Power steering cooler necessary?

[Mesozoic]

I vaguely recall seeing a power steering fluid cooler installed on my car when it was "stock." It was a factory Ford piece, but I've not seen it decades since installing a wheezer. Is it absolutely necessary to run a fluid cooler here or not?

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Ford most certainly would NOT have installed one had it been even only marginally neccesary.

The early models had the return line looped up over the engine brace, a clear indication that Ford knew it needed some cooling. Later versions and bigger engine options resulted in the actual PS fluid coolers added into the system.

There is no way Ford would have included them if they felt it was unnecesary.

So, the answer is...who knows? I have seen many, many of these cars with the loop or the cooler long since removed without suffering any problems.

 

[Mesozoic]

So basically, I should really add one back in. Ugh... I hate fabricating brackets. I'm a computer engineer and I really suck at making nice looking brackets because I don't do enough mechanical design.

 

[jbojo]

When I was getting my PS lines fabricated I asked the same question to the shop. The response was unless I was going to be running it on a track course it wasn't necessary. I can always add one if I need to at another time. They offered a finned circular aluminum one that looked really nice.

 

[mustang7173]

Mesozoic,

I was pretty much on board with Kit Sullivan in his response. So, I decided to look into the Ford Master Parts Catalog to see what was there. The FMC shows three different configurations. One with A/C, one without A/C, and one with just the P/S pump connected to the Power Steering box. Interesting information. The section 3D746, Power Steering cooler does not state whether or not to use the cooler.

I would try locate a reasonably priced used part to add back on. Since a lot of us install headers, this would help keep the power steering box cooler and last longer. To add to Kit Sullivan's response, it could have been added due to problems with over heating of the Saginaw steering box.

Source: Ford Motor Company, Master Parts Catalog, May, 1975

mustang7173

 

[MeZapU]

After removing my a/c compressor years ago I ran my power steering without the cooler. I noted that the fluid quickly would start smelling burnt after only a thousand miles or two. I was draining and flushing it about every oil change until I found my CJ power steering cooler. Now I have not changed the fluid in years as it smells fine.

 

[Mesozoic]

Gonna mount a small fluid cooler in front of the driver side shock tower.

 

[460bbf]

If you don't like fabbing brackets summit and jegs sells a couple different PS coolers. I bought one when the original on my 72 truck sprung a leak so I mounted it on the frame rail instead on top of the motor. when I was not running one the fluid would get hot and boil out.

 

[Mesozoic]

If you don't like fabbing brackets summit and jegs sells a couple different PS coolers. I bought one when the original on my 72 truck sprung a leak so I mounted it on the frame rail instead on top of the motor. when I was not running one the fluid would get hot and boil out.

I discovered that when my car was carbureted, I had an MSD 6AL box mounted in front of the driver side shock tower. It was also iso-mounted using some nice rubber isolators. I have a small TruCool 12 row stacked plate oil cooler that was collecting dust, waiting for another project - it fits perfectly in front of the shock tower and even uses 2 of the 4 iso-mounts with no modification! I ordered some anodized black AN push-lock fittings and plan to reroute the return to pass through the cooler this weekend.

 

[Mesozoic]

If you don't like fabbing brackets summit and jegs sells a couple different PS coolers. I bought one when the original on my 72 truck sprung a leak so I mounted it on the frame rail instead on top of the motor. when I was not running one the fluid would get hot and boil out.

I discovered that when my car was carbureted, I had an MSD 6AL box mounted in front of the driver side shock tower. It was also iso-mounted using some nice rubber isolators. I have a small TruCool 12 row stacked plate oil cooler that was collecting dust, waiting for another project - it fits perfectly in front of the shock tower and even uses 2 of the 4 iso-mounts with no modification! I ordered some anodized black AN push-lock fittings and plan to reroute the return to pass through the cooler this weekend.

And here it is: