How To Save Gas With A New Rad Cap And Ps Fluid

[SKperformance]

This is all on my 98 .

Change your rad cap to a new one and flush your power steering.

Simple enough , so here is the reasoning.

By getting a new rad cap it will lower the temps by increasing the pressure. How does this help , it will cause the clutch on the fan from engaging as much. This reduces the load on the engine as well as gas consumption.

How to test yours?

Run the car for a few hours so it is nice and hot ,once it has cooled remove the rad cap from the over flow tank and listen for the release of pressure. if you do not hear it the seal on the cap is dead and needs to be replace for $20. time 10 seconds

If your have not changed your PS fluid lately and it is dark ,you should change it as it is causing excess load on the engine. I flushed mine with 2 liters of Mobil 1 synthetic tranny fluid. As soon as i was done it got really quiet and my fuel consumption has gotten much better. I went from 12.4L/100km to 8.8L/100km . Old dirty fluid is harder to push through the pump as well as the lines and rack will be dirty as well causing restrictions. The new tranny fluid has great properties of cleaning and has since cleaned my dip stick and interior of the PS res to a shine. Once the restrictions are gone it makes the pump push less and reduces the load again ,it also makes it very quiet.

Total cost $20

Time 30 minutes

tools/material, pliers to loosen clamps ,a black sharpie to block the return line on the side of the reservoir ,a hose to fit to the lower line (smaller of the 2 hoses from the res is the return)to a old washer fluid jug .

It works best with 2 people one to start the car and one to pour to keep it full. Do it once and then do it again in 2 weeks once the new fluid has cleaned up the rack and lines.

Make sense , now get out there and save some money and bring back that LS feeling all over again. My car is so damn quiet again, it is really unbelievable.

[wwest]

This is all on my 98 .

Change your rad cap to a new one and flush your power steering.

Simple enough , so here is the reasoning.

By getting a new rad cap it will lower the temps by increasing the pressure. How does this help , it will cause the clutch on the fan from engaging as much. This reduces the load on the engine as well as gas consumption.

How to test yours?

Run the car for a few hours so it is nice and hot ,once it has cooled remove the rad cap from the over flow tank and listen for the release of pressure. if you do not hear it the seal on the cap is dead and needs to be replace for $20. time 10 seconds

If your have not changed your PS fluid lately and it is dark ,you should change it as it is causing excess load on the engine. I flushed mine with 2 liters of Mobil 1 synthetic tranny fluid. As soon as i was done it got really quiet and my fuel consumption has gotten much better. I went from 12.4L/100km to 8.8L/100km . Old dirty fluid is harder to push through the pump as well as the lines and rack will be dirty as well causing restrictions. The new tranny fluid has great properties of cleaning and has since cleaned my dip stick and interior of the PS res to a shine. Once the restrictions are gone it makes the pump push less and reduces the load again ,it also makes it very quiet.

Total cost $20

Time 30 minutes

tools/material, pliers to loosen clamps ,a black sharpie to block the return line on the side of the reservoir ,a hose to fit to the lower line (smaller of the 2 hoses from the res is the return)to a old washer fluid jug .

It works best with 2 people one to start the car and one to pour to keep it full. Do it once and then do it again in 2 weeks once the new fluid has cleaned up the rack and lines.

Make sense , now get out there and save some money and bring back that LS feeling all over again. My car is so damn quiet again, it is really unbelievable.

First, there is a much easier, and safer, way to test your radiator cap. Look at the coolant level in the expansion tank with the engine COLD. If it isn't full up to the cold mark then make it so. Now run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature. The coolant level in the expansion tank should now have increased substantially, hopefully up to the "HOT" marking, indicating that the radiator cap pressure release is functional.

Also....

Sorry, but using a new radiator cap to (presumably) increase the pressure would result in "allowing" (the thermostat is the real determining factor) higher temperatures of/for the coolant before "boil-off" into the expansion tank. But. Higher coolant temperatures does result in more efficient heat transfer to the atmosphere via the radiator. And higher coolant temperatures will also result in more efficient fuel burning in the cylinders.

The fan clutch is engaged/disengaged as a function of the temperature of the airflow downstream of the radiator. Given that the (180F, 210F{??}) thermostat is the main deterministic CONSTANT factor for heat flow from the radiator, then the ambiant air temperature, the use and duty cycle of the A/C, and the engine POWER production level will be the primary variables involved in fan clutch engagement.

By-the-by you can increase A/C efficiency dramatically, maybe even a 10:1 ratio, by turning the temperature setpoint to max cold and then using the blower speed to regulate your comfort level.

Absent actual use of pressurized power stearing fluid in helping to STEAR the car, clearly a MINOR issue, the major loss there will be the CONSTANT pumping and then bypassing of pressurized fluid back into the sump. Seems to me a "thicker" fluid would result in higher FE.

Might it be better, best, to recommend a new thermostat along with that radiator cap?

[SKperformance]

My level never changed in the res with the old cap.

Using the a/c did result in better fuel mileage but not as good since the changes made.

[falciott]

My level never changed in the res with the old cap.

Using the a/c did result in better fuel mileage but not as good since the changes made.

SK, when you changed your power steering fluid, did you lift up the car, so that the front wheels could be steered freely? Also, when you disconnected the return line to direct it into the jar, would the fluid come out continuosly when you started the car, or would it come out only when you turned the wheels? This coming weekend I plan to help my father in law change his PS fluid on his M3, and apparently BMW forums don;t have much much info on how to change it on those E36 models.

[wwest]

My level never changed in the res with the old cap.

Using the a/c did result in better fuel mileage but not as good since the changes made.

SK, when you changed your power steering fluid, did you lift up the car, so that the front wheels could be steered freely? Also, when you disconnected the return line to direct it into the jar, would the fluid come out continuosly when you started the car, or would it come out only when you turned the wheels? This coming weekend I plan to help my father in law change his PS fluid on his M3, and apparently BMW forums don;t have much much info on how to change it on those E36 models.

Why would anyone, absent some sort of failure, change the power stearing fluid..?

Other than a failure(***) or overhaul I have NEVER changed out the ATF in an automatic transmission and certainly not the PS fluid, and we're talking 150,000 to 275,000 miles for FORD transmissions.

*** 2001 AWD RX300 at 40,000 miles due to poor design.

[LScott400]

Why would anyone, absent some sort of failure, change the power stearing fluid..?

Other than a failure(***) or overhaul I have NEVER changed out the ATF in an automatic transmission and certainly not the PS fluid, and we're talking 150,000 to 275,000 miles for FORD transmissions.

*** 2001 AWD RX300 at 40,000 miles due to poor design.

maintenanceschedule.pdf

[SKperformance]

Sorry you see no reason to change you PS fluid west. With all that you had said above taken from your knowledge , I can't see why you would even ask?

Who would ever think of never changing engine oil until it fails.

[SKperformance]

I never lifted the car off the ground or turned the wheel . Since i was not going to replace everything in the first shot and knew i would repeat the process in 2 weeks it will keep cleaning out the debris and old fluid . By driving it will dilute whats in there to gain an almost complete flush next time i do it.

[wwest]

Sorry you see no reason to change you PS fluid west. With all that you had said above taken from your knowledge , I can't see why you would even ask?

Who would ever think of never changing engine oil until it fails.

Engine oil is subject to contamination from the products and byproducts of combustion, or sometimes just gasoline alone. Engine oil is also specifically formulated to hold those "products" in suspension so they will drian away when you change the oil, which is one of the reasons why it's a good idea to drian the oil just after running the engine until it's up to normal operating temperature.

ATF, on the other hand, is not only operating in an environment completely SEALED against contamination, it is also specifically formulated, but this time NOT to hold particles in suspension. Drop a transaxle pan at 50,000 miles and you will see clutch frictional surface and other wear "debris" on the bottom of the pan but with the ATF remaining pink and clear. Absent serious abuse or the poor design of the 2001-2003 RX300 series.

And PS fluid...

Other than a poor design that results in overheating why would just plain hydraulic fluid operating in another SEALED environment need to be drained and refilled?

[dcfish]

Sorry you see no reason to change you PS fluid west. With all that you had said above taken from your knowledge , I can't see why you would even ask?

Who would ever think of never changing engine oil until it fails.

Engine oil is subject to contamination from the products and byproducts of combustion, or sometimes just gasoline alone. Engine oil is also specifically formulated to hold those "products" in suspention so they will drian away when you change the oil, which is one of the reasons why it's a good idea to drian the oil just after running the engine until it's up to normal operating temperature.

ATF, on the other hand, is not only operating in an environment SEALED against contamination, it is also specifically formulated, but this time NOT to hold particles in suspension. Drop a transaxle pan at 50,000 miles and you will see clutch frictional surface and other wear "debris" on the bottom of the pan but with the ATF remaining pink and nice and clear. Absent serious abuse or the poor design of the 2001-2003 RX300 series.

And PS fluid...

Other than a poor design that results in overheating why would just plain hydraulic fluid need to be drained and refilled?

Common maintenaince= Getting the car back to normal factory standards= Obtaining factory performance in the areas that were maintained. My .02 cents :whistles: Nothing gained but lost performance.

[SRK]

I love anecdotal evidence, it's so ........entertaining........

Physics - what a concept.......

[falciott]

Sorry you see no reason to change you PS fluid west. With all that you had said above taken from your knowledge , I can't see why you would even ask?

Who would ever think of never changing engine oil until it fails.

Engine oil is subject to contamination from the products and byproducts of combustion, or sometimes just gasoline alone. Engine oil is also specifically formulated to hold those "products" in suspension so they will drian away when you change the oil, which is one of the reasons why it's a good idea to drian the oil just after running the engine until it's up to normal operating temperature.

ATF, on the other hand, is not only operating in an environment completely SEALED against contamination, it is also specifically formulated, but this time NOT to hold particles in suspension. Drop a transaxle pan at 50,000 miles and you will see clutch frictional surface and other wear "debris" on the bottom of the pan but with the ATF remaining pink and clear. Absent serious abuse or the poor design of the 2001-2003 RX300 series.

And PS fluid...

Other than a poor design that results in overheating why would just plain hydraulic fluid operating in another SEALED environment need to be drained and refilled?

If the ATF remained so free of contamination, why would the car makers even install a filter in the PS system? Obviously it must get contamination from friction or what have you, so I think it just makes sense to flush it out. Just my humble opinion.

[SKperformance]

I guess a few thousand LS owners who have changed there power steering fluid and found it quieter and smoother are just on crack then.

[OmarG]

oooh, i'm gonna change my ps fluid tomorrow. how do you flush it? I remember reading somewhere about a turkey baster to get all the only fluid out. Is this how you did it Sk?

[wwest]

I guess a few thousand LS owners who have changed there power steering fluid and found it quieter and smoother are just on crack then.

I often wonder about that, and the fact that after I wash and wax the LS it always seems to run quieter and smoother......

[dcfish]

I guess a few thousand LS owners who have changed there power steering fluid and found it quieter and smoother are just on crack then.

I often wonder about that, and the fact that after I wash and wax the LS it always seems to run quieter and smoother......

I feel the same way, A clean car always seems smoother, Quieter. Anytime work is done on the car it seems to run better. All is good.

[SRK]

Well said wwest and dcfish. I agree. In fact I have noticed that if my home stereo sounds a bit "off" I have another beer. Eventually it sounds great! As a side benefit, blonds seem blonder and redheads more alluring. If time is short I use scotch.

I changed not only the steering fluid, but the pump assembly too and noticed not one bit of change, either in noise or operation. It just stopped leaking fluid on the alternator.

[chilkoot]

Well said wwest and dcfish. I agree. In fact I have noticed that if my home stereo sounds a bit "off" I have another beer. Eventually it sounds great! As a side benefit, blonds seem blonder and redheads more alluring. If time is short I use scotch.

I changed not only the steering fluid, but the pump assembly too and noticed not one bit of change, either in noise or operation. It just stopped leaking fluid on the alternator.

I don't see any reason not to flush the fluids. Transmission fluid certainly does wear out, as any informed Taurus owner can tell you. If it's changed every 30k they'll run to 200,000 miles, if never changed The AX's fail from 60k or in the rare case up over 100k.

Also, I wouldn't assume that your PS problem is fixed. If it's the '92 it's probably time you replaced the ACV, before it kills your alternator. Also check the solenoid screens and you'll see why it's a good idea to flush the system, contaminants clearly build up. As well known as 1st gen LS400s are for having power steering problems I can't see how anyone could ever advocate a "don't touch it until it fails" approach, especially if you can save your alternator with a little prior care.

[SKperformance]

The brake fluid system is also a completely sealed system also but no can doubt it looses its properties which are degraded by heat .

[wwest]

Well said wwest and dcfish. I agree. In fact I have noticed that if my home stereo sounds a bit "off" I have another beer. Eventually it sounds great! As a side benefit, blonds seem blonder and redheads more alluring. If time is short I use scotch.

I changed not only the steering fluid, but the pump assembly too and noticed not one bit of change, either in noise or operation. It just stopped leaking fluid on the alternator.

I don't see any reason not to flush the fluids. Transmission fluid certainly does wear out, as any informed Taurus owner can tell you. If it's changed every 30k they'll run to 200,000 miles, if never changed The AX's fail from 60k or in the rare case up over 100k.

Also, I wouldn't assume that your PS problem is fixed. If it's the '92 it's probably time you replaced the ACV, before it kills your alternator. Also check the solenoid screens and you'll see why it's a good idea to flush the system, contaminants clearly build up. As well known as 1st gen LS400s are for having power steering problems I can't see how anyone could ever advocate a "don't touch it until it fails" approach, especially if you can save your alternator with a little prior care.

Isn't most ATF, like engine oil, just specially refined 250 year old animal fat?

250 million years old and it hasn't worn out yet when you put it in the engine/transaxle yet it "wears" out in just a few 10's of thousands of miles...??

I think NOT.

How many times do you suppose used engine oil is recycled via re-refining before those molecules wear out or change.

Back in my Boeing machine shop days, over 100 NC machines, all of the hydraulic fluid we drained went out to be re-refined.

Back a few years ago (153k miles ODO) the alternator failed in my 92 LS and I assumed for the aforementioned reasons as my power stearing pump had been leaking slightly.

But it turned out upon opening the alternator up that what was wrong was the copper/brass(??) commutator ring was worn all the way down to the steel alternator rear shaft while the commutator brushes themselves seemed to have at least 50% wear left. Apparently Lexus used some extremely soft metal in those early commutator rings, failure seemingly had nothing to with the PS leak. I did fix the PS leak anyway, simple seal replacement.

[falciott]

Well said wwest and dcfish. I agree. In fact I have noticed that if my home stereo sounds a bit "off" I have another beer. Eventually it sounds great! As a side benefit, blonds seem blonder and redheads more alluring. If time is short I use scotch.

I changed not only the steering fluid, but the pump assembly too and noticed not one bit of change, either in noise or operation. It just stopped leaking fluid on the alternator.

I don't see any reason not to flush the fluids. Transmission fluid certainly does wear out, as any informed Taurus owner can tell you. If it's changed every 30k they'll run to 200,000 miles, if never changed The AX's fail from 60k or in the rare case up over 100k.

Also, I wouldn't assume that your PS problem is fixed. If it's the '92 it's probably time you replaced the ACV, before it kills your alternator. Also check the solenoid screens and you'll see why it's a good idea to flush the system, contaminants clearly build up. As well known as 1st gen LS400s are for having power steering problems I can't see how anyone could ever advocate a "don't touch it until it fails" approach, especially if you can save your alternator with a little prior care.

Isn't most ATF, like engine oil, just specially refined 250 year old animal fat?

250 million years old and it hasn't worn out yet when you put it in the engine/transaxle yet it "wears" out in just a few 10's of thousands of miles...??

I think NOT.

How many times do you suppose used engine oil is recycled via re-refining before those molecules wear out or change.

Back in my Boeing machine shop days, over 100 NC machines, all of the hydraulic fluid we drained went out to be re-refined.

Back a few years ago (153k miles ODO) the alternator failed in my 92 LS and I assumed for the aforementioned reasons as my power stearing pump had been leaking slightly.

But it turned out upon opening the alternator up that what was wrong was the copper/brass(??) commutator ring was worn all the way down to the steel alternator rear shaft while the commutator brushes themselves seemed to have at least 50% wear left. Apparently Lexus used some extremely soft metal in those early commutator rings, failure seemingly had nothing to with the PS leak. I did fix the PS leak anyway, simple seal replacement.

Oil wearing out, might be the wrong choice of words.. but.. oil does get contaminants, so back to the original or semi original issue! If PS fluid doesn't need to be changed because it's in a sealed environment, then why do engineers install a filter as well in the PS system? A logical answer might make me see your point of you, meanwhile I'll have to respectfully disagree with your view of not having to change it unless it breaks.By that reasoning, no fluids should be changed, unless there is failure.

[SKperformance]

Still the point being you see no problem in never changing a fluid unless there seems to be a failure. SO why does this not pertain to brake fluid?

If it is animal fat as you put it, does it get subjected to the same environment as a vehicle?

If it is the exact same physical properties from new to 4 years later why does it turn black after extended usage?

I am not imagining things, i am taking them at face value. The car got immediately and drastically quieter. I had an annoying loud hum every morning on cold start which subsided after changing the ps fluid. Now on cold start the noise is completely gone. For some reason you find this to be comical at best?

If i am also so out to lunch why has my gas millage improved after the rad cap change from 12 to 10 and with ps fluid gone from 10 -8L/100km. There have been no changes in Toronto's environment nor to my driving to work and back. Is my gas usage meter on my dash also lying to me or on crack?

[SKperformance]

WWest ,SRK any other thoughts or reasonings?

Here is a pic of new and old tranny fluid from a 96 LS , if you guys could please explain the colour and debris in it also?

thanks

[SRK]

Yep - I'd change that fluid in a hearbeat.

My comment was that changing fluid would not reduce noise - and also that a new rad cap and fluid wouldn't improve mileage. My reasons for changing fluids are perfectly illustrated by your photo.

The colour is the result of oxidation and additive depletion. If there is debris, well it's time to yank the trans for an overhaul.

[SKperformance]

No problem SRK. Actually it is tranny fluid from a PS pump not a tranny sorry for not clarifying it. The debris is usually small bits of sludge.