What is a power steering grease - where to get one?

I usually solve these problems by a visit to the local auto parts store. They usually look it up for me in the maintenance manuals.

I am surprised the service manual does not give the specification or original part number.

my 97 accord shop manual from Helms only mentions putting silicone grease on the boot end of the rack grooves. In several other places they say to apply grease and use the symbol for the typical hand grease gun for zerk joints. Also in a couple of places they say to apply honda PSF to the surfaces.

I hope you have the Helms manual - it is really complete and this is a complex system.

good luck

You can simply coat the seals with Honda P/S fluid - since that is what they will see for the rest of their lives. Dunk them in a container of P/S fluid immediately before installation to ensure they stay wet.

You could also use vaseline as an assembly lube; it will dissolve in the P/S fluid and cause no problem.

Do you have the cone shaped installation tool to stretch the seals onto the rack end pistons? If not, stretch the seals gently and evenly with your fingers before *carefully* placing them over the piston. Disregard if you have an aftermarket seal kit with scarf-cut seals.

Keep in mind that there is a way you can get the high and low pressure pipes crossed on your Accord. It's not easy, but the same people who can put in an 1157 bulb backwards can also manage this feat, so be careful.

Toyota MDT in MO

"Sam Nickaby" wrote

Help. I have one extra O-ring left unused. There is no where to install it. Either this is the first time the Helm service manual has made a mistake or I am not being thorough. I can clearly see that the instructions did not mention this O-ring but it's drawn on the cover page. Here, take a look.

BTW, Thanks for the great advices but still unable to find steering/silicone grease. I've already completed my assembly (forgot about Vaseline) instead, I used its original grease.

the old grease should be fine. do /not/ use vaseline - it's petroleum based.

silicone greases are stocked at many online industrial supply stores and electrical supply stores. a good mechanical grade silicone is "dow corning 33", but i don't know for sure it's right for this application because it contains a lithium soap. if going the electrical supply route, look for "high dielectric" grease. silicone is usually there.

jim beam wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@speakeasy.net:

Zip Slip is good.

Egad! It might mix with the hydraulic oil (power steering fluid)... which is also petroleum based. If rack seals were inherently intolerant to petroleum, they would never last in P/S fluid either. Vaseline can be used much the same way it has been used forever in automatic trans rebuilds. It's not necessary if you are careful with the end seals or use a cone installation tool, but certainly OK. It melts away at low temps and dissipates in the system much better and safer than a run-of-the-mill bearing type grease.

Toyota MDT in MO

well, honda power steering fluid is /not/ compatible with other power steering fluids - it wrecks seals. i don't know for sure what the situation is, but if it were a silicone oil rather than a mineral oil, that could easily account for the manufacturer spec for silicone grease and would /definitely/ rule out compatibility with vaseline.

That's true.

It is a mineral oil based fluid. Most likely the different additive package is what causes seal incompatibility when non Honda fluid is used.

I think this whole silicone grease conversation was in reference to the rack boots. Probably something to help keep the rubber soft over the years, or possibly to assist in installing the new boots onto the rack housing -- or to allow them to spin freely vs. twist during toe adjustment. I couldn't make out exactly what the OP was refering to, I was just offering a suggestion to keep the very fragile end seals from getting nicked during installation.

Toyota MDT in MO

"Comboverfish" wrote

Vaseline might help to slip the rack into the seal because I didn't use a cone. It may also help to install other areas. I cringe every time it slip the end seals pass the rack since the PSF didn't help. Your advice regarding stretching the seals onto the rack end pistons with our fingers help because the dealer won't sell the cone installer.

Here are some helpful advices in case anyone needs to fix a rack leak. The most essential parts are the Genuine parts, picture 47 part number 91354- SA5-952 O-RING (24.5X2) $0.29 and picture 23 53633-SE0-953 (requires two gasket) CYLINDER END seal $0.88 or 88 cents each. Or buy the gearbox at $751.00. The insurance agency valued my salvage Honda for $250 after the accident so I had to fix it.

The service manual requires that we replace all the seals, but I could get away with only four. It's unjustified to replace only four seals or o-rings.

Parts.