Brake fluid as a power steering stop leak? Do old people know everything?

Question

A retired mechanic who lives in my neighborhood we call old man Bud is always coming up with some of the most fantastic claims. Once he told me to put about a half an ounce of brake fluid in my power steering unit to stop it from leaking.
I did not try it, because some people say old man Bud makes this stuff up.
I bought a over the counter stop leak and it slowed the leak down some but occasionally I have to add stop leak.
A old mechanic in the parts store a noticed me buying power steering stop leak and told me to try brake fluid.
He said put it in at night with the engine running, turn the wheels left and right and cut the car off and leave it to sit over night.
I did and the leak stopped !
Do old people know everything?

Answer 1

You would be surprised if you knew that most store bought remedies are variations of old shade tree mechanic mixtures. They seldom work as well because they ultimately cut back on the main ingrediants to save money.
The power steering fluid should be changed after the leak stops. It will last indefinately.
The over the counter stop leaks are designed to make the seals swell also, But they take forever to work if they work at all.

Answer 2

Power Steering Stop Leak

Answer 3

Don't get carried away, if 2 cap fulls slow it down, 3 might make it worse. Let the brake fluid do its job for a few days then dump the reservoir. The brake fluid swells the seals but there is no magic way to stop it the swelling. Brake fluid is a quick fix used by used car dealers to bring auto transmissions back to life. The rubber softens, seals swell but eventually the seals swell to large. Add the brake fluid, when it has done its job change the fluid. Consider a temporary fix only.

Answer 4

It's like putting sawdust in a manual trans to quiet the gears or egg white in a radiator to stop a small leak or using an old beer can to fix a split exhaust pipe....you're just putting off fixing what needs to be fixed properly. "Old timers" use to do lots of things to jury-rig a repair just to keep going until it could be fixed right...especially depression-era people and farmers that had little money to fix things right. A little brake fluid will make the rubber seals swell enough to stop a small leak but over time will destroy the seals anyway. Best to have the leak fixed right the first time with the proper methods and products but a lack of money will drive people to do lots of things.

Answer 5

Dear Robert M - please USE MOAR CAPS whEn YOU RePlY !!! No one ever gets tired of it. Your Saab needs an urgent powersteering flush with a correct fluid - 2001 still takes the Pentosin dark green fluid, smells like rotten fish, dont put anything else in there. Buy the fluid from the dealer and have it changed by someone else or have the dealer do a full flush, it's much less expensive than replacing the steering rack, pump, lines.

Answer 6

So the stuff has swollen the seal to stop the leak. Now you have a bubble. You are set up for sudden failure because you have not fixed the seal, only swollen it. It could be 2 years, or 2 months, but it will fail.
Do I know everything? No, but I know a lot, and how to find out what I don't know.

Answer 7

A lot of us 'old timers' know a few tricks like that, using the old fluids. The science was knowing how much to put in, to just seal the thing, without destroying the seal itself. With todays fluids and composite seals most people cost themselves a large repair bill & a walk home if they try..

Answer 8

No but some stuff like brake fluid is a home remedy just like chicken soup for a cold. it will work but not the right fix.

Answer 9

You would be surprised how much these old coggers know. Listen and learn.