Brake Fluid in the PS Resivior, How Screwed Am I?

[2.216VTurbo]

Now that my 12 year old son has his own 89 LeBaron GTC he is showing a *little* more interest in cars. Not like I was when that age but there was no PS4 back then so I get it:D So my 928 has been showing the low brake fluid warning light on the display all day as we ran some errands. It made him ask what that means and what could happen if it gets worse, he looked a little shocked when I described total brake failure to him:lol: Anyway, he thought it best if we took care of it ASAP so when we got home I popped the hood and gave him the brake fluid, a funnel and a rag to add it while I was searching for the chain lube to hit the hood pins (which were causing the hood to come p slow) he added the brake fluid-to the power steering resivoir:( He says it took a lot to bring it to the fill line.

So it's pretty involved to pull the res off and drain it, I know that's what I should do but it's raining and not really something I want to do today. How bad is this to wait a day or two? Is it already killing the rubber lines in the system? Is it gonna sit on top or go strait to the bottom where it can do even more damage? I haven't started the car yet since the mishap. Ugg...

[minigts]

The FSM says to disconnect the return line while the car is running, and put in new fluid as the old runs out, preferrably to grass or the sewer, at least for California. All other states it says to run the old fluid to a container to dispose of properly.

[cordes]

I would bite the bullet and drain it. I don't know the answer to a single one of your questions though. Nice work doing something with the kid too I would add.

[spiro440]

Disconect the return line and running it is best. The oil in there must be old anyway. Not many people flush the PS fluid. I would not worry for the seals since you haven't ran it. If it was raining outside today I would be dancing! Hit -4*F today.

[86Shelby]

I see no reason why it would damage any seals. Brake fluid is designed so that it doesn't swell any rubber components. Find a vacuum cap or equivalent to plug the return port on the reservoir when you flush it, likely going to be 3/8" diameter.

[HSKR]

If you haven't started the motor at all since he added it, then I'd say just grab a turkey baster some something similar and suck all the fluid out of the power steering reservoir and top back off with some of whatever Porsche recommends for power steering fluid, Dodge uses ATF+4. Sucking it out should get 95% or more of whatever he added in. And if you power steering fluid was low enough that it took "a lot" of brake fluid to top of reservoir, might start looking for a power steering leak as well.

[BadAssPerformance]

^^^ +1 If its in the reservoir and has not been run yet, I would suck it out with a siphon, turkey baster, whatever you can fit in there. Then maybe fill it with PS fluid and suck that out to sort of rinse it.

OK, just thought of something else... the brake fluid sg is close to 1 and the ps fluid is lower than 1 so the brake fluid sank. Not sure where the hoses are in relation to reservoir and if the brake fluid could sneak down a line? Maybe after cleaning out the reservoir a full system flush wouldn't be a bad idea?

[2.216VTurbo]

I like the idea of sucking out the fluid and refilling then lather rinse repeat a couple times. I was looking at what it would take to unbolt the resivior , it's a PIA like anything under that hood. The underhood real estate on the 928's is so freaking tight it makes L body engine bays seem spacious! Heck, this is the car that took me nearly 2 months to do the valve cover gaskets. The kit had 104 pieces BTW:(

Didn't get to it today, too hung over:yuck: Crazy fun party last night tho:nod:

[minigts]

I wasn't kidding about the process Alan. Disconnect the return line and fill it as you let the pump work. Should be pretty simple and it won't take very long.

[BadAssPerformance]

That is assuming he can get to the return line in the "tighter than an l-body" engine compartment. Then you for sure have to flush out the pump too

[minigts]

Well you put fluid in while it's running, so you are effectively flushing the pump and the rack. The return hose has the clamp on the bottom and just has the clamp holding it in place. Should be easy to undo, install another hose that can route to his local California water drain, run the car while putting fresh fluid in and then after a quart or two, shut it down and hook everything back up. California will eventually fall off into the ocean and his system will be cleaned out, it's a win win.

[thedon809]

It would have been much worse if he put power steering in the brake fluid.

[2.216VTurbo]

Finally got under the Porsche today, takes 30 minutes just to jack that thing up and get the belly pan off:( Did I mention what a PIA it is to work on that thing?? Anyway the easiest way to get the return line loose enough to 'leak' controllably with the pump on was to take the banjo fitting loose at the rack, and to do that, all I had to do was unbolt the swaybar endlink on the driver's side. Sheesh, not even a room to slide a 19mm wrench on the banjo otherwise:confused:. Fluid came out milky and really stinky, could definitely smell the brake fluid in it but it also smelled burnt:yuck: I had also noticed that parking lot speed turning manuvers had gotten heavier in the last 6-12 months. Shoulda had my kid add the brake fluid sooner! It steers sooooo much lighter, pump is quieter and im sure it picked up 5WHP too;) It's driving so nice with the new Toyo R1S's(only $111. each cause who the F want's 16's anymore anyway:D) and the fresh PS fluid, I'm gonna drive it to work tomorrow:)

[black86glhs]

Being a Nazi inspired vehicle, it picked up at least 15 WHP. :thumb: