cooling question, there is always a story with these old cars.

[chuck1022]

1977 Bronco, stock 302 with C4 auto. My old school ps pump overheats a bit in the AZ summer and drips fluid after driving it in the heat of the day. So the natural course of action is to get an OEM cooler from Justino and mount it so the ps pump stays cool.

Now,,,,, looking at what I have going on here, the C4 does not go into the radiator, it is bypassed to a cooler mounted on the front of the radiator.

here is what I am thinking, shoot holes in it if I am F'd up

1) Route the tranny lines back into the radiator like the Ford Engineers intended.

2) Route the power steering lines into the tranny cooler that is already mounted on the front of the radiator.

3) Put OEM ps cooler I just got on the shelf with the other shit i seem to buy and not use.

Eventually I will be replacing the radiator. Aluminum...copper...that will be debated forever

 

[sykanr0ng]

Looks like a reasonable plan.
I'd add:
4) Look for a seal/rebuild kit for the pump,

Not replace it with an inferior (usually foreign made) copy, but keep that good OEM quality part and refresh it.

 

[72Sport]

1977 Bronco, stock 302 with C4 auto. My old school ps pump overheats a bit in the AZ summer and drips fluid after driving it in the heat of the day. So the natural course of action is to get an OEM cooler from Justino and mount it so the ps pump stays cool.

Now,,,,, looking at what I have going on here, the C4 does not go into the radiator, it is bypassed to a cooler mounted on the front of the radiator.

here is what I am thinking, shoot holes in it if I am F'd up
Eventually I will be replacing the radiator. Aluminum...copper...that will be debated forever

1) Route the tranny lines back into the radiator like the Ford Engineers intended. ALL FORD ENGINEERS DIDN'T LIVE IN AZ. IF THE TRANNY IS RUNNING COOL NOW DON'T MESS WITH IT. PS PUMPS ARE CHEAP. THE CURRENT COOLER MUST HAVE BEEN ADDED FOR A REASON.

2) Route the power steering lines into the tranny cooler that is already mounted on the front of the radiator. SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD WORK FINE???
I PREFER AN EXTERNAL COOLER.

3) Put OEM ps cooler I just got on the shelf with the other shit i seem to buy and not use. I BOUGHT A SKINNY TRANS COOLER FROM SUMMIT ($100). I MOUNTED IT WAY DOWN LOW SO IT WOULD HAVE AIR FLOW WHEN EVER THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. I MOUNTED IT SO IT WAS ON THE FRONT OF THE RADIATOR BUT INSIDE THE SHROUD AREA. I WANTED AIR FLOW WHEN OFF-ROADING AND THE BRONCO WAS NOT MOVING WITH THE AC ON.

 

[blubuckaroo]

I'm a big fan of using the heat exchanger in the radiator. It does the job of a much larger air cooled unit. However, I do recommend adding a nice auxiliary cooler along with it. Heck, you might even be able to just replumb and use the aux cooler you already have.
According to the manufacturers of these units, it should be installed so the hot fluid goes through the radiator heat exchanger first.

Also, to keep the fluid in my C4 in top shape, I made a habit of draining and refilling the transmission pan at every oil change.
After all, most tranny failures aren't catastrophic failures from heat, but rather the fluid gets oxidized from heat over time and can't do its job anymore.
If I remember right, it only takes about two quarts. Fortunately, the dipstick tube makes a great drain plug.

 

[Crush]

If the tranny is staying cool now then Just try running the power steering through the transmission heat exchanger in the radiator. Plum it from the pump to the box. Box to inker of exchanger. Outlet of exchanger back to box. It will require alot more oower steering fluid but that will also help with cooling

 

[jckkys]

My experience has taught me to keep the area in front of the radiator clear and open. This is especially true in the desert. The radiator heat exchanger has always worked for me and has a less negative effect on engine cooling than a remote cooler mounted in front of the radiator. Putting it anywhere else is what I recommend. But then I can't say I've seen a need to do more than use the OE cooler in the radiator. Towing could change that. The OE power steering cooler mounted on the driver side head always did the job for me too. A couple weeks ago my outside thermometer hit 124, so I know what you mean about Az. heat. Now, the monsoons have eliminated any over heating concerns.

 

[Rustytruck]

Make life easy just put the stock power steering cooler on and see if it cools the power steering enough for you. Your truck is in Arizona rerouting your tranny cooler back through your radiator is an option and not a mandate unless you spend your life in snow country like Flagstaff. My tranny cooler has been divorced from the radiator for over 20 years now. But I live in socal. If I were doing the snow thing then I would set up a manifold with bypass valves to route through the radiator when its freezing out. knock on wood I must be doing something right since my last rebuild on the tranny was over 35 years ago. So the seals inside are still working properly and not getting hard. Heat kills transmissions. You roll your dice and you take your chances.

 

[Justafordguy]

I run my C4 through the radiator cooler first and then through an aux cooler with a fan that is on top of the passenger fender well under the hood vent. I also have an OEM stacked plate trans cooler from an Explorer plumed into my power steering. It is in front of the core support but not in front of the radiator. This setup has kept everything cool for about 8 years, even here in Florida.

 

[jckkys]

I love to hear people in coastal Ca. refer to it as SoCal. El Centro is certainly in SoCal but makes almost anywhere in Az seem cool.

 

[Rustytruck]

Because we live coastal doesnt mean that's where we play. The valley where I live has been mostly over a 100 degrees all month and we play in our deserts well over that. So take your smug attitude and shove it. I am fully tired of your shit. Your not welcome in my sandbox.

 

[chuck1022]

Because we live coastal doesnt mean that's where we play. The valley where I live has been mostly over a 100 degrees all month and we play in our deserts well over that. So take your smug attitude and shove it. I am fully tired of your shit. Your not welcome in my sandbox.

You should really say whats on your mind.

 

[rmk57]

Is there any difference between P/S pump pressure and transmission pump pressure? Might be something to investigate.

 

[broncobilly72]

I'm in Norcal. Does that make a difference in attitude? Arizona...nice place to visit, but would not want to live in that dry heat.

 

[chuck1022]

I'm in Norcal. Does that make a difference in attitude? Arizona...nice place to visit, but would not want to live in that dry heat.

What is the line dividing north and south. I personally prefer northern california. Cal is a nice place to visit in small doses. Couldnt live there, whatbwould i do with all my guns, magazine's and ammo?

 

[jckkys]

There's no love of freedom in the People's Republic of California. They do love parasites and MS13 tho. It sounds like Rusty needs a safe space.

 

[chuck1022]

So i added the factory ps cooler and ut still erupts a little after long freeway runs. I am hesitant to put a coooler on the front of my radiator,....what are my otger options

 

[blubuckaroo]

So i added the factory ps cooler and ut still erupts a little after long freeway runs. I am hesitant to put a coooler on the front of my radiator,....what are my otger options

It sounds like you may have other problems. A PS cooler shouldn't be necessary on the street.

 

[chuck1022]

I have a brand new pump in the drawer, i should install it and see if that solves it...any thoughts on what could be going on?

 

[chuck1022]

I am running small tires....i will check the size

 

[72Sport]

You may have trapped air in the system. Long runs make for small bubbles in the fluid. When you shut off the engine pressure drops and the bubbles expand and come out of the ps dip stick. Jack up the front wheels, start the engine and then slowly turn the steering wheel all the way to the right and then all the way to the left. Do it several times.

Have someone start the engine with the dip stick out and see if the level drops when the engine is started. It will drop a slight amount since hoses will expand and hold more fluid. It shouldn't change much. there should be no foam when you shut it off.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92375&highlight=vacuum+generator&page=2

Look at thread #24 for more information.