I have posed this question on the tractor forums without much reaction, so I though I would come to the one place where more readers have good answers.
I have a Phord tractor (1956 850) with factory power steering. The factory PS pump had died and been replaced with a small Escort pump (I think) before I bought it. Even though the pump works, the steering response is slow. The owners manual stipulates that the PS system uses the same universal fluid as the transmission. Since that is so much thicker than Type II Dexron ATF, the system must warm up before it works at all, but even when it's hot, the response is slow. I have been tempted to just change the fluid to ATF, but don't want to risk damage to the steering box, which has been rebuilt, and don't know how the steering pistons will perform with the lighter oil. A rebuilt PS pump is almost $700, so you can understand why I am looking for alternatives. Would a pump from a full-size truck or car improve the performance, and how do I reconcile the different oils?
