Metal shavings (like paste) found in Pwr Steering reservoir

Shane1 · 11-17-2018, 07:39 PM

So I have a fair bit of fine metal particles found in the reservoir of the power steering fluid reservoir. I just changed the Power Steering pump and found them.
So... could these shavings be from the rack? Or the previously damaged pump, which i just replaced. Should I try to flush the fluid from the rack and have fresh ATF fluid in the power steering system? Just wondering what you guys would do if you found metal paste/flakes in the reservoir.

Car is a BMW E90 2008 328i N51 engine.

Thanks !!

Shane1 · 11-17-2018, 09:09 PM

I just picked up some ATF fluid and topped the reservoir up with fresh fluid. I am going to remove one of the banjo bolts on the bottom of the rack tomorrow morning and flush it out, then top it up again with fresh fluid and bleed the system of air. I'll see how that goes...

arkie6 · 11-18-2018, 12:43 AM

Is ATF the correct fluid for your car? My 2008 E90 335i has a sticker on the power steering reservoir cap that says to use CHF-11S.

Checkout this thread:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...php?p=12233031

Also, I would use a turkey baster or oil transfer pump to suck out as much fluid and gunk from the reservoir prior to filling with new fluid.

mecheng77 · 11-18-2018, 01:37 AM

Probably the pump breaking in.

Efthreeoh · 11-18-2018, 05:47 AM

Your car uses Pentosin CHF-11 power steering fluid, not ATF. ALL E9X use CHF-11.

wdb · 11-18-2018, 08:43 AM

Agree probably the failed pump. But I'd still be worried about where else that gunk might have collected and/or what else may have been damaged.

Shane1 · 11-18-2018, 12:15 PM

The top of the fluid reservoir says to use ATF fluid. I don't have the green sticker. There are raised letters on the plastic reservoir that says to use ATF fluid.

Shane1 · 11-18-2018, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arkie6

Is ATF the correct fluid for your car? My 2008 E90 335i has a sticker on the power steering reservoir cap that says to use CHF-11S.

Checkout this thread:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...php?p=12233031

Also, I would use a turkey baster or oil transfer pump to suck out as much fluid and gunk from the reservoir prior to filling with new fluid.

I had wanted fresh fluid in the reservoir, so when its pouring thru, its fresh fluid that is draining and pulling whatever metal shavings with it. So fresh fluid is going thru and hopefully cleaning up the shavings as its draining.

arkie6 · 11-18-2018, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shane1

The top of the fluid reservoir says to use ATF fluid. I don't have the green sticker. There are raised letters on the plastic reservoir that says to use ATF fluid.

Your green sticker probably came off. Mine is almost off and just barely clinging on for ~1/4".

Shane1 · 11-18-2018, 10:47 PM

Hmmmmm... !
I'll give the dealer a call tomorrow for sure and ask them. Maybe they'll have some insight as well...

Efthreeoh · 11-19-2018, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shane1

Hmmmmm... !
I'll give the dealer a call tomorrow for sure and ask them. Maybe they'll have some insight as well...

The green sticker fell off the cap, which is a common problem. All E9X use the same CHF-11 power steering fluid. This question has been answered numerous times on E90 post. There is no need to ask the dealer, it uses CHF-11.

Shane1 · 11-20-2018, 08:39 PM

I called the dealer, South Bay BMW and spoke to the parts dept. They ran my VIN and told me that it takes regular ATF fluid.

So, I started the car and I am getting a very hot and smoking Power Steering pump. The pump is too hot to touch. The doesn't seem normal. I have replaced the pump for the second time, and I am getting the same results the second time - very hot to the touch and smoke coming from the pump. Maybe the rack is damaged and not able to flow fluid thru it so it stays cool??

11-17-2018, 07:39 PM	#1
Shane1 Private 9 Rep 56 Posts Drives: 2008 328 xi E91 preLCI Wagon Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (0)	Metal shavings (like paste) found in Pwr Steering reservoir So I have a fair bit of fine metal particles found in the reservoir of the power steering fluid reservoir. I just changed the Power Steering pump and found them. So... could these shavings be from the rack? Or the previously damaged pump, which i just replaced. Should I try to flush the fluid from the rack and have fresh ATF fluid in the power steering system? Just wondering what you guys would do if you found metal paste/flakes in the reservoir. Car is a BMW E90 2008 328i N51 engine. Thanks !!
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11-17-2018, 09:09 PM	#2
Shane1 Private 9 Rep 56 Posts Drives: 2008 328 xi E91 preLCI Wagon Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (0)	I just picked up some ATF fluid and topped the reservoir up with fresh fluid. I am going to remove one of the banjo bolts on the bottom of the rack tomorrow morning and flush it out, then top it up again with fresh fluid and bleed the system of air. I'll see how that goes...
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11-18-2018, 12:43 AM	#3
arkie6 Lieutenant 397 Rep 433 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW 335i sedan Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Russellville, AR iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i [0.00]	Is ATF the correct fluid for your car? My 2008 E90 335i has a sticker on the power steering reservoir cap that says to use CHF-11S. Checkout this thread: https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...php?p=12233031 Also, I would use a turkey baster or oil transfer pump to suck out as much fluid and gunk from the reservoir prior to filling with new fluid.
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11-18-2018, 01:37 AM	#4
mecheng77 Colonel 1006 Rep 2,243 Posts Drives: 2007 328i / 2014 M235i Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Ontario Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List [0.00] [0.00]	Probably the pump breaking in.
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11-18-2018, 05:47 AM	#5
Efthreeoh General 17267 Rep 18,718 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Your car uses Pentosin CHF-11 power steering fluid, not ATF. ALL E9X use CHF-11. __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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11-18-2018, 08:43 AM	#6
wdb dances with roads 4718 Rep 4,094 Posts Drives: '07 E86, '02 996, '95 Seven Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: the perimeter iTrader: (4)	Agree probably the failed pump. But I'd still be worried about where else that gunk might have collected and/or what else may have been damaged.
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11-18-2018, 12:15 PM	#7
Shane1 Private 9 Rep 56 Posts Drives: 2008 328 xi E91 preLCI Wagon Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (0)	The top of the fluid reservoir says to use ATF fluid. I don't have the green sticker. There are raised letters on the plastic reservoir that says to use ATF fluid.
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11-18-2018, 10:47 PM	#10
Shane1 Private 9 Rep 56 Posts Drives: 2008 328 xi E91 preLCI Wagon Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (0)	Hmmmmm... ! I'll give the dealer a call tomorrow for sure and ask them. Maybe they'll have some insight as well...
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11-20-2018, 08:39 PM	#12
Shane1 Private 9 Rep 56 Posts Drives: 2008 328 xi E91 preLCI Wagon Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (0)	I called the dealer, South Bay BMW and spoke to the parts dept. They ran my VIN and told me that it takes regular ATF fluid. So, I started the car and I am getting a very hot and smoking Power Steering pump. The pump is too hot to touch. The doesn't seem normal. I have replaced the pump for the second time, and I am getting the same results the second time - very hot to the touch and smoke coming from the pump. Maybe the rack is damaged and not able to flow fluid thru it so it stays cool??
	Appreciate 0 Quote