Power Steering fluid cooling options

[Montoya]

Hi guys,
I'm in the process of plumbing my power steering system and I'm running a separate cooler on the return line and it got me thinking, why can't I cool the fluid on the high pressure side? I know that my cooler and most "radiator style" coolers can't handle the pressures but does anyone make one that can?

To me, cooling the fluid on the return side would be like cooling the air before it went into your turbo and not running an inter-cooler. It might help but nowhere near as much as cooling after pressurizing. Am I missing something?

Just thought I would pick some brains on here.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[DirtDonk]

Probably done not only for pressure's sake, but the pump is likely more sensitive to heat than the gearbox is. So cooling it after it's done it's hard work, before it hits the pump, is probably the best of both worlds if you had to only cool one side.

Otherwise I don't see any particular downside to cooling the pressure side, other than pressure losses.
Which would also be a big thing if the loss is substantial. And I bet it could be substantial, depending on the design of the cooler. You'd need to go with the most efficient, or not at all.

Paul

 

[AZ73]

A standard PS pump puts out about 1100 PSI. There's isn't a "radiator" type cooler that can take anywhere near that pressure. My cooler is a high pressure radiator type cooler from Hayden and its rated for 150 lbs. A Derale heat sink cooler has a burst rating of 300 PSI.

That being said, there is very little pressure produced at the pump when you are driving straight. It's when you're turning the pressure jumps. And cooling it before the steering box doesn't do that much. You're trying to cool the fluid to prevent it from boiling, not keep it cool before it gets to the steering box. You want the heat before it hits the steering box because heat=more pressure and you want the pressure. Cooling it AFTER it works is fine. Just like you cool the water in the engine AFTER it works and gets hot to maintain a max temperature. An intercooler is a completely different issue. That involves expansion of air as well as the temperature of the air you're trying to control. You want as much air as possible going into your engine. cooler air is more dense and has more oxygen per cubic foot, thus you're not trying to maintain a max temp, you're trying to get as cold as possible BEFORE you do the work. That's not the issue with power steering.

 

[Yeller]

every industrial hydraulic system in the world is cooled on the return side, steering is no different.

 

[SteveL]

Bc has no nice filter kit to go in line with a cooler. Can get it with 1 or 2 inputs for hydroboost.

 

[sanndmann3]

I'd rather have a low pressure leak than a high pressure one...
Also low pressure hose connection is a band clamp, simpler and cheaper than high pressure connection.
Good thought to run a cooler though. Can't hurt to dump a little heat...

 

[garberz]

every industrial hydraulic system in the world is cooled on the return side, steering is no different.

I couldn’t agree more, and can’t think of anything else to simply answer this question.

Mark

 

[Montoya]

This is why I come here! All excellent points that I was somehow missing. I did know that this is how everyone does it in every industry but I wasn't thinking about the positive pressure aspect of it and how that's a good thing outside of boiling.

I think too many years trying to cool a boost charge on turbo motors had me thinking backwards.
Thanks for setting me straight and the good discussion.

Jon