How do i know what power steering fluid I have?

[repenttokyo]

ATF or Pentosin? Previous owner is not around to ask - he had non-BMW coolant in the car, but the car was almost always serviced at BMW indies or the dealer, I have extensive records. It's getting low, and I want to know if there is a way to check what's in there?

[attack eagle]

pink or green?

probably atf since only SLS cars used pentosin AFAIK.

confusion sometimes comes from them reusing a cap with embossed chf labeling with a sticker lable saying atf on top of it from what I have read.

[pingu]

I haven't got the full picture but I know it isn't as simple as only Self Levelling Suspension (SLS) cars using Pentosin / CHF. My 540 uses Pentosin but it doesn't have SLS.

[525i winter driver]

ATF or Pentosin? Previous owner is not around to ask - he had non-BMW coolant in the car, but the car was almost always serviced at BMW indies or the dealer, I have extensive records. It's getting low, and I want to know if there is a way to check what's in there?
mine has a sticker on it 'atf only' that i trusted.
when i did the turkey baster thing i 'bled' the steering first and could see the dirtier fluid coming up into the reservoir making for a cleaner end result i think.

[repenttokyo]

mine has a sticker on it 'atf only' that i trusted.
when i did the turkey baster thing i 'bled' the steering first and could see the dirtier fluid coming up into the reservoir making for a cleaner end result i think.

my cap says 7.1 on it, so I assume it's pentosin. you think if i drain the whole thing with a baster, i should be ok to re-add pentosin?

[Ross]

Yes, Pentosin 7.1

[attack eagle]

my understanding is that all caps say pentosin 7.1.
the ones with atf had a sticker over that which eventually peels off.

my suggestion is to look at the fluid whn you baste it out, if it has a green tint pentosin, if red atf.

or supposedly the reservoir itself will say...

[632 Regal]

if you want to bleed the old stuff out then drain it from the bottom bleeder and turn the steering left to right to get most out while the engine is running, I did this once and was a clean install.


my cap says 7.1 on it, so I assume it's pentosin. you think if i drain the whole thing with a baster, i should be ok to re-add pentosin?

[Jeff325525]

My 91 was labeled Pentosin. My 95 says ATF. My 91 did not have Pentosin, someone had previously put in in ATF. I suggest you check the fluid before putting in Pentosin. If it were my car I would drain whatever is in there by removing a hose (I can't remember seeing a drain plug). Then I would fill with Mobil 1 synthetic ATF. Run it a few minutes, and suck as much out of the reservoir again with a turkey baster and refill. Repeat every second or third oil change. I have read that mixing Pentosin and ATF can cause problems.

Jeff
95 525i
91 525i
98 328is
87 325is (out of commission)