# Power steering fluid

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-fluid/53385>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** thunderbird, ford\
**Created:** [August 12, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-fluid/53385 "2010-08-12T03:03:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pshirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@Pshirley](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Pshirley)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-fluid/53385/1 "2010-08-12T03:03:31Z")

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I have a 1966 ford thunderbird with power steering. I was checking the fluids in my car one day and I noticed that my power steering fluid level was low. So I went to look in my shop manual to see what fluid went in it. It specified to put type F automatic transmission fluid into the power steering pump. I went and talked with a local mechanic on the matter and he said that the tranny fluid had I high level of detergents in it and it would cause seal failure. He said that I should use power steering fluid. To my knowladge, power steering fluid is a fairly new power transfer fluid. Can anyone tell me which one I should put into my power steering pump?  
  
 Thank you to those who do.

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**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/power-steering-fluid/53385/2 "2010-08-12T03:14:29Z")

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Ford has used ATF for many, many years…It will not damage oil seals. Your system by the way is a Rube-Goldberg contraption of valves and hoses and a hydraulic cylinder connected to the drag-link…Leaks and seeps are common to the point of being “normal”…