Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

[Jim S.]

Joe Lucia,
My 1975/76 AIM says to fill the Corvette power steering system with 0.16 gallons of 9985010 fluid per job. I assume that the 5010 is the specification for GM power steering fluid. Can you confirm that is the spec? One more thing, do you know when that spec was first used?

Jim Shea

[Joe L.]

Re: Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

Joe Lucia,
My 1975/76 AIM says to fill the Corvette power steering system with 0.16 gallons of 9985010 fluid per job. I assume that the 5010 is the specification for GM power steering fluid. Can you confirm that is the spec? One more thing, do you know when that spec was first used?

Jim Shea

Jim------


GM #9985010 was the PRODUCTION part number for the power steering fluid and was also the specification for the fluid. I do not have the specification. However, I can tell you, for certain, that it's the same as GM #1050017. That part number was discontinued many years ago and replaced by GM #89021182 which remains available from GM.

The GM #9985010 dates back to at least 1966 and, probably, further. That's as far back as I can track it. It was used alternately in PRODUCTION with GM #9985039 (automatic transmission fluid) for the power steering system.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

Joe,

I should know this but can you use the dextron automatic transmission fluid for the power steering sustem.

[Jim S.]

Re: Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

Joe,
Oldsmobile became the "passenger car steering responsible" division for the Corporation sometime in the 1970s (I just don't remember when). Of course, Chevrolet Div and Cadillac still wielded the most clout in the monthly Steering Coordination meetings that were held at Saginaw. Through those meetings, Oldsmobile was able to ride heard on all the GMAD assembly plants and got them to finally quit using ATF and convert their plants to only GM power steering fluid. To their credit, GM Truck & Bus was one of the first to convert all of their plants to evacuate and fill systems along with genuine GM PS fluid.
Jim

[Joe L.]

Re: Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

Joe,
Oldsmobile became the "passenger car steering responsible" division for the Corporation sometime in the 1970s (I just don't remember when). Of course, Chevrolet Div and Cadillac still wielded the most clout in the monthly Steering Coordination meetings that were held at Saginaw. Through those meetings, Oldsmobile was able to ride heard on all the GMAD assembly plants and got them to finally quit using ATF and convert their plants to only GM power steering fluid. To their credit, GM Truck & Bus was one of the first to convert all of their plants to evacuate and fill systems along with genuine GM PS fluid.
Jim

Jim------


The last year that Chevrolet specified auto trans fluid as one of the approved choices for Corvettes for factory fill for the power steering system was 1970. After that time, only the 9985010 was specified.

[Joe L.]

Re: Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

Joe,

I should know this but can you use the dextron automatic transmission fluid for the power steering sustem.

Timothy------

I expect it could be used but I'd never do it. There's no way to absolutely confirm that it would be GM-approved, even for pre-1971 applications for which power steering fluid could have been originally installed. Here's why: the pre-1971 vintage auto transmission fluids used in PRODUCTION, first GM #9985039 and later GM #9985158, were the same as SERVICE-available auto transmission fluid GM #1050568 (and predecessors). However, the GM #1050568 was discontinued without supersession more than 15 years ago. So, there's no currently available GM transmission fluid which specifically supersedes it. Nevertheless, I think the Dexron VI would work but, as I say, I'd never use it for power steering. In fact, what I use is GM Cold Climate Power Steering Fluid even though I do not live in a cold climate.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

Thanks Joe, when I installed P/S on my 67 Corvette Dextron ATF is what I used to fill the system.

Never had a problem but maybe it's best if I get it out of there.

[Joe L.]

Re: Joe Lucia help with 9985010 Specification

Thanks Joe, when I installed P/S on my 67 Corvette Dextron ATF is what I used to fill the system.

Never had a problem but maybe it's best if I get it out of there.

Timothy------


At this point, I don't think I'd replace it.