Effect of Power Steering Sealant Fluid on the Steering system

Many people who are facing a problem with their vehicle are told that a Power Steering Sealant Fluid can help solve the problem. Often the vehicle will make a noise or the the steering will become difficult to use if the levels of the steering fluid are low. In this cases a small or moderate leak is observed. In many cases the leak is because the rubber seals, hoses, and gaskets or o-rings have shrunk, become dry, hard and crack. As a result there are small gaps in the power steering system through which the fluid will leak. If the fluid leakage is not detected and corrected, the problem can worsen.

Rubber Parts

To understand how the power steering Sealant Fluid works, it is important to under how seals, gaskets, o-rings and hoses help ensure that there is no leakage in the power steering. Unlike metal and plastic components in the vehicle which are rigid, and do not change their shape, the seals, gaskets in the power steering are elastic when they are new and soft. Since they are stretchable the seals will close any gap in the power steering and prevent leakage. Due to heat and aging, the seals and gaskets will shrink, and become hard, and small gaps will be formed in the power steering, through which the fluid will leak.

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Effect of Sealer

The power steering fluid sealer helps in stopping the leakage of the steering fluid, by acting on the seals, gaskets and other rubber parts of the power steering. The sealers contains additives and chemicals which act on the rubber parts, and help them swell, become soft and elastic again. The softened rubber parts will close the small gaps in the power steering and ensure that there is no leakage of the fluid. In some cases, the sealer will also form a polyfilm on the seals and other parts, which will cover any small holes or cracks which may appear due to shrinkage of the part.

How to use the sealer

Since the chemical composition of each Power Steering Sealant Fluid will differ, the instruction for using the sealer will also vary. However, in general, the sealer should be added to the reservoir for the fluid used in the power steering. In some cases, the seller of the sealer will recommend that the vehicle should be started ad used for a few hours or days, so that the sealer can circulate through the entire power system, and all the rubber components are exposed to sealer. If the sealer is not effective initially, some more sealer can be added to the system for power steering.

Other Tips

Most of the sellers of Power Steering Sealant Fluid clearly state that their product is mainly effective for closing small leaks caused by hardened seals, rubber components. If the leakage continues and cannot be traced using a visual inspection, an auto dye may be used to trace the leak. Often the sealer will also have additional benefits like preventing corrosion of the components used, and also reducing the wear and tear of the metal components. The frequency of usage of the sealer will vary, it depends to a large extent on the weather conditions.It should be used more often at high temperatures.

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