Power Steering Reservoir

Mine (a 1982 Series 1) is definitely a yellow/gold-ish finish. Looks to be the same color as the fuel lines from the distributor.

 

My 1985 S 2 is also yellow cad plated.....here is a factory fresh FI engine and the cap is cadmium plated.

Gary

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Here's mine with carbs

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Yellow zinc. Cad had long since stopped being used in most automotive applications.

 

The original plating technique is still used for aircraft and that is one of the reason why we can still have fasteners plated this way, but since 2016 the restrictions have gone even worse (at least in my country).

There is a yellowish substitute, not real cadmium plating but good enough.

 

Cad in the automotive world went the way of the dinosaurs in the 50's and 60's because of the expense. Rare except in aviation and marine.

Zinc is just as good except in the presence of salt and when done properly even people in the plating business cannot tell the difference.

 

That is actually a BMW part. BMW puts a filter in it in their cars.

 

So does Ferrari. I used to replace them regularly.

 

Brian, I think BMW installs the filter and Ferrari doesn't. Is this correct?

 

No, the Ferraris are also supposed to have a filter. I changed many. Those ZF systems all had a filter as far as I know.

 

I was reading your thread as I was working on an annual PMI of my 365GT4 2+2. I am not challenging if there is a filter or not as, I have not opened my power steering reservoir to check. If there is a filter does anyone have a part number and where to order or purchase. I was ordering PMI filters and parts and pulled a diagram of the power steering system. There is no part listing listed in the diagram. I attached the diagram from Ricambi Americas.

 

https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/0002360055.htm?pn=000-236-00-55-MBZ&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2vjuBRCqARIsAJL5a-LPHXEbzjNLkKco_uEBBg3kPOdrteQkUUFICZIWbX-Q_1G16Pkt8v8aAuqJEALw_wcB
Or

https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/48503/Power-Steering-Filter-H85/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2vjuBRCqARIsAJL5a-JdkKeUFD1_7QHn_LN_d1zC6CeGU1nLo6g4xgtL5_amHXlgSZOIVq8aAqlKEALw_wcB
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Thank you, either or, systems like quite a difference in appearance.

 

The reservior is supposed to have a perforated plate holding the filter down with a spring and retaining clip on the stud that holds the cap on. The lower filter also takes the place of the plate.

Cannot tell from the pictures but they are the same size.


Like a few other items with Ferrari they never pictured it, they never referred to it and they never offered it. During the period I was working on a lot of 400's the dealer I was at was unaware of the filter until I started there.

 

I will have to check mine. I was planning on changing the PS fluid this winter. Anyone have any recommendations on fluid? I typically use Mobil synthetic ATF in all of my other vehicles and it has worked well. I'm always open to suggestions.

 

Hi, this is a good thred. Mine reservior is also yellow. Original for sure. I restore it, now the only solution is yellow zinc plating due to EU regulation. Experts told that previously it was cadmium plated. Now the zinc is less bright but still nice. And thank you for the filter thing. I thought my car was unique, there was a filter inside i only realized when the zinc plater dissasembled it. If you dismatle it it is under a round piece of metal on the bottom of the reservoir is the filter. It was so ugly that i beleve it was inside for 39 years..


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Like a few other items with Ferrari they never pictured it, they never referred to it and they never offered it. During the period I was working on a lot of 400's the dealer I was at was unaware of the filter until I started there.

Properly done zinc and cad are indistinguishable. People in the plating business can't even tell them apart visually. Cad has not been used in the car business for a very long time.

 

As always with this site and its contributors, I learn something new and interesting. I too would be curious to know what power steering fluid brand/make is the best for our cars. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

One other question - is there a trick to changing the fluid or is it just a suck out the old from the reservoir and pour in new to fill?

 

Just changing the fluid in the reservoir is a very small percentage of total fluid. While some of the details for the Ferrari will be a little different than the video the process will be the same.