[LaChewy]

I've been trolling around silently for a while because I had nothing to contribute.

Now I think I have something:

I just bought an 07 E90 with 112k. I love this car and I can feel the obsession growing. In the past I've driven Toyotas for the sake of practicality. Switching to BMW (on a total whim for a great deal) has left me really impressed with the quality of the plastics. I mean it's all good quality, but the hearty plastics that have the little wire tension pin things are so convenient. I'm used to snapping thin, brittle plastics while trying get to others... I could go on but I'm sure I'd be only preaching to the choir.

SO anyway:

While taking steps to exchange fluids (the tranny or no debate is continuously playing games with me head - I won't re-open that can or worms though) I noticed the PS fluid is yellow (see picture below).

I had plans to turkey baste the ATF tonight but now I don't know if thats such a good idea with mixing fluids and all.

A buddy said it could be stop leak mixed in. That wouldn't be worst case scenario!

Could you guys take a look at the picture and tell me some good news or take some guesses at what might be going on here?

[ssdara]

Your ps fluid is past max. See min and max lines on the cap dip stick?

Not sure why it's yellow.

[Needbmwpartzz]

Wow that actually looks like mustard watered down or even a mustard yellow paint
I would say just have it flushed and cross fingers......you could even turkey baste it out over several days and would be much better than what's going on there now.
GL op

[opjose]

It looks like someone twice put in the wrong fluid, leading to the yellow color mix.

Flush it out then fill with the proper fluid.

Drive it around for a month and recheck it.

[BashShah]

I would drain it, and change the Reservoir also.
There is a unremovable filer in the reservoir also.

There is a Banjo Bolt on the PS rack, (Bolt with the hole in it) if losened or removed, it should drain the entire PS Fliud.
check this thread:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=471081

I have been meaning to do mine for some time now, and finally might have an excuse to do it.....my Starter is almost gone.....just waiting for parts.

Good luck.

[Efthreeoh]

^ This.

OP, you need to change the reservoir because the filter in it is contaminated with whatever concoction that got mixed up in the PS. What I'd do is take out that fluid, drain the rack by removing the lines (both the hard and soft lines) and using low air pressure blow the rack dry (I've done this on my car twice). Add back in the correct Pentosin CHF-11 PS fluid. And run the PS for a few minutes. Then repeat the process again, but this time replace the PS reservoir.

I think what happened was someone put the wrong PS fluid in the system. All E90s take Pentosin CHF-11. I think what happened was, BMW in it's stupidity, applied a green doughnut sticker on the reservoir cap that calls for CHF-11 fluid. If the sticker falls off (and it does) the cap is embossed with a different fluid spec (ATF fluid). Whomever owned the car prior, must have mixed the fluids. If your cap is missing the green sticker, I'd bet that's what happened.

[LaChewy]

Thanks everyone!

It is missing the green dot!

I think I'll make one of those mustard photos my profile picture

I just bought non-RFTs and the m3 control arms are on the way... this puts me in a bad position for spending cash at the moment. I plan to flush it all out as recommended, but it will be sometime before I can easily afford the hole in my pocket to get any bigger unless you guys think I'm doing FURTHER DAMAGE by not replacing the whole res. If so I'll man-up and make the purchase.

So the question is:

If I flush and hope the resiviour is okay and it isn't, will it cost me more money in the long run? Am I taking a chance not replacing the res.?

Seriously thanks everyone.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by LaChewy

Thanks everyone!

It is missing the green dot!

I think I'll make one of those mustard photos my profile picture

I just bought non-RFTs and the m3 control arms are on the way... this puts me in a bad position for spending cash at the moment. I plan to flush it all out as recommended, but it will be sometime before I can easily afford the hole in my pocket to get any bigger unless you guys think I'm doing FURTHER DAMAGE by not replacing the whole res. If so I'll man-up and make the purchase.

So the question is:

If I flush and hope the resiviour is okay and it isn't, will it cost me more money in the long run? Am I taking a chance not replacing the res.?

Seriously thanks everyone.

I don't think a reservoir is more than $30. If you don't want to replace the reservoir, then at least remove it and flush it out with a solvent like denatured alcohol. Hell, I'd flush the entire system with denatured alcohol.

[LaChewy]

Okay. I assumed it would be over $100 bucks.

So what the hell is up with this atf vs. CHF 11?

I cannot find a definitive answer!? Ehfthreeoh said every e90 takes CHF, but I'm reading through the forums and some people state otherwise.

Are we sure ALL e90s use CHF 11? Mine is n52k

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by LaChewy

Okay. I assumed it would be over $100 bucks.

So what the hell is up with this atf vs. CHF 11?

I cannot find a definitive answer!? Ehfthreeoh said every e90 takes CHF, but I'm reading through the forums and some people state otherwise.

Are we sure ALL e90s use CHF 11? Mine is n52k

All E90s take CHF-11 it states as such when you look up the reservoir p/n in realoem.com. 32416851218 is the reservoir p/n. Google search shows the part as cheap as $18.
Definitively.

Stop second guessing and just get a new reservoir and flush the old crap out as we all have suggested and refill the system with CHF-11. Get about 10 new crush washers so you'll not have any leaks reinstalling the banjo bolts.

[LaChewy]

Alright. Parts ordered. Thanks.

[r4dr]

I suspect the ATF info is people who had old BMWs (my E30 takes ATF in the power steering, for example) and just kind of stuck with it. E90s definitely take CHF.

[LaChewy]

UPDATE=

I bought new res and fluid through amazon. Before it arrived turkey basted (4 times) the old stuff out.

4 days later the res and fluid showed up, I replaced. Now the fluid it still a yellow color, though not as mustard bright as before.

While turkey basting I noticed there is a difference in color in the top half an inch and the lower liquid in the res. If that's confusing, what I mean is it looks like a heavier liquid is falling to the bottom and the yellow, lighter, liquid is on top.

My first thought is oil is leaking into the system. But why would oil be anyway connected to the power steering system?
Thoughts please?

[Efthreeoh]

I suggested that you completely drain the system and the rack. I explained how to do it. Take it to a shop and have them do it for you if you don't have the tools. Pulling the old fluid out with a turkey baster is not sufficient.

[LaChewy]

No you didn't read my post completely or I didn't explain it well enough.

I turkey basted.

-I drove it around for a week while I wanted for the new reservoir to arrive in the mail.

-The parts arrived.

-I drained the whole system by removing banjo bolt.

I replaced old res with new.

I filled with CHF11

So in conclusion: I both turkey basted AND did exactly as was explained by everyone.

Or so I think. Am I missing something?

EDIT: I just noticed you suggested removing lines. I didn't do that. This could explain residual green oily stuff still in the system. But I turkey'd it a bunch of times, drove it for like 500 miles, banjo'd and replaced res, and finally refilled. I feel like should get a vast majority of the bad fluid out?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by LaChewy

No you didn't read my post completely or I didn't explain it well enough.

I turkey basted.

-I drove it around for a week while I wanted for the new reservoir to arrive in the mail.

-The parts arrived.

-I drained the whole system by removing banjo bolt.

I replaced old res with new.

I filled with CHF11

So in conclusion: I both turkey basted AND did exactly as was explained by everyone.

Or so I think. Am I missing something?

EDIT: I just noticed you suggested removing lines. I didn't do that. This could explain residual green oily stuff still in the system. But I turkey'd it a bunch of times, drove it for like 500 miles, banjo'd and replaced res, and finally refilled. I feel like should get a vast majority of the bad fluid out?

Okay, I'm stumped then. The only thing I can think is the fluid in the rack still was contaminated. It would not take much to color the new fluid. You can open the hard lines on the rack and flush it, maybe that will help.

[BashShah]

ok....flush it again.
empty reservoir.
this time, with Banjo bolt removed.
start filling or pouring and turning steering wheel till all yellow is gone.

as it drains, you fill....or have someone fill......some steer.....and someone watch fluid as it drains.

i know it might me a lot of fluid, but that is the safe way.

other option....which I wold not do......some sort of oil cleaner....or detergent....with the same method.


you basically got to flush it more .... or a few times.

[BMWMusician]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

All E90s take CHF-11 it states as such when you look up the reservoir p/n in realoem.com. 32416851218 is the reservoir p/n. Google search shows the part as cheap as $18.
Definitively.

Stop second guessing and just get a new reservoir and flush the old crap out as we all have suggested and refill the system with CHF-11. Get about 10 new crush washers so you'll not have any leaks reinstalling the banjo bolts.

+1 with this. I found a video if it will help you. Just make sure you use the proper fluid:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/T4Gp1vNgOLc