PS cooler and remote reservoir installed
06-01-2008, 09:19 PM
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PS cooler and remote reservoir installed Ok, this is on an '88 Firebird with a GTO LS2 setup, but the parts should work for any application. The car also has hydraboost, so that's why you'll see "extra" braided lines in the pictures.
I used -6 lines from the steering box to the cooler and continuing to the remote reservoir. It's a -10 line from the reservoir to the steering pump. A shop installed the AN fittings on the pump, so I can't tell you what parts were used.
The cooler is an 18 inch Derale heat sink with 3/8 NPT openings. Derale only sells brass barbed fittings, so you'll need an adapter for AN lines. I had to experiment with the adapters because Russell threads didn't match with the Derale threads (even though they were both 3/8 NPT). I ended up using 90 degree NPT to AN fittings from Pegasus Racing (www.pegasusautoracing.com). I was able to get 3 turns with some Teflon tape wrapped on the threads.
The reservoir is part SR-100 from PSC Motorsports. This has a -6 inlet and -10 outlet threads already installed on the reservoir; the inlet is on the bottom and the outlet is on the side. This is pretty thick aluminum and it absorbs a fair amount of heat from the fluid, so it should act as a second cooler.
From the steering box I added a 90 deg fitting pointing to the front bumper, since I placed the cooler under the bumper. The fitting is on the box's low pressure outlet. The cooler has two 90 deg fittings just to keep things looking symetrical, I could have used a 45 deg on the inlet to help flow but I don't think this will be too bad.
From the reservoir I have a 90 deg fitting going to the pump, but this is not what I wanted; I planned on going straight out to the pump. Long story short: I can't get AN fittings on short notice where I live in Germany and I had one night to get this finished, so I used a 90 deg fitting I already had. In the end though, this set up looks good with outlet on the radiator side.
On a side note, PSC also modified the output of my PS pump. I was told it would be a 2 day turn around and it took almost 2 months to get it back! They had it at least a week before they even started on it. They said there were some problems with the AN fitting on the output side, but they also told me it was done the first week of May but it wasn't mailed until 20 May. Maybe they ship their own parts faster, but I don't recommend sending them any of your parts to get worked on. They never kept me informed of delays and they didn't seem to make an effort to get things done quickly, even though I stressed I had short timeframe to work with.
Anyway, here are some pics.
The reservoir is where the battery used to be. The battery tray was cut out and I have a plate to cover up the opening.
The cooler. This is tucked away under the bumper, so it can't be seen from the side. These don't have to be in direct airflow to work, but this will still get some airflow.
The inlet is on the far side, closest to the steering box.
There used to be a large white reservoir sitting above the PS pump, now it looks a little cleaner.
I started this because I boiled the PS fluid during autocross last year, hopefully this will take care of the problem!
I used -6 lines from the steering box to the cooler and continuing to the remote reservoir. It's a -10 line from the reservoir to the steering pump. A shop installed the AN fittings on the pump, so I can't tell you what parts were used.
The cooler is an 18 inch Derale heat sink with 3/8 NPT openings. Derale only sells brass barbed fittings, so you'll need an adapter for AN lines. I had to experiment with the adapters because Russell threads didn't match with the Derale threads (even though they were both 3/8 NPT). I ended up using 90 degree NPT to AN fittings from Pegasus Racing (www.pegasusautoracing.com). I was able to get 3 turns with some Teflon tape wrapped on the threads.
The reservoir is part SR-100 from PSC Motorsports. This has a -6 inlet and -10 outlet threads already installed on the reservoir; the inlet is on the bottom and the outlet is on the side. This is pretty thick aluminum and it absorbs a fair amount of heat from the fluid, so it should act as a second cooler.
From the steering box I added a 90 deg fitting pointing to the front bumper, since I placed the cooler under the bumper. The fitting is on the box's low pressure outlet. The cooler has two 90 deg fittings just to keep things looking symetrical, I could have used a 45 deg on the inlet to help flow but I don't think this will be too bad.
From the reservoir I have a 90 deg fitting going to the pump, but this is not what I wanted; I planned on going straight out to the pump. Long story short: I can't get AN fittings on short notice where I live in Germany and I had one night to get this finished, so I used a 90 deg fitting I already had. In the end though, this set up looks good with outlet on the radiator side.
On a side note, PSC also modified the output of my PS pump. I was told it would be a 2 day turn around and it took almost 2 months to get it back! They had it at least a week before they even started on it. They said there were some problems with the AN fitting on the output side, but they also told me it was done the first week of May but it wasn't mailed until 20 May. Maybe they ship their own parts faster, but I don't recommend sending them any of your parts to get worked on. They never kept me informed of delays and they didn't seem to make an effort to get things done quickly, even though I stressed I had short timeframe to work with.
Anyway, here are some pics.
The reservoir is where the battery used to be. The battery tray was cut out and I have a plate to cover up the opening.
The cooler. This is tucked away under the bumper, so it can't be seen from the side. These don't have to be in direct airflow to work, but this will still get some airflow.
The inlet is on the far side, closest to the steering box.
There used to be a large white reservoir sitting above the PS pump, now it looks a little cleaner.
I started this because I boiled the PS fluid during autocross last year, hopefully this will take care of the problem!
Last edited by a10beav; 06-02-2008 at 04:12 PM.
