5.3Avalanche

Hi everyone. I drive a '99 WS6 Bird. I've been lurking the boards the past little while trying to figure out what's wrong with my car. From what I can tell looking at my car and reading info on this site, it appears that my power steering fluid cooler (heat exchanger) has internally crapped out. This has caused my power steering fluid and my coolant to mix. Interestingly enough, the power steering fluid has only seemed to have gone into my coolant, and the coolant has not gone back into my power steering system. I've attached some pictures below of what my symptoms are right now. I'm hoping that what I've found may help others in the future.

Symptoms:

• Brown Sludge in coolant system
• power steering fluid level decreases rapidly
• power steering system whines when fluid is low
• oil is leaking from the coolant lines going into and out of the power steering fluid cooler
• there is an oil film on all coolant system hoses

Next Steps:
I plan on replacing the primary inlet and outlet hoses to the radiator with new OEM hoses. I also plan on replacing the OEM fluid cooler/heat exchanger with another OEM unit. I'm sure others will argue on here that they think the power steering cooler is a "heater" but they are incorrect. It is a heat exchanger. It is there to heat the power steering fluid up quickly during first start up and to cool it down when the power steering fluid rises up above the engine coolant temperature so that it doesn't boil. These are both essential functions as the pump functions at its optimum level at a specific temperature, much like engine oil functions best at its running temperature.

I'm going to be going to the GM dealer tomorrow to order the parts and will update my post after I replace the parts.

Cheers, and thanks to all the great people and information on this site.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

Holy ****! Time to douche the hell outta the coolant system! I haven't see one THAT bad since about 2000. And that was a 95 Blazer that ran a $300 flush at the dealership I was working at.

I used some prestone stuff a long time ago that worked pretty well.
I think ti was this stuff;

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

That seems to be a lot of oil in the coolant. So much that I'd say the PS system has nowhere near that much fluid in it.

How's the oil in this car? I seriously think this is engine oil, not PS fluid in the coolant.

How many miles on this car? Any noise, bearing knock or oil smoke in the exhaust?

This is yet another reason that fluid coolers should not be within the radiator/coolant system.

5.3Avalanche

It's got 147,000 kms on it (~91,000 miles). My first thought was that the car had a head gasket leak but the oil looks fine. It's got some light piston slap when it's cold and some valve train ticking which in my opinion are normal for an LS1. The engine oil is not milky when I change it and the level hasn't gone down over the past 1500 miles. I've owned the car for the past 3000 kms. There was at least a half litre of power steering fluid in the coolant, as that is how much I have had to top up. There isn't smoke coming from the exhaust at startup or when warmed up.

There is nothing wrong with fluid coolers within the cooling system, they should just be designed better. I'm going to tear mine apart when I pull the old one off to see what it looks like inside. I'm curious what happened.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

Sound's like it is the PS cooler. Lucky for you, milk shake is almost always a head gasket.

Looks like the cooler is a GM only part, 10417037 at like $200.00!

It IS a bad idea to have oil coolers immersed within the coolant system. You had this happen. Over the years, I've lost two transmissions due to bad coolers in radiators.

dr_whigham

iTrader: (49)

I'm tackling this when I get home. Here's an EXCELLENT thread you need to read. I would, in no way shape or form, put the stock cooler back on, even if it was brand new. The thread will explain everything as to why, as well as a fix.

Hope this helps. This WILL solve all problems, and will prevent it from ever happening again.

Good luck

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

seems some with the stock PS cooler have not got the memo.......get rid of it!!!

5.3Avalanche

Thanks for your input and opinions guys. I'll post an update after I overhaul both systems.

libertyforall1776

iTrader: (2)

Old thread I know, but I have this exact issue and need a replacement cooler ASAP -- what unit(s) and mounting locations are recommended?

If the OP has photos of what the failure actually was, I would love to see! I assume the pipe within the pipe corroded and leaked?

79_T/A

iTrader: (1)

Contact Blaine Fabrication. He makes a kit that mounts on the fan shroud beneath the passenger side fan. Uses a stacked plate oil to air cooler. The advantage of mounting there is the fans pull air through the cooler when idling. Much more effective than that junk factory cooler that does nothing but destroy pumps because it lets the fluid get so hot.

libertyforall1776

iTrader: (2)

Thanks! Are you using it and have installed photos? If so, please post them. Looked but did not see it:

http://blainefabrication.com/products.html

Guess I will email/call...

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

Many of us have eliminated the cooler altogether without any side effects (other than two less hoses and no more nastiness in the coolant). I even added an aftermarket cooler when I first removed the OE cooler but recently yanked the aftermarket one off. Here's the main thread on this issue: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...g-success.html

libertyforall1776

iTrader: (2)

Well I deleted the stock PS cooler, spent a ton of time flushing the system and still have some slight oily sheen after hours of flushing, and now have the two cooler hoses double-nipple clamped together, now to find my ideal cooler. Still researching...

Found the Blaine kit:

http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/index.php?showtopic=14476

79_T/A

iTrader: (1)

Blaine kit is working really well for me. Did an autocross event this weekend, made 15 runs in relatively quick succession. Previously the pump would overheat and spill fluid, and the pump would be screaming after a few runs. Now its silent and no more mess.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

At first glance I thought what a great idea! BUT it's mounted behind the radiator so the airflow is already heated. Auxiliary coolers should be mounted in front of the radiator.

79_T/A

iTrader: (1)

It may seem like it won't reduce temps enough, but it works. I don't have any numbers, but Alan might. This setup has been proven to work in many SCCA and NASA race cars around the country. Cars with power steering systems that see far more abuse than the average street car.

38DD2436

^^ Is it mounted in front or behind the rad? Im looking at doing this mod and a frame rail cooler looks good.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

^^ It's mounted behind.