wssix99

iTrader: (5)

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.

The Alchemist

iTrader: (19)

Cool. Looks badass.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Glad I could help.

That cooler is pretty nice.....fits perfect.

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LaBLKv6Z

iTrader: (13)

Nice work guys, I'm about fed up with pressure buildup in my powersteering. I'm sure coolant is in my fluid.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Many ways to do it, this is mine: 15 minute job.

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LS6427

iTrader: (2)

If you have an auto tranny and a factory tranny fluid cooler in the radiator, and you do have PS fluid getting into the cooling system........the next repair you might be doing pretty soon is fixing a radiator leak.

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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LaBLKv6Z

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.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

When you do the PS fluid cooler mod........flush the hell outta the cooling system too. I mean a good 20 minute flush with the t-stat removed. Hope those tranny cooler seals aren't deteriorating.

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LaBLKv6Z

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.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

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.

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BRUTL

iTrader: (27)

Just added this to my "To Do" List

LaBLKv6Z

iTrader: (13)

Yeah thats the same hose, I just gave it a nickname lol, everybody in town has the two shorter hoses for the power steering cooler cars but nobody has the one long hose. I looked up the part numbers and called each store.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Wow, Advance Auto was the cheapest.

damn......wierd how things are regional like that.

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JFrenchWS6

Definitely on my list to do along with a new power steering pump.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

You'll also want to change your power steering fluid before you do all that so you have good stuff in your PS rack before you hook up the new parts and send a bunch of crud through your new system.

O2Form

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.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Well... its probably the other way around. I measured temperatures with an infrared thermometer at the cooler before I changed and it was pretty much at a constant temperature, even when the coolant was cold.

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.

_JB_

iTrader: (33)

Kind of worried about the location of the new PS cooler as I scrape the airdam quite often. Anyone had any issues?

LaBLKv6Z

iTrader: (13)

Shouldn't have any issues, my trans cooler is mounted in front of the airdam and I scrape it daily. Haven't mounted the ps cooler yet, my hose finally came in though.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

It would take one big screw up to bottom out so bad that you hit a cooler mounted behind the air dam. Your front bumper sides would be trashed too.

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