Power steering getting hot.

[Gupster88]

Has Anyone run across problem with power steering fluid getting to hot from heat of motor? One of my drivers has power steering that stops working after about a half hour drive. Discovered that fluid is getting to hot from headers on motor?? Has small cooler on unit. My question is.... Is there an after market cooler you can get that will cool unit better or is this going to be one of those make it yourself situations? Little help here would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[nvrstuk]

astacked plate style cooler is very efficient...mount it in front of the radiator, someplace where air will flow through it.

shield the hose from the header!!!

 

[Gupster88]

I believe it is getting the unit itself to hot. Was trying to avoid putting an ugly shield plate in there. Not a real under the hood guy. If I get a different cooler. Does it mount right on the unit or would you run a line out in front of the radiator to catch air flow thru grille ?

 

[sykanr0ng]

A cooler outside of the hot air in the engine compartment will cool more efficiently than one in with that heat.
And I second the stacked plate cooler recommendation, those are the most effective type.

 

[SteveL]

What vehicle? Can you relocate the pump or go remote reservoir?

 

[Rustytruck]

This is what i use in front of the core support.
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/AFCO...er-2-3-4-x-11-x-1-1-2-Inch-12-Pass,39666.html

 

[gr8scott]

I've got 2 of these in front of my radiator. One for transmission and one for power steering.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bmm-70264/

 

[Eoth]

Would be interested to see a pic of your engine bay and the routing of the Power Steering lines.... The problem you describe is not normal for street driving or mild off-road. Mine normally is warm to the touch but gets crazy hot on the trails due to my front locker. People use transmission coolers (myself included) when needed.

 

[Gupster88]

Here are a couple of pics. Little dark. Only thing I can figure is that front part of header is heating fluid up as it goes thru steel line ?

 

[Gupster88]

This is in a ‘70 and was installed by previous owner.

 

[Eoth]

That looks like an original Ford "canned ham" pump... I don't see anything out of the ordinary that would cause excessive heating. However, failing pumps will generate heat and can even "boil over".. I think it might be time for a Saginaw upgrade...

 

[Gupster88]

Thanks for all the input and advice guys. Really appreciate it. Think I will be going all out and upgrading pump and coolant cores using your recommendations above. Thought I just had a design flaw here , but this will give give me a reason to turn some wrenchs on my driver instead of my non drivers. Thanks again.

 

[itsabronco]

I had the same issue with mine when i had the canned ham pump and stock steer box. I put a cooler in line in front of the radiator and it helped a ton. I eventually put the 4x4x2 box in with an explorer power steering pump when i did my 5.0 conversion with the same cooler. Still no issue at all. Try wrapping that header tube with some wrap and see if that helps. Trouble shoot first. Just dont start changing things. If the wrap helps, then you know a bigger cooler in front will do wonders. !!

 

[Gupster88]

Thanks for the info Itsa. Good to know this is something that has happened to someone else. I like the idea of keeping the original power steering pump in place. I like to keep things as original as I can on these broncs. I will try wrapping the header first and go from there. Thank again . Really appreciate it.

 

[DirtDonk]

Just to add to the info, I've never seen a power steering system that didn't get hot. All on it's own without any help from outside sources. Pushing high pressure fluid through small orifices and tubes will do that.
Not that it's supposed to get so hot that it fails to pump, but they get too hot to touch almost, under normal circumstances.

But yes, it's certainly likely that some heat from the engine (headers especially) is helping it along.
Even in a stock system they put that small cooler you have, where they did not always do that on other vehicles. And you could definitely benefit from an even larger cooler. As well as making sure you have the best quality fluid you can get. Maybe a synthetic in this system is something to think about.

So following all the previous suggestions for coolers is a good course of action I'd say.
Good luck.

Paul

 

[Pa PITT]

... AS NORMAL I'M late to the fight. But as I'm looking at it ... IT looked to me like you have an old org. Thompson pump ... Not the Saginaw pump ''CANNED HAM''.
.. so As I see it if you change to an upgraded pump .. It'll most likely be some version of the canned ham.
My old 1980 Bronco uses the Thompson . I've never upgraded it . But every time I have it in the rocks It gets hot. My other Broncos I upgraded them to the Saginaw pumps .. EVEN OLD USED PUMPS .. They are so much stronger than than old THOMPSON PUMP.
... so I think this is your issue.
.........................
..... & PSC BUILDS A replacement pump ... It's a very small Jeep pump that uses a remote reservoir for it's fluid ... But it's smaller to get away from your headers . &With the remote reservoir you can add your new cooler anywhere you want too.
........
...PSC...817-270-0102
...good bunch of guys.

 

[jckkys]

I've used Ford-Thompson pumps in at least 10 vehicles over 50+ yrs. and never had one overheat. You may have one that for whatever reason, over heats. The reservoir looks new. It may have come on a rebuilt pump. I see no reason not to get another of the same to see if it cures the over heating. RockAuto has several. They're inexpensive and the stock hoses and brackets can stay. No reason to change everything to get a Saginaw pump.

 

[Pa PITT]

... I kind of agree with Just putting another stock Thompson in place .. Maybe you'll get a good one..
... Back when I had my parts store I sold the A1 Cardon pumps . If someone can in with one saying their pump was getting hot & Boiling the fluid out of it . Then we'd simply order them another Thompson & just replace it defective .After one of 2 replacements they'd get one that worked good enough to make them happy.
....................
... Another thing we told several to do was to swap the fluids in the entire system to .. Genuine Power Steering not the ATF .. I too use Dextron in most of mine ... But I do feel that REAL LABLED Power Sterring fluid is better.
....

 

[Gupster88]

Good intel guys. Going to start trying the easy fixes this weekend. Will move up the ladder from there. Really appreciate all of your help. Will keep you posted.

 

[bamabaja]

Been researching coolers for off road AT and PS. Questions:
1. Vendor PS fin coolers vary from around 10 to 19 fins. Is there a rule of thumb re size ?
2. Not dedicated crawler but slow trails, rocks, etc. Better to install fan cooler while have full access and mounting options ? If go fan, thermostat or off/on switch for water crossings?

Other comments and suggestions appreciated.