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Power steering cooler?

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Old Sep 15, 2008 | 05:27 PM
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Default Power steering cooler?

I was looking around for simple PS cooling solutions for my Camaro and I wanted to see what ideas you guys have. Right now I am looking at the little coolers that Ford uses on a lot of their small trucks and mini vans and I also thought about using a small trans cooler.

Any other ideas that would provide an easy fix for hot PS fluid on a track day?

-Thanks
-Tim
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Old Sep 15, 2008 | 07:57 PM
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I was looking a SETRAB (SP) cooler like a 25 or a 30 row. Mounted in the drivers side bump under the head light. As I already have a carbon fiber air duct with hose to bolt to the fog light hole. As I have no fog light now. However there a factory vents that grab some air.

However for winter I will be working on a quick removable front bumper with say 10 zues fasteners on it and remover all the under bumper plastic and have a one piece splitter that covers where the plastics wher. Splitter out of carbon. With oil cooler on one side, power steering on other, Ron Davis custom radator and my intercooler in the front. Will also need a custom bumper support- to support bumper but let more air in the front. As well as cut the center of the grill out and bolt in the rail syle in black.

Sorry about the long post.. But want everything to stay cool.
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Old Sep 15, 2008 | 08:35 PM
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Originally Posted by NJSPDER
I was looking around for simple PS cooling solutions for my Camaro and I wanted to see what ideas you guys have. Right now I am looking at the little coolers that Ford uses on a lot of their small trucks and mini vans and I also thought about using a small trans cooler.

Any other ideas that would provide an easy fix for hot PS fluid on a track day?

-Thanks
-Tim
I run one of these mounted out front of the A/C condenser. How effective, not sure? During an autox event I still burp the P/S resevior between runs just to be sure. Over the winter, I'll probably do a Turn One Pump upgrade.

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...-1&showValue=1
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 09:33 AM
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I run an OEM PS cooler with a 25% underdrive pulley, and have not had any problems yet at two track days, not even burping of fluid. The Turn One pump is probably the best solution, but I think the underdrive pulley lessening the impact of high rpm driving is a good idea too for all the accessories, not just the PS pump. Turn One pump + underdrive pulley would be ideal, and save the real estate under the hood (airflow areas at least) for something more necessary like an oil cooler.
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 09:49 AM
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I will be geting the turn one also. However is the pulley they sell the underdrive you are talking about or do i get that somewhere else? I can't run the stock powersteering cooler as it is inline with the radiator, and all my lines in my car a AN with braided lines.

Also radiator is moving to the straight up position. with 2 huge fans. Sucks to have any fluid dump on the track right in front of your tires at high speeds or turns. Overflow tank is in the passenger rear under antenna.

Sorry to hi-jack..
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 04:59 PM
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Originally Posted by trexbob
I run an OEM PS cooler with a 25% underdrive pulley, and have not had any problems yet at two track days, not even burping of fluid. The Turn One pump is probably the best solution, but I think the underdrive pulley lessening the impact of high rpm driving is a good idea too for all the accessories, not just the PS pump. Turn One pump + underdrive pulley would be ideal, and save the real estate under the hood (airflow areas at least) for something more necessary like an oil cooler.
I think (could be very wrong here) that the Turn One pump is slowed down internally thereby keeping the fluid cooler. Or am I not thinking clearly? Their web page doesn't really say how the improvements are achieved, but on the pulley page, the make no mention that their pulley is under or overdriven or make mention of a longer or shorter belt. So I would tend to think that it is a direct replacement with the same OD.

Last edited by 1QWIKBIRD; Sep 16, 2008 at 05:05 PM.
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 05:07 PM
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turn one does not have underdrive pulleys. fact.
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 05:19 PM
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how much does an underdrive pulley effect around town driving? Part of my concern in modding is that this is still my daily driver, so being able to turn in the parking lot at work is important.
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 05:28 PM
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I have an ASP underdrive crank pulley and I do notice the charge rate go down at night with lights and other accessories on, especially sitting at a light or in traffic for any extended period of time. So much so that I elected to not replace the light weight racing battery when it died. Now I run an optima red top....just for insurance. Its not like the car instantly starts discharging, but you do notice it. And with a quick blip of the throttle the rate comes back up. It has never left me stranded or anything like that. Otherwise, I see no ill effects.
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 07:21 PM
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I saw a neat trick on a mustang.they used an auto-trans radiator and plumbed the p/s to the trans cooler looked like a good idea.i was going to try it if i ever get a manual trans for my car
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Old Sep 16, 2008 | 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by TrackZ28'S
I saw a neat trick on a mustang.they used an auto-trans radiator and plumbed the p/s to the trans cooler looked like a good idea.i was going to try it if i ever get a manual trans for my car
That's what I did with mine, 5 autox's plus lots of daily driving on it so far and it works like a charm.
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Old Sep 17, 2008 | 06:02 AM
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Originally Posted by scoob
That's what I did with mine, 5 autox's plus lots of daily driving on it so far and it works like a charm.
The radiator I was getting "RD" has a built in oil cooler. Can I use that for my power steering cooler? Cuz it would make it a ton easyer?
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Old Sep 17, 2008 | 08:42 AM
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If and when I ever change my stock radiator out for something like a griffin or be-cool, I was going to order one for an automatic car and use the internal cooler for the power steering. That way it holds more fluid and gives clearance for the procharger since the stock p/s cooler doesn't fit with it. Seems like a good setup to me.
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Old Sep 17, 2008 | 11:19 AM
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yeah I guess I should have specified I have a crank underdrive pulley, underdrives all accessories 25%. The turn one just pumps less fluid per turn of the pulley on it, which is same as stock size. The underdrive crank pulley as far as I have seen, has no effect on around town driving. Parking is no problem. Might be slightly more effort than before, but is very insignificant.. The problem with coolers is that they don't address the issue of reducing the heat generated by the PS pump, and they may (depending where it is situated) lessen the ability of other things to cool by blocking air or exchanging the heat to your coolant (as in the case of the OEM PS cooler), thus adding heat to the system.

Last edited by trexbob; Sep 17, 2008 at 11:25 AM.
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Old Sep 17, 2008 | 01:47 PM
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I'm running a Turn One PS pump w/ their stock-size pulley and an aftermarket 10% underdrive crank pulley.

At Memphis this year we were comparing PS fluid temps after each track session, by removing the PS cap and shooting the fluid w/ an IR gun. Mine was consistently in the 170-172degF range with no cooler, running Amsoil synthetic ATF for fluid.

No noticeable difference in street and parking conditions, it provides adequate assist. Great investment and highly recommended.
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Old Sep 18, 2008 | 10:06 PM
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^^Ditto what crainholio said, I sent my OE pump to them, they modded it, and I run Redline PS fluid and NO cooler. No problems after 3 hot track days.
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Old Sep 19, 2008 | 04:06 PM
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you sent your stock pump to turn one? what did they do to it? and what did it cost?
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Old Sep 19, 2008 | 08:30 PM
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I sent them my stock pump to them, in 2004, and they modded it. On my invoice they charged me for a standard rebuild, $50. At the time I probably only had close to 30K miles on the car, so my pump was in great condition anyway. I remember talking to the fella there and he said with that kinda of mileage it would most likely only need a std rebuild:seals and such, nothing major plus whatever they do to mod it. Been fantastic since.
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Old Sep 19, 2008 | 08:34 PM
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BTW, I'm still running the stock pulley and as far as my cost, I have an LT1, so atleast the OE LT1 pumps can be modded. Are the LS1 OE pumps modded or is it a brand new pump altogether?
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Old Sep 21, 2008 | 03:18 AM
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Does the steering pump boil over when it overheats? Can it boil over on a street car? My 1996 Camaros look like the power steering fluid has overflowed from the top filler neck cap.

Thanks for any help!
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