I was at the local "U pull it" and noticed the transmission cooler for the early 90's automatics. It is a decent design and not the typial cheapo aftermarket aluminum finned cooler and looks identical to the B&M supercooler only smaller. I was thinking about trying to install this for a power steering cooler. Looks small enough to keep pressure loss to a minumum.

I was just wondering what everyone here thought about this..........or if anyone has done this before?
Thanks
RSH

 

..... might i ask y you would want a P/S cooler?

not saying there is anything wrong with ur idea and pressure loss? u would run the cooler on the return side wich is kinda no pressure at all.....

does ur truck have the P/S return line for tow package equipped models?

 

The plumbing might be too small for it to be used as a PS cooler. You'll have to measure and let us know the sizes.

 

if a 3/8" rubber line fits on it u can use it

 

I was looking at the single line loop and figured there was some room for improvement especially offroad in the slow stuff. You mentioned having the P/S return line for tow package equipped models. So there are some that have no way to cool the fluid? If so maybe a cooler would be overkill.
I'll get some good measurements but it looked to be a 3/8's line.

 

5/16ths, like almost every line on a Ford. No big deal if using rubber hose & screw clamps. Much harder to source if you try to run hard fittings.

 

this is the P/S return for tow package equipped models thats what i have and about to put on mine when i get the saginaw pump.

that rubber hose is 3/8"s O.D. i think it will keep it cool enough.... im not 100% sure on what a P/S cooler would do for ur steering tho....

if it keeps the steering tight then i would go for it...

i like to have tight steering alot better than being able to turn it by looking at it

 

P/S fluid can be over heated like any other fluid doing damage to the pump. Not a bad idea for any vehicle running bigger tires or with extra weight hanging off the front end like a custom bumper or winch.

 

I agree that a PS cooler is a good option if you work the steering system harder than daily driving.

I use the integrated transmission cooler of my radiator for this purpose, since my transmission is a manual and the replacement radiator I installed several years ago was cheaper to buy with the auto trans cooler than without from Napa. Go figure ;-)

I have mine plumbed into the return side also. I figured it was less likely to explode that way.

 

I also don't think I would try this. If the return is 3/8" use a cooler that has 3/8" lines. By necking it down you are causing restriction and that produces heat. May not be a lot, but we are trying to get rid of heat not create it.

 

Power Steering Pump Cooler - 1

u will be fine using a trans cooler

Jeep Cherokee Steering - "How-to" install a F250 power steering cooler in your XJ.

im well aware that info is from jeeps but its the same basic principal

 

Measure the hard lines on your P/S hose & tranny cooler and see what they are. You can slide 3/8ths over the outside, as I previously said, but the restriction already exists in "stock" form.

 

Thanks for the replies-
Frederic- I was wondering about using the cooler built into the radiator also. I also have a 5 speed and it will sit vacant and was thinking about possibly using it for engine oil cooler since i bought the extreme heat buster 4 core and it should have enough capacity to handle it.

Hitokori- thanks for the article and notice the cooler off the Ford trucks is a much higher quality than the type in the article and they are everywhere. It cost me $5.99 at the u pull it.

The lines going in are confirmed at 5/16's and I really don't see the size being a contributor to heat. In fact one way to look at it is a smaller line will hold the fluid in the cooler longer to allow a better heat transfer in the air to liquid heat exchanger. If it passed to fast there wouldn't be sufficient heat transfer without a regulator (thermostat).

Below are a couple of pics of the cooler. The pic also has a B&M Super Cooler and they are built exactly the same. The super cooler is for an auto trans and notice the cooler is physically twice the size which made me think the factory trans cooler would be a good size for a small capacity system like PS.

 

Having looked at some aftermarket aux coolers, I've come to decide that the cooler installed on our flavor of trucks is pretty stout. Its at least as big as that B&M.

Whatever you decide on, bear in mind that it needs to mounted no higher than highest level of fluid in the reservoir.

 

The trucks I've noticed the smaller cooler utilized was used up to about 91. My 91 f-150 is a 5 speed so no info but my 90 Bronco has the smaller one and I did see a couple larger coolers in the junk yard but they were at least 94 and up. Not sure what year they started using these but like "Scndsin" said they are very well built. I'm impressed for a factory piece.