Power Steering Fluid Recommendations

[bigjae46]

One or two online videos show DIYers trying to bleed the system while fighting friction and weight of the front tires on the ground. You can hear the power steering pump struggling. With the front end off the ground, the E46 system will be bled right off startup after one or two full turns of the steering wheel.

Got it. I'm pretty sure I've always done this with the car up in the air. I would normally check for leaks before putting the car back on the ground.

[AWE46M3]

The steering system is inevitably going to leak, so you might as well buy a couple quarts.

Lol - I'm replacing everything due to a small leak. I hope it does not continue leaking after I replace everything. Are you saying that the power steering system leaking is kind of an indefinite thing? I really hope not.... 🤞

[PSUEng]

One or two online videos show DIYers trying to bleed the system while fighting friction and weight of the front tires on the ground. You can hear the power steering pump struggling. With the front end off the ground, the E46 system will be bled right off startup after one or two full turns of the steering wheel.

Yep, do it with the wheels off the ground. Not sure now many turns lock to lock will do it, but it didn't take many and the fluid in the reservoir foamed up pretty much right away. I did maybe 10 turns lock to lock each way to be sure; check for bubbles in reservoir afterward and don't hold full lock for more than a few seconds.

[Slideways]

Didn't know that, I'll have to give it a try. As long as I fill slowly on the E46 I usually don't have an issue. Its my E90 M3 that's a PIA. Its got a mile of hoses crammed in near the front of the oil pan. Why BMW? Why?

One or two online videos show DIYers trying to bleed the system while fighting friction and weight of the front tires on the ground. You can hear the power steering pump struggling. With the front end off the ground, the E46 system will be bled right off startup after one or two full turns of the steering wheel.

[bigjae46]

This. Cavitation can mostly be avoided if the front wheels are off the ground when bleeding the power steering system.

Didn't know that, I'll have to give it a try. As long as I fill slowly on the E46 I usually don't have an issue. Its my E90 M3 that's a PIA. Its got a mile of hoses crammed in near the front of the oil pan. Why BMW? Why?

[Slideways]

I use Redline D4ATF. I vac out the reservoir and refill every oil change. Keeps the fluid relatively fresh. I think draining the system adds an element of risk of cavitating the pump when refilling.

This. Cavitation can mostly be avoided if the front wheels are off the ground when bleeding the power steering system.

[Maxhouse97]

Yep I just put in M1 before my track weekend … it passed the test.

[bigjae46]

I use Redline D4ATF. I vac out the reservoir and refill every oil change. Keeps the fluid relatively fresh. I think draining the system adds an element of risk of cavitating the pump when refilling.

[elbert]

Trying to figure out how much I need to buy 😄

The steering system is inevitably going to leak, so you might as well buy a couple quarts.

[PSUEng]

It could be Castrol did update it to 6. The 6 bottles of IV have lasted a while and the system takes between one to two quarts IIRC.

When I did all of my hoses and reservoir, I used just under 1L of ATF.

[Slideways]

Thanks for your feedback. I thought 4 had been discontinued and replaced by 6? Do you recall how many quarts one needs to fill the system? Does the system have to be flushed with extra ATF the first time you use ATF to clear all the old stuff out? Trying to figure out how much I need to buy 😄

The system should have ATF in it from the factory unless someone switched it to CHF-11S. If you were to switch to CHF-11S, then the system should be flushed twice. Regular ATF is just drain, refill and bleed air out.

It could be Castrol did update it to 6. The 6 bottles of IV have lasted a while and the system takes between one to two quarts IIRC.

[AWE46M3]

I recently put in LiquiMoly Top Tec 1200 when I replaced all my hoses.

Awesome - thanks for the recommendation!

The long answer would be; the original spec for ATF in the ZF steering system is ZF TE-ML 09.
Very little oils claim to be compatible with that spec, even less are officially approved for it, probably because it's so antiquated and obscure.

The short answer is; just buy some name brand ATF.

Thanks for the context. Appreciate the BMW trivia

Mobil 1 ATF

That’s on the list of options - saw Obioban runs that in a thread when I was researching.

[AWE46M3]

Any good brand ATF for the E46. Power steering fluid was switched to CHF-11S for the E90 and other newer models.

Castrol Dextron 4 is good and can be bought in a pack of 6.

Thanks for your feedback. I thought 4 had been discontinued and replaced by 6? Do you recall how many quarts one needs to fill the system? Does the system have to be flushed with extra ATF the first time you use ATF to clear all the old stuff out? Trying to figure out how much I need to buy 😄

[PSUEng]

I recently put in LiquiMoly Top Tec 1200 when I replaced all my hoses.

[bmwfnatic]

The long answer would be; the original spec for ATF in the ZF steering system is ZF TE-ML 09.
Very little oils claim to be compatible with that spec, even less are officially approved for it, probably because it's so antiquated and obscure.

The short answer is; just buy some name brand ATF.