Questions on power steering oil cooler

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machattack

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 27, 2019
Messages
702
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256
Location
Idaho
My Car
1971 mustang mach 1 351c 4v auto fmx
1968 mustang gt 302 4v 4 speed
Howdy,

I have a 71 mach with a 351c fmx NO air.

 Did these cars come with a P.S. cooler? I see 2 listed on ebay one says with air and one says without air. Man Im confused.

Also one more question. 2 hoses on the steering pump, one is pressure and one in return. Which is which? I need to order a hose for the old girl.

Thanks for your help.

 
Howdy,

I have a 71 mach with a 351c fmx NO air.

 Did these cars come with a P.S. cooler? I see 2 listed on ebay one says with air and one says without air. Man Im confused.

Also one more question. 2 hoses on the steering pump, one is pressure and one in return. Which is which? I need to order a hose for the old girl.

Thanks for your help.
The pressure one will feel harder as it is reinforced ( generally with a wire braid.  Will have one tube end bent to fit on the steering box, the other end crimped with a female thread.  The return line is softer, fabric reinforced, tube end to match the pressure line steering box end, other end open to fit over the tube connection on the back of the pump.  Make sure you use the smooth type clamp so you don't cut the hose.  The steering box ends are a different thread size so you can't mix them up.  

I'm not up with cooler lines so will pass on that question.  Others will be able to help here.

Have fun.

PKJ

 
Howdy,

I have a 71 mach with a 351c fmx NO air.

 Did these cars come with a P.S. cooler? I see 2 listed on ebay one says with air and one says without air. Man Im confused.

Also one more question. 2 hoses on the steering pump, one is pressure and one in return. Which is which? I need to order a hose for the old girl.

Thanks for your help.
The pressure one will feel harder as it is reinforced ( generally with a wire braid.  Will have one tube end bent to fit on the steering box, the other end crimped with a female thread.  The return line is softer, fabric reinforced, tube end to match the pressure line steering box end, other end open to fit over the tube connection on the back of the pump.  Make sure you use the smooth type clamp so you don't cut the hose.  The steering box ends are a different thread size so you can't mix them up.  

I'm not up with cooler lines so will pass on that question.  Others will be able to help here.

Have fun.

PKJ
Thanks PKJ

Both The lines are really hard from 50 years of heat. Gear box is out of the car but I did notice

one line is larger than the other in Diameter. Also one is twice as long as the other as well. Does this give a clue?

Appreciate the help!

 
If your cooler is not leaking no reason to change. The AC cooler bolts to the compressor and the non AC to the engine so made differently. I do not have a pic on non AC here is AC. You can see the two bolts in top of compressor and the cooler is in front going down.

The pressure hose has fitting on both ends the return only on one end to the box. 

 
Power steering cooler on the non-AC cars was mounted to the bracket for the PS pump. There will be a hole for a tab, and one for a self tapping screw.



The cooler is on the return side of the circuit. The path is Pressure-> steering box ->return hose -> cooler -> return hose -> pump reservoir. You cannot mix the hoses up as the fittings are different sizes.

If you don't want to use the 6 foot long pressure hose, order one from a '73.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=78320&cc=1132995&jsn=3099

Also, the currently available hoses are not bent like the factory units with the 90° bends at the box.

 
A lot of non a/c cars never got the cooler and a few parts cars I've collective over the years with a/c didn't also. They all got the longer loop hose. Ordering district might have made the difference if it did or didn't

 
A lot of non a/c cars never got the cooler and a few parts cars I've collective over the  years  with a/c didn't also. They all got the longer loop hose.  Ordering district might have made the difference if it did or didn't

"Wow" ............. seems to be all over the board. Appears that a car could get it either way? A.C or Non A.C.  I wondered why that would make a difference if it had A.C? Truthfully Im still confused as @#$%^&. 

With help from you fine folks I believe I figured out The P.S hose situation. 

Thanks All

Rod

 
Power steering cooler on the non-AC cars was mounted to the bracket for the PS pump. There will be a hole for a tab, and one for a self tapping screw.



The cooler is on the return side of the circuit. The path is Pressure-> steering box ->return hose -> cooler -> return hose -> pump reservoir. You cannot mix the hoses up as the fittings are different sizes.

If you don't want to use the 6 foot long pressure hose, order one from a '73. 

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=78320&cc=1132995&jsn=3099

Also, the currently available hoses are not bent like the factory units with the 90° bends at the box.
How did you folks get so Smart? Many Thanks for your answers and unselfish attitudes.

 
Unfortunately, as a car gets older, and various gas station mechanics, general mechanics, home mechanics, service these cars, certain parts tend to be "left off" as they are deemed unnecessary or "in the way". Such is the case with the unloved P/S cooler. I'm not sure what a good used one goes for today, but I've seen what they get for a new replacement. Kinda expensive for what it is. I've never had a brand new car, and EVERY used car I've owned has had something missing that the previous owner has taken or left off. My P/S cooler was missing on my Mach 1 when I got it.  I think I paid $100 for a good original used one years ago.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I just picked up an aftermarket cooler and filter and added it in the return line.  Mounted it to the front of the radiator.  Car did not have one and came with the shorter pressure hose.  It did help with ps fluid temperature.   Car has 460 with headers and it gets a little hot under there.  Worth the $35 I paid for it.   Ran the return line to the filter then to cooler and back to pump.

 
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