power steering fluid

[crankin]

Is it important to use ZF fluid or is Dexron trans fluid fine in the power steering as in US cars. A BMW store guy said the Dexron will eat the seals.
Thanks

[Kalevera]

Steve, use whatever the reservoir cap indicates. If the car has self leveling, it's probably CHF 11s, but I always get the two common CHF fluids confused. "ATF only" = Dexron II/III compatible is fine.

best, whit

[shogun]

What model, engine and production year do you have? And do you have LAD or not?
If LAD, in any case Pentosin CHF7.1 for early years, later years from around 1990/91 Pentosin CHF 11S.
Never, ever use anything else than Pentosin, if Pentosin is mentioned on the sticker.
That will cost you a lot if you use anything else. Many people have paid a lot for destroyed gaskets in the LAD system causing permanent leaks
http://www.pentosin.de/eng/index.html

[shogun]

I just found your old post. E32 735iL 1990 model, that means probably 1989 second half of the year produced. In any case that car needs Pentosin, most probably 7.1,
You have LAD.
Check the fluid, it is or must be greenish.
Maybe you add to you profile the model, year and if you can add the month also, that helps a lot. Production month you will find with the VIN decoder on my website below.

Pentosin you can buy from the BMW dealer or BMA or www.autohausaz.com
if the local aftermarket shop does not have it. Usually not.
In emergency go to a VW dealer, they use a similar product, see spec. on Pentosin hompage

[jdubois]

Is it important to use ZF fluid or is Dexron trans fluid fine in the power steering as in US cars. A BMW store guy said the Dexron will eat the seals.
Thanks


Ok, so i bought a used 1998 740iL just recently, but it unfortunately did not have a user manual with it. I have downloaded the 2000 7 series manual from the BMW website, but the diagrams do not show the location of the power steering fluid res on the engine.

I can tell i need some fluid, steering is getting a little tight and it is making the telltale noise of low fluid that any car makes when i first drive it in the morning, but i cannot figure out where to check and add fluid, let alone which type to add.

Any help at all is very much appreciated, as i far prefer to add the fluid myself rather than pay a mechanic to do so and have them charge me to high hell.

Thanks

[Kalevera]

Depends on what options are on the car, most look like this:

https://home.comcast.net/~yeats1/MVC-010S.JPG

On the right side of the engine bay (Driver's side, in the picture), directly to the left of the strut tower and to the right of the plastic engine cover, closer to the driver's seat than the oil filter housing (which has a 36mm head on it). Use a rag to clean off the top prior to opening (keep junk from falling in there). The one shown in the picture is probably using ATF; there should be a sticker indicating what fluid to use on the cap itself.

There's a filter in the base of the reservoir that can get clogged over time. It's not serviceable; the reservoir itself has to be replaced. The circuit is legitimately a "lifetime fill", so it should never need service. You've probably got leaky lines, a bad reservoir, or a bad power steering pump.

best, whit