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