# Power steering cooler?



## johnand (Apr 30, 2002)

I am almost done with my auto to manual trans swap and I had an idea.

Since I "had" an automatic trans, I had a fluid cooler in the radiator. Since the manual doesn't use a cooler, I just capped off the 2 ports on the radiator.

Then I got to thinking, why not use that cooler for a power steering cooler? I assume, I just run the return line to the radiator, then out the radiator to the reservoir?

Anyone see any reason why I shouldn't do this, or why it wouldn't work?


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## Joshb13sentra (May 13, 2002)

Why do you need to cool of the power steering fluid?


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## blazinSE-R (Dec 25, 2002)

why not do it?


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## cmotek24 (Jun 15, 2002)

power steering cooler?... sure...


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## Geo (Apr 30, 2002)

cmotek24, you at the U of R or RIT? Rochester is my hometown. Been in Houston 7 years now.

Powersteering coolers? All SR20 powered cars have them. The SE-R has a finned cooler on the inside passenger fender. The G20 and the NX2000 have a line that is run in front of the radiator.

As for the reason, I'll make an assumption..... As you compress a fluid you heat it and as you expand it, you cool it. However, the process is not 100% efficient, so the temp of the fluid will rise.


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

It's a ridiculous idea because the size of the trans cooler is designed to cool 7 quarts of ATF; the PS holds a much smaller amount and is simply not designed to run cool.


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## johnand (Apr 30, 2002)

Centurion said:


> *It's a ridiculous idea because the size of the trans cooler is designed to cool 7 quarts of ATF; the PS holds a much smaller amount and is simply not designed to run cool. *


Care to eloborate? Not sure there would be any adverse affects of cool power steering fluid.

The point of doing it, is why not since I already have a "free" cooler. Cooler fluid, I would assume would keep the fluid from breaking down, in turn improving the longevity of the power steering components.


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## bahearn (Jul 15, 2002)

Well, first off, fluids are pretty much incompressible. The heat build up comes from pumping losses and fluid shear.

Second, I believe the radiator runs hotter than the PS system wants. All power-steering coolers I've seen are liquid/air, no liquid/liquid.


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## PatScottAKA99XE (Apr 30, 2002)

Sounds like a cool(haha) idea. My boss at work has a Late Model race car and he uses one about the size of a tranny cooler. I dont think you could go too big unless P.S. fluid is like oil and only works right at certain temps. You should check that out first. I have seen alot of peeps put an oil cooler on their car for no reason and it does more harm than good. Oil sucks at its job cold, just as it does warm.


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## MakoMeat (Dec 4, 2002)

I don't think its a good idea.
AFT is at 350 degrees or so, 
coolant is around 200 degrees,
p/s fluid around 120-150 more or less, you would be heating up the p/s fluid.

better option may be used as an engine oil cooler?


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## toolapcfan (Jul 10, 2002)

> better option may be used as an engine oil cooler?


That's what I was thinking, but again, you'd be better off just installing a small oil cooler for that, it wouldn't be efficient enough to hassle with running the lines, if you were going to bother with it, might as well do it right.


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## nizmo559 (Mar 4, 2003)

anybody ever break a power steering return line?


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