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Date:         Tue, 11 Mar 1997 22:27:36 +0000
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         vwbus@netbiz.net
Subject:      Re: Power Steering Puddle

> factory fill than any ATF. Both BEntley and owners manual say ATF, I know, > but all the seals in my rack failed simultaneously about 3 months after > flushing and filling with STPs Dexron-III ATF. My gut feeling, after $400 > for getting my rack rebuilt, is that ATF will never get in there again. > YMMV. Tim SMith

Factory US fill was ATF till at least '86, no lying, I remember it well from the '86 we bought new. As I have mentioned before all FWD VW's migrated from ATF to Pentosin at or around '88-'89 era. VW is very specific in it's owners manuals about the later G? hydraulic oil, being incompatible with ATF, and they price theirs like gold, the Pentosin is about $16/liter around here. As a general key in other VW's when they changed from the short squat 4" or so round, 4" high resevoir (as in the Vanagon) to the taller thin 3" or so round 5" high resevoir they changed to the Pentosin fill. I have never owned a late Vanagon since new so can not comment on any change, but I'm actually a bit suprised if they did as the system was designed around the heavier oil. Tim and I have discussed this before but in general anyone filling/rebuilding their system should simply replace it with WHAT IS IN IT. ATF is very red, and even if burnt (which it will never be from a P/S system) it retains a sickly sweet smell. The Pentosin is origionally brown or brownish green. U can see and smell the difference. And REPLACE the filter when changing the fluid, it is in the resevoir and is probably a dealer only item. Furthermore the '85 came with a commercially rebuilt rack that has been running fine on ATF for some time, and probably origionally featured ATF.

John vwbus@netbiz.net


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