Anyone reading through these forums is bound to find posts about the potential damage to rubber and plastic from the stock pentosin power steering fluid (PSF) in these cars. For the life of me, I can't seem to find any solid evidence regarding reactions between the PSF and other materials.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Maybe someone with a chemistry background could chime in? I'm not looking for for posts that claim reactions, I'm looking for some lab or other substantial data to support these claims. This stuff has a serious bad rep in these forums, but I can't find the real source.

This is just for my own (and others) education. I'm curious why Porsche would choose such a nasty material and put it throughout the car.

Any help is appreciated.

 

Well there are always trade offs and there must be something that this fluid does that others don't do as well or it could be as simple as cost. I heard that the majority of Porsche's income is form its engineering and not its car sales. They must know something. I have a background in industrial/commercial HVAC, Propane is the most efficient refrigerant but as you most likely guessed already it is just to dangerous to use. Next up is ammonia still very dangerous but it is used when the load is to great for the safer options. This may or may not apply in this case.

 

It would be interesting to pour CHF11 on a coolant hose in the garage, and some piece of old bodywork, then let it sit there and see what it does over a month or a year.

 

Talking to an engineer at Diamler he said they use it in Germany and Europe because it is biodegradable and water soluble, and it also works in extreme temperatures, hot and cold.

In the Porsche shop manual it says to make sure you do not get it on any coolant hoses and if you do wash it off IMEDIATELY with water. Then replace any hoses that are bulged.

It overflowed from my front reservoir and ate the plastic cover which goes over it, and the edge of the battery cover.

 

I was thinking the same. I might set this up in my garage with various rubber and plastic materials. I'm also talking to a chemist and I'll report back. This stuff can't eat all rubber and plastic, because there are seal materials in the power steering and stock clutch actuation systems.

A relatively long background in engineering has me always wanting as much data as possible. I feel like there is very little data out there and quite a few people could benefit from something more substantial.

 

I believe there is other materials like neoprene or viton. We use all types of gaskets in the Victaulic coupling depending on fluid being used.

 

Maybee this could help....

http://altrom.com/msds/CHF%2011.S_MSDS%20SHEET.pdf