Maria.

If you had put engine oil into a power steering fluid pot by mistake, would you say it is ok to drive for 50 miles to the nearest main dealer for them to sort out?

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

How much?

Oil is sure to be substantially thicker than PAS fluid isn't it? I wouldn't want to risk it myself, sure it could knacker the pump.

lead_foot

iTrader: (1)

Depends on how much engine oil has been put in.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

TBH I really cant see it being a problem if it was just a top up.

Never tried it though, so am only guessing!

Matt Evans

You would think that any lubricant is better than no lubricant? (ie better than letting the pas run dry/too low?)

BUT, i dont know if normal oil would affect any seals etc etc in the pas system?

Cant the main dealer shed any light on it?

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

There's a load of detergents and such like in PAS fluid though?

Technically, the oil should float on top of the PAS fluid, so the bulk of it may be able to be syphoned out from the top.

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

Has the engine been run maria?

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Good question, as if its been turned over even once, then the oil has been pumped around now anyway, so if the seals are at risk then its too late now anyway.

Maria.

A little bit yes stu.


Basically, it was dark, and someone was flustered, so they went to top up their engine oil, but instead of putting it where you would normally top up the oilo, it was put in the power steering pot instead!

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like "someone" is a right twat

how much went in though?

Maria.

genuinely funny

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

hardly any went in, power steering was full and so it wouldn't take much!

Maria.

I personally, just dont think he should risk driving it to the dealership and just get it recovered.

however, the service advisors are saying to lee he should be ok to drive it there.

but then i spoke to a techy who works there, and he said he wouldnt take the risk.

so confuzzled!

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

I don't think it's worth risking unless it's the only option.

Most people will probably say go for it, as there's only a slim chance anything will go wrong with a small amount in. Still a chance though....

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Im of the opinion that the risk of any damage to the pump is more or less nothing, as the oil is a lubricant anyway, and not much went in anyhow.

Seals wise I genuinely dont know, as I dont know if they are likely to be harmed by engine oil as Ive never tried it, but it seems unlikely, especially in a short period of time and when so diluted, besides, any harm in that respect, is already being done if its been pumped about.

So personally I would happily risk it, but then its not my very expensive car, its lee's, so its his decision ultimately as no one will give him a definitive answer I suspect.

rsnissan

iTrader: (9)

syringe it out as much as you can then just top as much as possible with PS fluid and head over the to dealer to flush it out etc.

how big is the tank and how long was it run for? did you trun the wheels much when running?

Maria.

well chip he is happy to drive it!! so he probably will, however he asked me today if i wouold do it for him and i said no!!! because it would just be my luck something would go wrong while im driving it!

and its not like me to turn the opportunity down of driving percy!

Turbocabbie

I would advise him to drive it there also as if its not the customer would end up paying to replace a power steering pump is good for profit margins, which is important in this current environment

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Phone oilman, I bet he will know if there is any risk, and if so if the risk is there just form it being pumped round like it has been or wether it will get worse if used, as he will have a better understanding of the chemicals involved than any of us lot

Maria.

whose oilman?

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

IMO it will be fine. Its simply running, i expect, auto transmission fluid mixed at a low level with a synthetic engine oil so I doubt that it would cause any problems at all in the short term. The Porker should be fine to get to the local dealer, no problems at all.

Modern oils wouldnt attack the seals like old fashioned ones would. (They used to cause shrink and swell, leaving a right old mess but im confident a modern synthetic wont do this.)

Dont enter the Le Mans in it though, as occasionally woolly steering feel from the easier to compress multigrade may cause a crash.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Opie oils, they post on here as oilman.

Tel: 01209 215164

Just say you have a random question and you got pointed there way by passionford, a site they do/used to advertise on, the worse that can happen is they say they dont know.

DanW@FastFord

iTrader: (1)

I'd be surprised if it's damaged any seals, as PS fluid is more 'aggressive' than oil.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Well there you have it

Nice one Stu.

Vauxhalls use ATF in the power steering too, so in their case Id be happy to say the seals were safe, but didnt realise most cars did the same

Maria.

Well i stand corrected then.

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

I stand to be corrected, but its unlikely as at least 95% of cars do.

Maria.

Guess who's taking percy to the porsche garage in a minute

Trotter

we got a dozy girl at work who one night managed to put oil in the header tank on a 214 roverapparently the oil light flickered so thought best to top it up in a garage,i mean HOW can anyone do this?

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

Thats what Porsche said mate.

Martoon said it would be fine, Renton said I am a cunt, and Polly said stop being a girl!

Chip

iTrader: (3)

lol

Best advice, is to have the fluid circulating for as LITTLE time as possible.

Not cause it matters, but cause it means you got there driving flat out which is more fun

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Not the most mechanically minded lass then, lol

Does she work for an arts and craft shop or something?

Maria.

Fil

Quality thread but that the best line so far

ballin

iTrader: (1)

Didn't this happen weeks ago!?

Matt Evans

Its more common than you think. When i worked for a main dealer there was a woman outside the parts department topping up the oil on her Skoda fabia - not an unusual sight in fairness. The funny thing was she brought 8 litres of oil from the parts dept and filled it to the top of the rocker cover!!!!

And we had oil in header tanks quite often, and brake fluid in pas resevoirs.

Keeps the dealers busy!

Mike C

iTrader: (1)

Not as bad as some bird I knew of who tried to fill her car up with oil through the hole the dipstick came out of!

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Ive just spoken to Porche europe's design division about this to get their comment on the very clear labelling of each filler lid, what they said was:

"Wir erfanden, was wir fühlten, war eine Idiotbeweis-Lösung, und kam dann vorwärts ein größerer Idiot"

C4llyT

Saw girl next door doing that, pouring it carefully into oil bottle lid, then down the dipstick tube; mind you went in the right place which is main thing!

Maria.

Well, percy got to the dealer in time and is now having everything checked over!