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Old Mar 21, 2014 | 12:04 PM
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Default Power steering problems

Have a power steering leak somewhere but can't find out where it's leaking. It looks like it's leaking above the rack and pinion. That's about all I can tell because there's fluid everywhere. My pump has went bad cause it's squealing like a pig. I was about to replace the PS pump and also thinking about deleting the factory PS cooler. What all is needed to delete the cooler besides an upper radiator hose? Will I need to plug off anything? Also should I go ahead and replace the high pressure hose while I'm doing it?
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Old Mar 21, 2014 | 08:18 PM
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Start by replacing just the hose. thats most likely where the leak is coming from. unless you just want to replace the pump anyways. Just put some fluid into it and see if the squealing stops until the fluid is gone. If it doesnt squeal while it has fluid then the pump is still good. Not sure about the cooler. I would assume your right about just needing the hose
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Old Mar 21, 2014 | 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by EarlSS
Have a power steering leak somewhere but can't find out where it's leaking. It looks like it's leaking above the rack and pinion. That's about all I can tell because there's fluid everywhere. My pump has went bad cause it's squealing like a pig. I was about to replace the PS pump and also thinking about deleting the factory PS cooler. What all is needed to delete the cooler besides an upper radiator hose? Will I need to plug off anything? Also should I go ahead and replace the high pressure hose while I'm doing it?
If there's fluid everywhere it's probably the high pressure hose that sprung a little leak.

Get the all rubber up radiator hose......then just run the hose coming off the rack straight back to the bottom fluid return port on the reservoir. Or you can add an aftermarket cooler. It's cheap and takes like 15 minutes to put it on.

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Old Mar 21, 2014 | 11:27 PM
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I don't plan on doing auto cross. Should I need a PS cooler. Will it do any damage to my rack and pinion if I don't have a cooler. I've read a cooler can extend the life of a PS pump but didn't know if it could damage other things also.
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Old Mar 22, 2014 | 11:23 AM
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Does anybody know the part number for the upper radiator hose? The guy at auto zone of coarse wouldn't know what I was talking about. He said all his computer showed was 2 short hoses then the cooler in the middle. I tried to explain all the cars didn't come with a cooler and I was deleting mine. He said I'd just have to bring it in and try to find one that'd fit.
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Old Mar 22, 2014 | 01:01 PM
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Originally Posted by EarlSS
Does anybody know the part number for the upper radiator hose? The guy at auto zone of coarse wouldn't know what I was talking about. He said all his computer showed was 2 short hoses then the cooler in the middle. I tried to explain all the cars didn't come with a cooler and I was deleting mine. He said I'd just have to bring it in and try to find one that'd fit.
Go back and tell him he's an idiot......

Just tell him to look up your car and to select Without Tranny cooler. That hose part will pop up.

Maybe wait to call him an idiot AFTER you get the hose.....lol

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Old Mar 22, 2014 | 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
Go back and tell him he's an idiot...... Just tell him to look up your car and to select Without Tranny cooler. That hose part will pop up. Maybe wait to call him an idiot AFTER you get the hose.....lol .
haha I called back and talked to a different guy and got the hose. They had to order it so now I hope they get the rite one. Now I'm trying to decide whether or not I need to put a tranny cooler on it. I don't plan on doing any auto cross but I don't know if I'll need one.
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Old Mar 22, 2014 | 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by EarlSS
haha I called back and talked to a different guy and got the hose. They had to order it so now I hope they get the rite one. Now I'm trying to decide whether or not I need to put a tranny cooler on it. I don't plan on doing any auto cross but I don't know if I'll need one.
Well, putting a power steering fluid cooler on literally takes maybe 1 hour if you've never done it before......at the very most. And it's very easy, no trickery or experience needed. With my cooler the temps stay around 120-130 F......

It should cost about $40.00 in parts.

BUT......HEAT kills. It kills everything. The cooler you can keep the fluid the longer the power steering pump will last. I say do it.......
My pump is my 15 year old 1998 original pump....and my car has been driven HARD for its whole life.

If you lived near me I would tell you to buy the parts and I would put it on for free in 30 minutes.

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Old Mar 23, 2014 | 03:16 AM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
Well, putting a power steering fluid cooler on literally takes maybe 1 hour if you've never done it before......at the very most. And it's very easy, no trickery or experience needed. With my cooler the temps stay around 120-130 F...... It should cost about $40.00 in parts. BUT......HEAT kills. It kills everything. The cooler you can keep the fluid the longer the power steering pump will last. I say do it....... My pump is my 15 year old 1998 original pump....and my car has been driven HARD for its whole life. If you lived near me I would tell you to buy the parts and I would put it on for free in 30 minutes. .
Thanks man, I wish you lived closer. I looked at a few coolers on eBay. Will this one work good? http://m.ebay.com/itm/271319307495?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVEWhat all will I need besides an upper radiator hose and transmission cooler?
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Old Mar 23, 2014 | 05:43 AM
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Go here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...g-success.html
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Old Mar 24, 2014 | 11:38 PM
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I went with an aftermarket Derale cooler when I deleted the factory cooler (which incidentally I only chose to do after also needing to replace the pressure hose). If I were to do it over again, I'd not bother with the aftermarket cooler.
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Old Mar 25, 2014 | 03:09 AM
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Originally Posted by demonspeed
I went with an aftermarket Derale cooler when I deleted the factory cooler (which incidentally I only chose to do after also needing to replace the pressure hose). If I were to do it over again, I'd not bother with the aftermarket cooler.
Do you feel like an after market cooler isn't needed Demon? Have you had troubles with yours? I hate to not put one on then end up messing up my rack and pinion or having to replace the pump again.
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Old Mar 25, 2014 | 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by EarlSS
Do you feel like an after market cooler isn't needed Demon? Have you had troubles with yours? I hate to not put one on then end up messing up my rack and pinion or having to replace the pump again.
I'd say that running any of these fluids at lower temps isn't a bad thing. With that said, it's been inferred that the factory cooler isn't actually doing any cooling; rather, it's doing the same thing as the coolant running through the throttle body -- bringing the fluid to operating temp quicker.

There are many who've not added the aftermarket cooler -- not to mention all of the cars that came from the factory without the factory cooler. The only reason I convinced myself to get the aftermarket cooler was because I rushed to get the car back together. Had I taken some time to give it thought, I'd have skipped the cooler with the understanding that if I felt any difference I'd add one.

With that said, one of my friends did this recently to a 00 T/A he purchased. He did not put a cooler on and it's absolutely fine. I'm going to be removing my aftermarket cooler once I get around to my spring fluids change simply because it is one less thing to eventually leak (and once less thing to remove when working on stuff).

At the end of the day, a modified pump like the Turn One is going to make the difference rather than a little $30 cooler. I do want to clarify, though, the LS6427's experience should also be taken into consideration. I'd highly suggest reading through the thread that _JB_ posted so as to make your own decision.
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Old Mar 25, 2014 | 12:43 PM
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I did an aftermarket cooler, but I'm going to delete it. I have a slow fluid seep where I spliced into the return line using a barb connector - I've already had to tighten this up once cuz it was leaking, but I think that type of connector just isn't good enough for the purpose (there's a post on here somewhere that shows a better connector to use). Also I don't think the cooler location that everyone uses is all that safe, even though it's behind the air dam. Don't really like the cooler and hoses being down that low. There's probably a reason that GM used metal tubing for the lower part of the lines (including the return line).
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Old Mar 27, 2014 | 12:58 PM
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Thanks guys, I think I'm gonna just go without a cooler and then if I change my mind I can always add one. What do I do with the lines coming in and out of the stock cooler since I'm not gonna be running a cooler? Do I run em somewhere else or do I plug something off? Also where exactly is the high pressure line?
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Old Mar 27, 2014 | 01:18 PM
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You'll end up removing the factory cooler and those two extra lines because you replace that entire upper radiator hose assembly with one from a non-cooler car (ACDelco part number 26347X). The pressure hose is the thicker, "layered" looking one that attaches to the top-left side of the pump (return line attaches to the bottom of the pump reservoir).
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Old Mar 27, 2014 | 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by demonspeed
You'll end up removing the factory cooler and those two extra lines because you replace that entire upper radiator hose assembly with one from a non-cooler car (ACDelco part number 26347X). The pressure hose is the thicker, "layered" looking one that attaches to the top-left side of the pump (return line attaches to the bottom of the pump reservoir).
Thanks Demon, I'm gonna try to clean things up and make sure the high pressure hose is leaking but I'm pretty sure it is.
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Old Mar 28, 2014 | 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted by EarlSS
Thanks Demon, I'm gonna try to clean things up and make sure the high pressure hose is leaking but I'm pretty sure it is.
Just an FYI, the pressure hose is ACDelco 36-363170.
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Old Mar 29, 2014 | 03:14 AM
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Originally Posted by demonspeed
Just an FYI, the pressure hose is ACDelco 36-363170.
Thanks Demon I still haven't got around to taking the pump and line off yet. Hoping to get em changed out this weekend.
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Old Mar 29, 2014 | 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by EarlSS
Thanks man, I wish you lived closer. I looked at a few coolers on eBay. Will this one work good? http://m.ebay.com/itm/271319307495?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE
What all will I need besides an upper radiator hose and transmission cooler?
That's the exact cooler I have......check out mine....post #5 in this thread. https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...g-success.html

The air dam cut out I made with a razor knife keeps the fluid basically warm only....it never gets hot. 120*F all the time.

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