Loud steering noise. ATF or PS Fluid recommendation ?

[jujunosuke]

Hi everyone.

Please forgive my non native English.

 

My Supra is recently making quite loud noise when i steer, just after a drift session i made.

I need to do a better checkup but i strongly guess that my Power Steering Fluid level is lower than the normal level.

 

Another thing that is good to mention is that i have done my vehicle inspection very recently with super autobacs in Japan. (They seriously made an horrible job, i will never go there again).

In the vehicle inspection stuff, they said that they changed the Power Steering Fluid.

And i am not sure of what type of Fluid they changed (So no idea if it is a basic power steering fluid, ATF etc.). Also, as i said, after drifting, as you can imagine i used the handle quite in hard way, full lock left full lock right etc..

 

So i guess that fluid level went down..

To be sure i would like to replace the Fluid with one of your recommendation.

 

What kind of Fluid would you recommend ?

My Supra is a 97 TT with quite high mileages.

 

On the Supra manual, it is wrote to use Dexron II Automatic Transmission Fluid.

But i heard that it was very hard to find Dexron II anymore.

 

Would Dexron III or even Dexron VI synthetic ATF would be ok ?

 

If any of you guys had the same power steering noise problem and have any good ATF to recommend i would be glad to hear.

 

Thank you very much in advance.

Best regards.

[Chris Wilson]

Any Dexron type fluid is fine. All Dexron *SHOULD* be to International specifications, but i would choose a well known brand over there in Japan. Drifting is very hard on the PAS system, in so far as raprid lock changes over an extended period of time, at relatively low road speeds puts thermal loads on the system Toyota will never have considered or allowed for. You need a MUCH better cooler than the crude bent pipe Toyota found adequate for normal usage. Something like a small auto transmission cooler instead of the bent pipe. Or if you car is a manual, get an auto rad and use the inbuilt cooler that's in the bottom tank of the radiator, meant for cooling the auto box fluid, for cooling the PAS fluid. Simple, elegant and effective. The noise may be that the fluid was so aerated that it still contains bubbles. If the noise continues after the engine has been un run for 48 hours I would suggest damage may already have been done to either the pump, or to the seals in the rack itself. A fluid change will do no harm, but again, leave the car at least 24 hours for the air that will inevitably get into the fluid while bleeding, to diffuse out of the fluid.