First about the synthetics, back when I was in school for Auto/Diesel we had a couple people come in for demonstrations, a couple people that came right after each other were a GM engineer and a Mobil oil rep. The Mobil rep talked to us about fluids and had 3 mock-up single cylinder compressors ran by a single electric motor. He showed us how all three were in identical condition as far as bearings, rings, and cylinder walls. He put some generic oil in the first, conventional mobil in the second, and Mobil 1 in the third. He turned on the elec motor that spun them around 4,000rpm, and we went back into the class room with that running where he gave his presentation. It was mainly about the properties of lube oils with the occasional blip in about Mobil. We went back out to the shop after about 2 hours of his setup running. Turned it off and pulled the cranks out with the pistons. Everyone was amazed in the difference. The amount of metal shavings in the generic oil, from a low level of something in the oil. The conventional Mobil looked as you would expect, with normal wear, some lines down the cylinder and such. But the really cool thing was the Mobil 1 mock-up looked like it hadn't been ran. Bearing, crank, cylinder wall, rings, the whole nine yards looked like new still. I know it was just a little test, but I though about a vehicle that would magnify everything so much from a lot more use.
He went on to explain a little more about which oils had what addatives in them to help clean and lubricate, such as Valvoline is good all around, penzoil had higher detergents/dispersants so it cleaned better, royal purple had high lube press out ratings which made it good for high HP racing, etc. Everything had it's place, and synthetics (at least higher quality ones) had such a difference in wear properties that an engine running conventional oil for 10,000 miles would have the same bearing, valve, cylinder, etc wear as an engine running synthetic oil for about 200,000 miles (with changes as needed), not to mention that it took the synthetic oil about 3 times as long to break down, meaning it could be ran longer.
OK next about this stupid power steering. I tried to order the pressure line from the pump to the booster, parts store said they can't get it, but they could replace the flexible line on the existing one if I brought it in. Mine is seeping at the crimps. So today I pulled off the PS pump with the line attached, cleaned the line up and took it into town (20 miles away). Got there and they said they can't make it because it is an odd size (3/8"?? ok whatever). There computer doesn't list a new line for an '06, but lists one for an '05 and they look the same. Hopefully they are because I ordered one.
I bought a stiffer spring for the relief valve in the pump, installed it, put the old line back on and mounted it back in the truck. I then tried to connect the line to the booster and it came up 4" too short, damn put the line on the wrong side of the return line. So I try and try to get the line off without pulling the pump off and finally succeed with many scratches and very painful wrists (I have had undiagnosed wrist problems for the last 3 years). I then tried to put it back on the right way, after 2 hours of trying every way possible I got it started, and after another hour I got it tight. Now I'm wishing I would have just left it off and left the truck half out of the garage or something.
Anyway put everything else back together and refilled the PS with Seafoam trans tune (also to be used when flushing power steering systems) and a little of the amsoil PS fluid. Ran the truck, worked the steering and brakes, took it for a test drive. A little easier steering, but not as much as I was hoping for. I have to run back into town to get the new line tomorrow, and I think I'll try a little stiffer pump spring yet. I've decided it is easier to pull the pump back out to get the pressure line back off than all the screwing around I did today. By then I should have the steering system fully flushed with the seafoam and just in need of the fluid replaced with the new amsoil stuff.
