Power Steering Cooler

[Coupe de Surf]

One of the things on my upgrade list this off season is a power steering cooler. After blowing off two reservoir caps and continually puking ATF all over my shiney motor I think it's time for one. I was thinking of something like this:

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

Have any of you had good success with a small tube and fin setup like this for serious open track duty?

[a79coupe]

If you are doing HPDE's or Open Track, I'd reccommend a larger cooler than that one.

Check this link Bulkpart.com


I went with the 1404, but the 1405 is a good option too.

[Jax Rhapsody]

Now that sounds like good idea. I'll haff to jott that down somewhere.

[Patrick Olsen]

I use the '95 Cobra R one, which I got from PPI (I think) years ago. It's about 5" square I'd say. I don't have a PS fluid temperature gauge, so I don't know whether the fluid is getting ridiculously hot still, but I know there are a number of guys that use the '95 R part.

[Jim Brozynski]

When I had my 93R I removed the stock cooler and installed that exact same cooler and had less problems with my PS then before. The most important thing is to put it where it gets plenty of cool air. Longer lines also help as they increase the volume of fluid and the lines act as a heat sink themsleves.
Also adding something to the PS pump filler to lengthen it cuts down on the leaking that some see there. On the 93R the PS pump was repositioned upward since there was no AC compressor. I'm sure this also had something to do with the fact that I never had fluid puke out from the filler cap.

Using a synthetic PS fluid and/or flushing the system with fresh fluid regularly also helps.

[sveltGT]

Is it possible to plumb the automatic transmission cooler to use it as a PS cooler? I had an auto and bought a nice Griffin radiator for an auto trans. Now the cooling portion for the trans is not being used. What would the downside be? pressure wise.

[95cobraguy]

i have the stock one off of my 95 cobra if anyone is interested.

[Craig K.]

I used a auto trans fluid cooler on my car for 2 years, this was road racing, up to 1 hour races with no problems ever. I plummed it into the low pressure side, just removed the factory tubs cooler and plumed in this one instead.

Like Jim said also go to a synthetic fluid and back flush the whole system

[a79coupe]

Originally Posted by Jim Brozynski

Also adding something to the PS pump filler to lengthen it cuts down on the leaking that some see there.

I went to Home Despot and got a rubber pipe plug that fit snugly over the OD of the pump filler pipe and fastened it with a hose clamp. I drilled a hole in the top and pushed in a double barb brass fitting. I put a short length of hose down into the fluid, then a long length of hose out to an overflow can. No more spillage.

[NJ 03Mach1]

Would you have to run fittings with a braided line? Or would the hose clamp method be ok...

I know I'd feel more comfortable running fittings. Sure wouldn't want to be the guy oiling down the line on a busy day..lol

[MTNMAN]

If I don't have that same Perma-Cool unit I have one like it. We've found with all our own cars here at the shop, once we added a cooler and ran synthetic(Amsoil) fluid our PS prbblems disappeared.

[a79coupe]

The cooler needs to be on the return side. The pressure side gets up to near 1000 psi and will burst most coolers. The return side is low pressure so hose clamps are more than adequate to hold it all together. If you are concerned about leaking or slippage, use clamps designed for high pressure fuel injection applications.

[NJ 03Mach1]

Thanks for answering the fittings question.

I guess my next question is, at what point do you need one? My car's a DD I do drive it hard and will be doing some open track events & TT's. Is it one of those, "ok it boiled over" now get one deals or should you have one right from the start to prevent issues?

[Patrick Olsen]

I'd just go ahead and get one ahead of time if you plan to open track the car. The extended high RPM running is just about guaranteed to cause PS overflow problems without cooling, synthetic fluid, and/or an extended fill neck. It's pretty cheap to do all 3.

Pat

[a79coupe]

Ditto what Pat said. In addition, the excess heat can damage the seals in the pump and rack leading to leaks and requiring replacement. For the $75 or so that it costs to do the three upgrades, why not?

[Jax Rhapsody]

Where would be the best place to put one at on a fox?

[MustangTurboCoupe]

Originally Posted by NJ 03Mach1

Thanks for answering the fittings question.

I guess my next question is, at what point do you need one? My car's a DD I do drive it hard and will be doing some open track events & TT's. Is it one of those, "ok it boiled over" now get one deals or should you have one right from the start to prevent issues?

Granted I'm running a different car, recirculating ball instead of a rack & pinion, but just with autocrossing I was overheating the fluid and I just used my stock auxillary trans cooler as the PS cooler. Stopped having issues after that.

[Jim Brozynski]

In front of the radiator where it can get a good flow of cool air.

Ford mounted the PS cooler on the 93R just behind the LS fog light opening in the front bumper. The car didn't come with folg lights so it worked. When I installed brake cooling ducts I had to move the cooler to where I mentioned above.

I could have used the AT cooler in the radiator but that way you'll never get the PS fluid cooler then the temp. of the coolant. On a street car/AX OK but on a RR/OT car no!

[a79coupe]

I hate to admit it, but for years I have just had mine zip-tied to the top of the radiator core support in front of the radiator. Be careful on alignment because the safety latch for the hood comes close to interfering with the cooler

[Jax Rhapsody]

One more mod to add. My cars gonna be cool as ice.