A&G's Re: [Chrysler300] Power steering Fluid for D

My 1957 Factory Service Manual advises to use "Type A" automatic transmission fluid in the power steering. That's the same as recommended for the transmission. However, that stuff is long ago unavailable, and Don Verity advised me to use "Type F" ATF in the original Torqueflite transmission he rebuilt for my 300C. Therefore, we put the same "Type F" fluid in the power steering reservoir (after sucking out all we could of whatever had been in there for at least the last 48 years since my father bought the car in 1968). Now the power steering seems to work just fine - doesn't squeak or leak. I think there's a strong chance that a modern, dedicated "power steering fluid" might not be compatible with all the soft goods in the system, including seals and hoses, possibly leading to significant leakage. Not only that, but the "new stuff" might not have the lubricity characteristics required for the metallurgy and clearances in the 57+ -year-old mechanism, possibly leading to aggravated wear and possible failure.

It might be analogous to the situation with using modern low-zinc oils in the engine, whereas the engines of the era were designed to use an oil with higher concentrations of zinc and phosphorus, which was standard for the time frame. Using the new low-zinc oils (mandated by the cursed EPA in 2007!) can cause premature wear (and outright failure) of our good old flat-tappet lifters and cams.

Ray Melton

Las Cruces, New Mexico 1957 Chrysler 300C convertible S/N 3N572517 white/Gauguin

On 5/8/2017 4:48 PM, 'Ron Waters' ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] wrote:

Just curious...why would one power steering fluid be better than another ? I thought they are all the same.

Ron

From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of mark schueller heminwedge@xxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300]
Sent: Monday, May 08, 2017 3:31 PM
To: RONALD KRAUTH; Chrysler 300 Club Int.
Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Power steering Fluid for D

Hi Ron & 300 Club Members:

A few years ago I did research on power steering fluid for my 300C & F.

At one point some one recommended that I talk to a Chrysler Rep so I

made more phone calls and got a good one. He recommended ZECOL

power steering fluid for our older cars and I was able to find it at Menzer

Auto Supply in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. With confidence, I bought the

product and have been using it ever since. Unfortunately I do not have

a paper trail or email trail about the subject.

Mark Schueller

300C, F

Grafton, WI

On Sun, Apr 30, 2017 at 4:16 PM, RONALD KRAUTH rakrauth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Greetings 300 gang!!
Getting 300 D ready for trip to Finger Lakes> A few questions??

1.What type of power steering fluid do you folks recommend?
2. Is there one type of Brake fluid you guys like?
Hopefully will get to meet without incident.. Glad this meet is
"Close" to Vermont.. Anita & Ron Krauth