P/S cooler... or not

[sr73bu]

Hey guys i've pretty much exhausted my search here on whether or not to run a P/S cooler... I've read mixed reviews on people saying a good pump and fluid is the answer... not a cooler. I've Also read that coolers can restrict flow.
So before I hook up my P/S lines, should I install a cooler? or not?

Here is my setup:
AGR 12:1 billet steering box (end has what looks like some sort of cooling fins)
AGR P/S "P" Pump
Both have some sort of ceramic coating.

Also.... any suggestions on a good fluid?

Thanks in Advance!

-Sean

[Jim Nilsen]

I have a remote reseviour and have not had any problems at all. Temps have never gone over 175 degrees.

Try it without it and leave room for one somewhere if you are doing other mods that might make it hard to do later.

[Nothingface5384]

i'd only bother with one if you have hydroboost brakes

[Rod]

IMHO it really depends on what your driving is going to include, I first built my camaro using the exact same components you're using, and drove it for about a month without any problems(daily to work and around), then I went to an autocross track, and with the constant, back and forth in just the first lap I was spewing some P/S fluid, after a second run I had nearly boiled all the fluid, after looking on here and some other sites I added a Derale cooler and a magnafine P/S fluid filter, and now have run the system going on 2 years without a problem

[sr73bu]

Thanks Guys!

Thanks Again for the advice Rod! Your Camaro is pretty much a test dummy for my chevelle.. first the wilwood calipers, now this...haha

I am going to attend RTTS (road coarse/ autocross) and get involved with my regions SCCA autocross this year, so I just dont want any surprises (at least ones I can prevent in advance).

Any chance you have a p# for the cooler and filter? photos?

Also, how do you like the AGR stuff?

Ok, i'll stop with all the questions... haha, thanks again guys!

-Sean

[CarlC]

If it's a cruiser then no cooler is likely needed, HB or not.

If it's going on a track you may have mixed results. For a short event you may be able to get away with just a cooler. For longer events just a cooler may not be enough. After dealing with a ruined pump and a cut-short track day the Camaro ended up with a Lee's dry P-pump. The Lee's setup removes the reservior can from the pump (heat sink) and adds a -10 fitting to the pump body. A remote reservoir was then used combined with a cooler. Lee's also modified the pump with a smaller pump liner and customized pump pressure setting based on the steering box, car, and intended usage. Zero problems after that.

At every track-day where there are older cars with a non-modified P-pump (basically stock) there is a steering pump failure, even with a cooler.

Hands down the best fluid for the P-pump is the GM fluid.

[sr73bu]

Thanks Carl!

Looks like i'm stuck with what I've got right now... I guess I should have done more research. but i'll just have to live and learn.

The car will be primalily driven on the street, but I do plan on autocrossing it a few times a month this summer (most autocrosses near me are very short runs).

The RTTS even is in early April, so I hope the cool temp outside will help with temps on the P/S and other parts. To be honest this will probably be the only road coarse the car will see next year... I simply dont have the funds yet (or time) to go a few times a month. But down the road, I will invest in your reccomended setup. when I start really "tracking" the car.

Looks like i'm going to give Rod's suggested cooler a shot... and hope for the best. After speaking with AGR I feel there are some provisions made to my box and pump to aid in cooling, so i'll just have to see.

Thanks again everyone for the advice.

-Sean

[Rod]

Its raining outside but i snapped a few pictures for you,,,, I like the ARG stuff the paint on the steering box is a little thin, my box started to show some rust about 3 months after i mounted in(paint it before you install), you don't need too wild of a steering cooler I used Derale #13212 kit, here's How its mounted right next to the radiator on simple rubber coated wire loops, easy to remove and work around



and on the radiator support i cut a hole so the cooler has its own air flow



the magnafine filter is the same one that David Pozzi recommended on his website here is a link to them Magnafine

[sr73bu]

Thanks Rod! Much Appreciated!

-Sean

[SicMonte]

Rod,

Can you snap a broader pic of that p/s cooler...so it shows what is around it and the general area where you mounted it? Thanks!!

[Rod]

Rod,

Can you snap a broader pic of that p/s cooler...so it shows what is around it and the general area where you mounted it? Thanks!!

heres a picture of the radiator support on the initial build before it was removed for repaint



and with the radiator mounted

[sr73bu]

OK, one more thing.... a friend of mine suggested something more like this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DER-13254/ (from what I took over the phone)... He used to run a circle track car and said something like this would flow better, last longer, and run cooler... hate to be a pain, but what are your thoughts??

-Sean

[Rod]

OK, one more thing.... a friend of mine suggested something more like this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DER-13254/ (from what I took over the phone)... He used to run a circle track car and said something like this would flow better, last longer, and run cooler... hate to be a pain, but what are your thoughts??

-Sean

Its a nice cooler but the amount of volume in fluid might be a little pricey (should add about 2+ quarts to fluid amount) that's why its great for transmissions and it is designed for transmission that run at a higher fluid temp, and with the small cooler the fluid cools in smaller amounts and returns it quicker to the pump (just the consensuses here in the shop) it was hard to narrow the answer because everyone said no! with different reasons (it was a damn funny discussion) we sell both in our shop so it doesn't matter to anyone about the sale of a part, just that it serves its purpose

[CarlC]

OK, one more thing.... a friend of mine suggested something more like this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DER-13254/ (from what I took over the phone)... He used to run a circle track car and said something like this would flow better, last longer, and run cooler... hate to be a pain, but what are your thoughts??

-Sean

The Camaro has the 12" version. It is more than sufficient.

The smaller tube/fin as seen here are also effective.

[SicMonte]

Thanks for the pics Rod!!!

[1969CamaroRS]

Hydroboost here, with hopes for some track time so I wanted a P/S Cooler. I was able to stick a P/S cooler between my Trans and Oil coolers:


I went with Perma-Cool's model #1210 with NPT fittings that removed I put an adapter on for -8 AN fittings.
http://www.perma-cool.com/Catalog/Cat_page15.html

[The WidowMaker]

carl, did you have a remote reservoir before you sent it off to lee? he told me that there is at least a 20* difference between remote and on pump reservoirs. have you seen many failures from remote reservoirs without a cooler?

Tim

[CarlC]

I have not seen a remote Lee's P-pump that did not have a cooler. After frying the stock setup I took no chances again so it's had a cooler and remote filter-reservoir since. The car now has a CB pump ('02 F-body) that was re-worked by Lee's as well.