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Power Steering Cooling Success
#1
Power Steering Cooling Success
First, I'd like to thank LS6427 for their posts on power steering cooler alternatives. https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...ng-cooler.html I was inspired and recently performed a similar mod on my car with great success.
After two months of driving, I've had no overflows, boil-overs, or leaks. Life is good again. I chose a 24" Perma-Cool frame rail cooler that I mounted just behind the front spoiler. http://www.perma-cool.com/Catalog/Cat_page15.html (pic below) Its designed to be out of the air flow and mounts perfectly to the rail right behind the front spoiler. ( I spaced it around an inch away from the spoiler and its stayed in good shape after the normal curb and bumper scrapes.)
I've also measured the temperature of my PS fluid in the reservoir at 150 degrees after hard driving - far below the potential of the stock cooler, which is limited to the 210 + degree temperature of the cooling system. That's also less than reported on a performance PS setup in this article: http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...all/index.html
The article above also contains some good information and background on how coolers came about for all F bodies later in production.
After two months of driving, I've had no overflows, boil-overs, or leaks. Life is good again. I chose a 24" Perma-Cool frame rail cooler that I mounted just behind the front spoiler. http://www.perma-cool.com/Catalog/Cat_page15.html (pic below) Its designed to be out of the air flow and mounts perfectly to the rail right behind the front spoiler. ( I spaced it around an inch away from the spoiler and its stayed in good shape after the normal curb and bumper scrapes.)
I've also measured the temperature of my PS fluid in the reservoir at 150 degrees after hard driving - far below the potential of the stock cooler, which is limited to the 210 + degree temperature of the cooling system. That's also less than reported on a performance PS setup in this article: http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...all/index.html
The article above also contains some good information and background on how coolers came about for all F bodies later in production.
Last edited by wssix99; 04-26-2011 at 01:07 AM.
#6
Banned
iTrader: (2)
That PS fluid eats away the rubber seals for the factory tranny fluid cooler inside the passengers side plastic tank on the radiator. It happened to me.
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#7
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
Thanks for the heads up man, I just did a search and read your past posts about this issue. I now know forsure that this is why my powersteering system is building pressure.
Last edited by LaBLKv6Z; 12-01-2010 at 09:37 PM.
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#9
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
Yeah I'm going to flush the whole system, heater core and all. I just picked up a nice little cooler from Oreilly's. Sad thing is I had to order the upper hose because nobody has the cooler delete hose in stock.
#10
Banned
iTrader: (2)
I just went to Advance Auto and said I need an upper hose......they asked do I have a PS fluid cooler or not. I said "no". So they gave me a upper hose for cars that do not have the PS fluid cooler built in. Same length, same bends, just all rubber. They have them in stock everywhere, they are more abundant than the ones with the cooler in it.
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#12
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
Cooler delete hose?????? Whats that.......?
I just went to Advance Auto and said I need an upper hose......they asked do I have a PS fluid cooler or not. I said "no". So they gave me a upper hose for cars that do not have the PS fluid cooler built in. Same length, same bends, just all rubber. They have them in stock everywhere, they are more abundant than the ones with the cooler in it.
.
I just went to Advance Auto and said I need an upper hose......they asked do I have a PS fluid cooler or not. I said "no". So they gave me a upper hose for cars that do not have the PS fluid cooler built in. Same length, same bends, just all rubber. They have them in stock everywhere, they are more abundant than the ones with the cooler in it.
.
#16
I disconected my factory cooler after reading about all the failures. I didn't add a external cooler yet but this is a good write up and idea for those that run their cars hard or live where its hot.
Just keep in mind the factory not only cools the fluid but it also warms it up, so it works both ways. It warms the steering fluid up quickly in cold weather.
Just keep in mind the factory not only cools the fluid but it also warms it up, so it works both ways. It warms the steering fluid up quickly in cold weather.
#17
I disconected my factory cooler after reading about all the failures. I didn't add a external cooler yet but this is a good write up and idea for those that run their cars hard or live where its hot.
Just keep in mind the factory not only cools the fluid but it also warms it up, so it works both ways. It warms the steering fluid up quickly in cold weather.
Just keep in mind the factory not only cools the fluid but it also warms it up, so it works both ways. It warms the steering fluid up quickly in cold weather.
So, its probably more accurate to say that the PS fluid heats the "cool" coolant before it enters the engine and also heats up the coolant quickly in cold weather. (The pump heats it up right away, making it hotter than the coolant in any situation.)
With a separate cooler, both the PS fluid and my coolant entering the engine are cooler than they were before.
Another poster pointed out (maybe in another thread) that excess cooling can be a negative thing if the fluid is too cold. (It would decrease in viscosity and stress out the pump.) However; I would think 150 degrees is just fine/about right. Would really need a hydraulic fluid expert to chime in on that one.