Power steering / Hydroboost cooler

[casadejohnson]

Looking at my cooler options this evening it occurred to me that I am not using my in radiator transmission cooler. Is there any reason I couldn't or shouldn't use it as a power steering / Hydroboost cooler?

 

[Viperwolf1]

I think it would make a good PS cooler.

 

[casadejohnson]

Excellent ! It's right there and it will save me from finding a place to put another cooler. I couldn't think of any reason that it wouldn't work but wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something.

 

[TOFIC]

would work very well
don't forget, plumb it in between the steering box and the pump on the low pressure side.
TOFIC

 

[COBlu77]

Good idea. Wish I would have thought of that, but I think I'll try it too.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

a word of caution, I ran into yesterday, I used a small trans pancake style cooler after the T on the return side and my hydro-boost would apply the brakes on its own!!!

I removed the cooler and all is well. for the mean time I will run it without and if I see the need I will add a small fin tube type.

 

[casadejohnson]

Just to be clear, I previously ran a cooler with my hydroboost and Power steering but I had taken it all apart to paint and clean up my engine bay and also do my C4 conversion. I was getting ready to reinstall the original cooler when I had my epiphany to use the radiator cooler. I'll post up some pics once I get it done.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Out of the steering box, through cooler, out of cooler, then T into the hydroboost, then to the pump

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

haaaaaa, I have not removed my cooler yet!!! I will rout as you mention Broncobowser!!!! Thanks

 

[casadejohnson]

I was looking at my hose routing on this tonight. Am I correct in my thinking that it would be best to route my line into the upper port on the radiator and out of the lower port of the radiator cooler? If I recall correctly the flow of fluid through the radiator is in at the top and out at the bottom so it would be cooler at the bottom. It seems like this would be the way to get the most out of the cooler. Is that correct or am I incorrect about the flow?

 

[fungus]

Typically you want to route the flow bottom to top in order to keep air out of the system. My p/s cooler goes from box to bottom hose bib on cooler then out the top bib back to reservoir. You're logic makes alot of sense for heat xfer though.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I was looking at my hose routing on this tonight. Am I correct in my thinking that it would be best to route my line into the upper port on the radiator and out of the lower port of the radiator cooler? If I recall correctly the flow of fluid through the radiator is in at the top and out at the bottom so it would be cooler at the bottom. It seems like this would be the way to get the most out of the cooler. Is that correct or am I incorrect about the flow?

You are thinking of a down flow radiator, bronco is a cross flow radiator. All the water in the tank is the same temp. Fluid should flow from the bottom to the top (radiator is the exception as it has a way to vent air out of the loop with the radiator cap and the fluid isn't pulled out of a sump to be circulated).

 

[TOFIC]

Out of the steering box, through cooler, out of cooler, then T into the hydroboost, then to the pump

not the way I would do it.
Low pressure side, out of the box, into the cooler, out of cooler, to a Y connection at the low pressure port of the PS pump. this y should have the low pressure return of the hydro boost hooked onto the other port of the Y. the connection path of the Y should have the straight through path on the hydro boost line the closer the Y connection is to the pump the better

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

jajaja, and I thought that the high pressure hoses and routing where going to be the difficult ones. I will route and see if the pedal stays up or gets pressed by the back pressure on the HB low pressure side. I think that having the straight thru connections of the T between the HB and Pump will yield the lowest back pressure.

 

[casadejohnson]

I have no "T" in my system. I made my own Reservoir that holds about 2 1/2-3 times what the explorer reservoir does and I put dual returns on it. Another bit of information, I do not have a stock Bronco radiator. I am running a V6 explorer radiator. I need to get my high pressure hoses shortened at some point this week. Should have it setup by this weekend. Previously, I ran my cooler on the low pressure return between the steering box and reservoir.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

CASADEJ, that sounds liek an awesome Idea, I really do not like the plastic explorer reservoir, I must have broken 2 trying to remove the hose at the bone yard. do you have any pics of your creation??

 

[casadejohnson]

CASADEJ, that sounds liek an awesome Idea, I really do not like the plastic explorer reservoir, I must have broken 2 trying to remove the hose at the bone yard. do you have any pics of your creation??

Here it is. I have been running it for a few years now. I Modified it a little bit from what I originally had because I had a slight clearance issue. I'll take some installed photos this evening.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

wow, thanks. did you braze or weld the seams?

 

[casadejohnson]

wow, thanks. did you braze or weld the seams?

I bent sheet metal and welded the seams. I took a few attempts to get it the way I wanted it. I used a saginaw pump as a donor for the filler neck and cap.


I went to a local shop and had them modify my High pressure lines this morning. I'll head out to the garage this evening and put it together. Should have photos later tonight.

 

[casadejohnson]

As promised, here are the photos of it installed. Worked out very well and the cooler in the radiator looks like it was made for this! The inlet and outlets are in about the perfect location.