Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for mechanics and DIY enthusiast owners of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
I just bough an old (1980s) Nissan Pathfinder.
In the engine I have managed to identify the engine-oil hole, the radiator-water hole and the windshield-washer hole (you can tell I'm a car expert!) which are generally all I need to understand.
But there is a metal tank at the top of the engine about the size of a coke can with an oil type filler cap. In it is a pinkish liquid that looks a lot like hydraulic fluid.
What is this for?, what do I put in it?, and how bad is it if I don't!
Without seeing what you're referring to, I'd have to guess that it's the power steering reservoir, although it's possible that it could also be the brake fluid.
The power steering cap should have a dipstick type wand to check the level. Before putting anything in it, check the owners manual to determine what type of fluid it needs - some systems use power steering fluid, while others use something like ATF.
If it's brake fluid, it would probably be a bad thing if it was pinkish - that might indicate that someone had added improper fluids to the brake reservoir. The cap to the brake reservoir will not usually have a dipstick.
It is likely a power steering reservoir, and it should be labeled as such. You do not put anything in it, unless it is low. If it is low, and you are hearing whine, check for a leak. Some power steering systems use transmission fluid as their fluid, but it is a completely separate system from the transmission.
Is it a manual transmission? It could be the hydraulic fluid for clutch, assuming it's a hydraulic clutch and not cable.
