Changed out P/S Fluid Today *pics*

[II Kings 9:20]

Originally Posted by sethro

The steering is still stiff in typical BMW fashion. It's just that it feels lighter when turning at low speeds, it still feels precise and hard just much smoother.

Just for comparison I drove a Merc E350 and the steering on that car is so effortless you could turn it with your pinky finger no joke.

I love pinky steering when parking, who needs arm over arm steering in that situation. What is the E350 steering like at 130- I want stiff nearly non power at that speed which is what true speed senstiive steering is. There is no good reason for the X5 to require muscle bound effort at low speeds.

I'll do the change and hope I notice what you have with smoother steering.

[sethro]

Originally Posted by II Kings 9:20

I love pinky steering when parking, who needs arm over arm steering in that situation. What is the E350 steering like at 130- I want stiff nearly non power at that speed which is what true speed senstiive steering is. There is no good reason for the X5 to require muscle bound effort at low speeds.

I'll do the change and hope I notice what you have with smoother steering.

Its quite interesting actually with the E350 at slow speeds the steering is effortless, but at highway speeds it gets very hard. I think Audi uses a similar system if I'm not mistaken, I think BMW is moving in this direction too with adaptive steering.

[c4racer]

Originally Posted by TheGodfather

I always thought stiff steering was good? Or am I confusing that with "responsive steering."

I have always been told that stiff is good.

oh wait - what were we discussing again?

[1stE53]

Originally Posted by II Kings 9:20

I love pinky steering when parking, who needs arm over arm steering in that situation. What is the E350 steering like at 130- I want stiff nearly non power at that speed which is what true speed senstiive steering is. There is no good reason for the X5 to require muscle bound effort at low speeds.

I'll do the change and hope I notice what you have with smoother steering.

I'll be trying this when the weather gets better also. I did just change my tires two weeks ago to ContiProContact and the steering is noticeably easier!

[TheGodfather]

Originally Posted by c4racer

I have always been told that stiff is good.

oh wait - what were we discussing again?

I deliberately chose not to describe the steering as tight or loose... apparently I should have left out stiff as well.

[LeiZ]

Well, I just changed it, with Dextron VI, noticed the steering feeling difference. It's not exactly more stiff or more loose. It's much more SMOOTHER. This is after I just finished 1st drain&fill. I'll do a quick 2nd and 3rd until fluid gets pink. Weather is terrible these days.

Lei

[EKS PYB]

Is replacing the filter and draining more complicated than the turkey baster drain from reservoir?

If its not, then might as well drain and replace filter as well and do everything with one swoop.

Is there a DIY on draining and replacing the filter on here?

[JCL]

I believe that the filter is built into the reservoir housing, and is not replaceable. You have to buy a new reservoir if you want to change the filter.

If you are going to use a syringe to replace fluid (drips less than a turkey baster) you need to do 6 or so cycles to get enough of the fluid out.

If you are going to drain the reservoir, you may as well go one step further and drain the pump and reservoir at the same time. This will only require 2 cycles to get enough of the fluid changed.

The reason that posters are getting clean fluid after two cycles with the turkey baster method is that they haven't touched the fluid in the rack or the pump, but simply the fluid in the reservoir.

[toohotdoc]

Yeah I agree, I just did the flush like the OP posted and made no difference at all.

[X5 Meister]

JCL is correct.