Are you kidding me? P/S overheating now I think haha

[Danielle]

Towed with the Bronco ALLLLL day yesterday. There's a ton of flooding still, so lots of detours and country roads. Not really any hills at all.

Trans behaved beautifully.

A few months ago my p/s lines rusted through and I replaced them. Yesterday I stared hearing the power steering get a bit louder, a little bit louder. When I got home from final trip (side note: this truck is an angel, it almost always at least limps me home!) and it peed fluid all over the road as I was parking.

I saw it, glared, and went inside. This morning I went out, and looked everywhere for a leak. Lines were fine, box fine, pump is always grimy but not wet. I refilled it, bled out some air, pump is silent, power steering working fine. I drove about 100 miles today, and no issues.

I did some light research and believe a cooler might be a good idea. I would like to plumb it in in same location as the "cooler" already there, since my radiator area is getting crowded. I know there may be a higher risk of road debris, but I don't go off roading, and I keep off the highways (I baby the **** out of this pig;p) for the most part.

Thoughts?

 

[GOOSE]

My '74 F100 came with the smallest little cooler plumbed into the PS line, it had a little bracket that used on of the mounting bolts to hold it in place. I would leave the lines where they sit and add a cooler that runs parallel with the frame if it were me. Definitely a good idea.

 

[Danielle]

Are you talking about the frame that runs from wheel to wheel (where the current "cooler" runs back and forth) ?

 

[GOOSE]

Leave the tubing on the cross member and put the cooler in line from front to back. Standing it off the frame rail an inch or so should give enough room for air movement.

 

[Cucamongan]

Side note: some aftermarket power steering fluid additive, like Lucas, is also good for these Ford Power Steering pumps

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

Am I reading this right, is it actually necessary to even bother with a P/S cooler?


I know many many new vehicles have those....but non of mine do, and i've never had a P/S issue....?

 

[typ4]

Side note: some aftermarket power steering fluid additive, like Lucas, is also good for these Ford Power Steering pumps

lucas is the BEST PS additive.

Danielle, drain and flush your PS and put in some Napa PS fluid, works wonders.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

john, i need to install one on my crawler, with lots of slow speed turning and lots of hydroboosted braking, after half a day it starts to almost boil it.

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

I understand having one if you have hydroboost, but just regular P/S?


Well I guess if you live way down south in the middle of summer 110*F weather city, I imagine getting pretty hot. lol


A P/S cooler would be totally useless to me though.

 

[itsacrazyasian]

I have a small transmission cooler that i use for my PS and hydroboost with synthetic tranny fluid in the pump. Stock ford pump, no issues with all the low speed turning i do with the truck.

 

[ocnorb]

In a 4x4 club I belong to there are 4 or 5 Broncos. Most of us push 35-37" tires, in the desert, at low speeds. We have found that adding a P/S cooler makes a big difference in how long the pumps last. It also keeps them from developing that annoying whine. Most of us run the 90's style pumps that come on 5.0's and 5.8L trucks of that era.

 

[Danielle]

In a 4x4 club I belong to there are 4 or 5 Broncos. Most of us push 35-37" tires, in the desert, at low speeds. We have found that adding a P/S cooler makes a big difference in how long the pumps last. It also keeps them from developing that annoying whine. Most of us run the 90's style pumps that come on 5.0's and 5.8L trucks of that era.

Gee thanks a lot, might as well do this to the Bronco with the 35's on it while I am at it. These trucks are like men, they want me on my back underneath them all the time!

 

[icanfixall]

Sounds like a day in thw wrecking yard looking for a cooler is at hand... I know the 70s and 80s jaguar engines had a small ps cooler mounted near the alternater fan. The wifeys V12 sedan even had a gas cooler on it.What cooled the gas was the ac freon. You can find them on ebay all the time... So your truck is just like a man.... It wants you under it and on you back..... Got any pics....

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

So your truck is just like a man.... It wants you under it and on you back..... Got any pics....

 

[gatorman21218]

Are you using the right oil? The right stuff is Type F ATF. Not sure if "PS fluid" is good to use or not. Ive driven in 110 degree heat with 120% humility with the factory cooler and hydro boost and never have had a problem. also that cooler is covered in oil from the front main seal