the reservoir. Kind of a pain, but worth it.

Some older vehicles will have red fluid, but it is really ATF and the car calls for it. AFAIK, off the shelf ps fluid will always be clear/amberish.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Thanks. Didn't power steering fluid used to be a purplish color?

The fluid certainly didn't smell like trans fluid. Maybe it was a mix of ATF and p.s. fluid?

Also on the hydroboost there is/was a little bit of a reddish-purple residue left in it once I pulled the caps off the ports.

 

[1Badelky]

I could have sworn I've used red PS fluid before... IDK what brand it would have been though.

 

[Nasty]

I only use GM p/s fluid. It is clearish out of the bottle. I noticed the other day when I check the fluid level that is had turn red. I am not kidding, it looked alot like trans fluid. I am wondering if heat has something to do with it. I sucked out the fluid from the resevoir to get a good look at it just to make sure I was not seeing stuff . Refilled with some more new fluid. I may repeat this a couple more times over the course of next week to get it all out, and then recheck in a few weeks to see if it changes color again. Odd.

 

[incharge]

wow I am getting old years ago all ps fluid was light red color now its all clear