power steering cooler
 

I searched this site regarding the need of a power steering cooler for a full hydraulic steering system. I would like to run the return line thru a tranny cooler with forced air flowing around the cooler. Would a small 8" oil cooler cool better than the tranny cooler, has anyone ran a tranny cooler?

I would not use a air cooled cooler. Use a 2" X 8" oil cooler. This will get the job done. You really don't get enough cool air flow for an air/liquid cooler to work to it's max capacity. The p/s fluid actually gets pretty hot because of the pressure. They can spike up to 2000 psi when the wheel is locked to one side. This generates a ton of heat. You should have no problem finding a Sen-dure or similar cooler. I know CP Performance and Eddie Marine both have them. Good luck.
Eddie

With the experience of Young Performance, it's hard to argue his logic. But you can get a plate cooler with up to 30 plates from us. So if you're using forced air, maybe a plate cooler will work. if the pressures are where Eddie at Young is stating, I'd suggest a high pressure unit. If you know something about the temps and pressures currently in the system, forward that either in thread or to my email and I'll see if I can size the cooler for you.

Russ

You already have cool water running thru the engine comp to oil coolers and exhaust. Why would you want to use some sort of forced air coolin rig that needs a fan that can fail and leave you with no cooling and if no fan then when your not moving, no cooling. Why re-invent the wheel? By the way you cool on the return side not the pressure side so no high pressure cooler would be needed.

Maybe he want to make sure the raw water is it's coldest for the oil cooler and going air cooled will get one more heat sink out of the line.

At least that is why I considered it. :rolleyes:

Oh, did not want an additional water line in the bilge with a 2 stage water pump

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Just wanted to clear up that I meant the high pressure is what causes the heat. Not that the cooler has to be able to handle that amount of pressure. I guess I should have specified that the cooler goes on the low pressure return side.:eek:
Thanks for pointing it out.
Eddie

+1 on why would you consider using air to cool in an enclosed space, when you already have water flowing that is 800 times denser and on a nice summer day, starts off 20-40 degrees cooler? When designing crewboats and tugs that frequently work in places where you are stirring up the bottom, and don't want to suck raw water, we use "keel" or "grid" coolers that exchange heat either against the hull or externally. On a submarine or Navy ship, even a lot of the electronics are water cooled.

I have a spare power steering cooler for $50.00 if interested. It came off my 496ho with about 12hrs on it.

Being the new kid around here, I was worried about stepping on toes. :-). Glad we're all on the same page.

It's all good brother.....don't sweat it.:lolhit:

I could be wrong here but as far as I know, the plate coolers that are found in the bell housings for trans cooling are also water cooled and not air cooled. I just don't think that air cooling on a boat makes much sense. They spend too much time at slow to stopped speeds and with a constant supply of cool water being expelled after use out of dumps or exhaust even while sitting still why bother? Just my 2ct's worth.

You are correct. The aftermarket bellhousings have dual coolers (one in each side). One is used for the trans and one is used for engine oil.
Eddie

Thought I would post pictures of the bell housing and where the plate coolers go since I gave some incorrect information in a post - was the least I could do. in some automotive applications plate coolers can be air cooled, but as a general rule and as mentioned above are water cooled in marine apps. The left is the Hardin Marine version. The second is the one we are offering. The hardin marine is pretty neat in that you can place a PS cooler in between the two plate coolers at the crossover and still run one water circuit to cool all 3 (if of course you haven't overused your water's cooling energy at that point).