jtmcdon

I have a 1976 2600 with power steering. Until recently I could steer it with one finger. And it's still very very easy to steer but now it's a little less easy. When I turn it sharply to the left I hear the typical noise you would hear if it were low of power steering fluid. It's not low of fluid...The noise I hear appears to be coming from the Steering Gear Housing. I have a couple of different shop manuals and an original premiminary operator's manual and the picture/diagrams look different than my gear box. In fact, I think the photos are a manual gear box. One of the manual says to check fluid level, remove the Steering Gear Housing Level/Filler Plug and my manual shows a typical 6 point bolt head. When I look at my gear housing I don't see a 6 point bolt head, however, I do see a square headed plug. My manual also says to use the same fluid I use for the hydraulics, transmission, rear axel etc. My question is...is the square headed plug what I need to remove to check the fluid level and do I really use hydraulic fluid if it's low. And if it is low of fluid do I add fluid through the plug hole.

Also, could someone please confirm if the gear housing unit is totally separate from the unit where the send and return power steering lines attach. If so, then it would make more sense to me why hydraulic fluid is used for the gear box and there would be no way to mix the two fluids. I'm concerned if I mix hydraulic fluid with power steering fluid it will damage the unit.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Tom