Water in power steering fluid?????

[Grif]

How the hell does this happen?

I do have a small slow leak, but Ive just been topping off the PS fluid to compensate. Today I noticed the fluid in the reservoir had a milky color indicative of water! WTH?

I know I need to purge the system, but how critical is this and where could it have come from? Any ideas?

[PK]

Depends on where your small leak is.

If it is down low where it can get wet from road spray, the PS gets hot as you drive, then cools down. Water sitting around your leak can get sucked in as the temperature changes and the colder fluid reduces in volume.
That is an old problem with agricultural machinery.

PK

[Grif]

Intresting, the leak indeed is down low. Thanks PK.

[Grif]

Thanks Mark, that's another interesting point.

I have been topping it off with Dextron III, but have no idea what was in the system before.