Power Steering Cooler

[wilrob]

So I am planning to plumb in a PS cooler on the low pressure return line from the steering box to the reservoir. Being that the cooler would be after the steering box is there any issue using a cooler with larger lines? The cooler I am looking at has 10an in/out and I was planning to just use an adapter to run the normal 3/8s line to and from.

I assume the LP line going back to the res doesn't need to maintain a certain PSI?

Cooler: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-331116/overview/

 

[Robby Avery]

Subd as I would like to plumb in a factory cooler

 

[Awenta]

I got this one as it was the factory cooler and fits nicely. Haven't put it in yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ID3PTAG/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But looking back I could've used the factory trans cooler when I take it out.


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[wilrob]

I got this one as it was the factory cooler and fits nicely. Haven't put it in yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ID3PTAG/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But looking back I could've used the factory trans cooler when I take it out.


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Yeah I there seems to be a few options for what you can do. That one would definitely be the most straight forward, but I felt like doing a custom one so I can mess around with it honestly . I can find an excuse to make any project more complicated when it comes to these trucks.

I don't anticipate the larger diameter lines causing issues since it is after the steering box. The cooler should be here in the next couple days so I'll have to rig up some mounts and I'll take some pictures when it's all said and done.

 

[Novak]

Sub'd.....


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[THEFERMANATOR]

I have seen issues with using larger coolers. The return doesn't flow alot of oil, and I've seen them get air in the cooler and take a long time to get it all out. So make sure and mount it so air doesn't get entrapped in the cooler. And my experience has been large coolers like that don't work well with lower flow amounts. It's always best to size your cooler so the tube size is close to your return line size so as to maintain flow across the entire cooler.

 

[wilrob]

I have seen issues with using larger coolers. The return doesn't flow alot of oil, and I've seen them get air in the cooler and take a long time to get it all out. So make sure and mount it so air doesn't get entrapped in the cooler. And my experience has been large coolers like that don't work well with lower flow amounts. It's always best to size your cooler so the tube size is close to your return line size so as to maintain flow across the entire cooler.

Hmm this is what I was worried about... It's a stacked plate cooler too so that won't help the air. I was planning to mount it similar to how the trans cooler is mounted, with the in/out being vertical as opposed to horizontal. And correct my thinking if I'm wrong, but because that line feeds back into the PS reservoir,I figured the air would be less of an issue because it isn't feeding the pump/box?

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

The problem with the one was getting the air out. They used a vacuum pump, drove it, let it sit, vacuumed it, reburped it, and even after 6 hours it was still passing air.

 

[WVRigrat05]

I got this one as it was the factory cooler and fits nicely. Haven't put it in yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ID3PTAG/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But looking back I could've used the factory trans cooler when I take it out.


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I can tell you now, it's a waste of time. Need one larger by far.

I ran the little factory gasser one like you have listed and still ate pumps and they'd get hot.

Put a factory gasser TRANS cooler right in the factory location its 6x8 iirc and it does the trick. My last cooler on the LLY was 8x10.

 

[wilrob]

The problem with the one was getting the air out. They used a vacuum pump, drove it, let it sit, vacuumed it, reburped it, and even after 6 hours it was still passing air.

I was planning to just do the power steering flush with the cooler on. Instead of disconnecting the return from the hydro, I was going to just run the flush from the steering box return. That way I know the cooler is filled when I see fluid coming out.

New cooler is 4x13 or so, it gets in today and I will take some pictures. Figuring out where mount it will be the challenge. I was thinking right above the trans cooler but I don't want block more airflow so possibly off to the drivers side of the cooling stack

 

[wilrob]

Also Ferm,

For mounting the cooler do you think it would be better to be fed from the top and let the fluid go down the cooler and out, or vice versa?

 

[Chevy1925]

if you run a finned tube style with the correct sized tube to the return lines, you wont have issues and can run a larger cooler. it wont cool as well as a stack plate in the same size but that becomes a non issues if you cant keep air out.

 

[wilrob]

if you run a finned tube style with the correct sized tube to the return lines, you wont have issues and can run a larger cooler. it wont cool as well as a stack plate in the same size but that becomes a non issues if you cant keep air out.

That's why I was wondering about how to mount it. The one I bought is a stacked plate, which makes the tube sizing irrelevant since it will be traveling through the plates(right?). I am trying to determine if have the fluid start at the top and then move vertically through the plates toward the ground and then out will decrease the possibility of air getting trapped or would it be the other way around?

 

[Chevy1925]

That's why I was wondering about how to mount it. The one I bought is a stacked plate, which makes the tube sizing irrelevant since it will be traveling through the plates(right?). I am trying to determine if have the fluid start at the top and then move vertically through the plates toward the ground and then out will decrease the possibility of air getting trapped or would it be the other way around?

it wont matter if the voids inside that lead to the plates are too large. thats where the issue lies. the pressure (or lack there of) from the return side is not enough to push all that fluid around and keep air out. thats why a tube finned style would be better.

 

[wilrob]

it wont matter if the voids inside that lead to the plates are too large. thats where the issue lies. the pressure (or lack there of) from the return side is not enough to push all that fluid around and keep air out. thats why a tube finned style would be better.

Alright I am tracking. Well the return line is 3/8s I believe and the fittings are 10an which is 5/8s so there is a slight upsize. I am going to give it a whirl and when I flush it if I catch air pockets I'll know. Only a $60 experiment

 

[IOWA LLY]

That's why I was wondering about how to mount it. The one I bought is a stacked plate, which makes the tube sizing irrelevant since it will be traveling through the plates(right?). I am trying to determine if have the fluid start at the top and then move vertically through the plates toward the ground and then out will decrease the possibility of air getting trapped or would it be the other way around?

Air rises to the top. Install so the inlet is at the bottom, and outlet is at the top. In my opinion if it's plumbed this way it won't be any issue at all getting the air bled out.

Even better would be if you could mount it such a way that the outlet of the cooler was below the fluid level of the power steering reservoir.


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[wilrob]

Air rises to the top. Install so the inlet is at the bottom, and outlet is at the top. In my opinion if it's plumbed this way it won't be any issue at all getting the air bled out.

Even better would be if you could mount it such a way that the outlet of the cooler was below the fluid level of the power steering reservoir.


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Now we're getting somewhere! If everything is below the reservoir then air shouldn't ever find a pocket right? This is helpful!

 

[wilrob]

Just for further reinforcement of what was said above.

http://www.pscmotorsports.com/pdf/tech/cooler_mounting.pdf

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Ideally you want the hot fluid to come in the top as heat rises, but I've always tried to feed from the bottom, and return from the top so entrapped air isn't an issue.

 

[wilrob]

Got it mocked up, fits nicely. Going to do the full flush tomorrow. I couldn't get it much lower, so it will have a slightly negative angle going back to the reservoir

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