Cloaked323

I looking into running a cooler power steering fluid for high temperatures during track use any recommendations, I have had my fluid boiling up and out the filler cap at least once during an event.

John Shiels

you probably need a cooler

Bink

I think so too

Falcon

In addition to a cooler, use Redline P/S fluid.

racerbob4

Red Line is great stuff but I would also look into getting a small motorcycle cooler which won't take up much space but will help you a lot. We used them on two of our Camaros' and they worked great.

Cloaked323

Thanks guys, I rather not install a cooler at this point, I'm going to look into the redline Powersteering fluid, can anyone comment more on the Redline fluid

yakisoba

Also, look into Turn One power steering pumps. I installed one on each track car we have and it solved the overheating issues. It turns a bit slower so steering effort is a little harder at low speed, but it doesn't cavitate as bad as the stock pump.

Cloaked323

as a matter of fact someone directed me toward them(T-1) when my first pump let go. I purchased one but the dealer installed a new factory pump, I didn't see a need to install my turn one unit since I had a new factory unit. I just keep it on the self until I need it then It will go in. The heating issue isn't always just sometimes so I thought I would just change to a higher temp fluid and see what happens.

John Shiels

Fluid is cheap give it a shot I doubt any fluid will work magic if you are over heating that much. It use to happen to me but then I put in a cooler about 8 x 12

2000BSME

Installing a cooler isn't that big a pita on this car. A hose barb and hose clamps and an economy box cooler from autozone will get it nicely.

Don't even bother with the that factory z51 crap cooler. The tube and fin design isn't worth anything when compared to an appropriately sized stacked plate design.

2000BSME

hey good info on the turn one pump. My stocker is leaking from the input shaft seal. It gets worse as the temp rises.

How much do these run? Website doesn't say.

MySR71

A post from a year ago that might be helpful. Note that my car is a C5Z06 and has a stock power steering fluid cooler.

Hello all,

A couple of weeks ago I called the guys at Turn One. I wrote an e-mail to a friend with some notes from my conversation with guys there. They were very helpful. The following is part of that e-mail. You might find parts of it useful. Hopefully I got the prices right and info right.

(I called them because my power steering pump on my C5Z06 makes noise when hot. Changing fluids to Redline synthetic didn't really help. I've only run street tires, ie, no A6's, R6's, NT01's, RA1's, etc.)

__________________


When we put high loads on our steering systems at the track, this increases the pressure/loads on the power steering pump. The power steering pump does have a bypass valve built into it if the pressure/loads become too large for it to handle. However, once the power steering pump starts activating that bypass valve, it won't last very long before the pump fails.

Turn One offers a couple of different pumps for our cars. One is their standard pump and the other is an upgraded pump designed for people who run big, fat, sticky front tires on the front of their cars. It sounds to me like their upgraded pump is:

1) Designed to operate at higher pressure
2) Requires less horsepower to operate
3) Will reduce power steering fluid temps for guys like us around 20 degF

The upgraded pump costs a little more than there standard pump. I don't recall the exact number but it was around $50. The upgraded pump costs $275. They also offer pumps for us with AN fittings rather than the fittings our cars use when stock. And they have an aluminum pulley for $65 which has slots cut into the pulley disk which allow access to the pump mounting bolts. This allows the pump to be removed without taking the pulley off.

I asked if he felt we needed a larger power steering fluid cooler. He said he didn't really know, but the magic temp for power steering fluid is 275 degF. So what we should do is do some hot laps and then come in and measure the fluid temp. If it is under 275 degF, we're fine. If it is over, then we need a larger cooler. Because the cooler is on the return side of the power steering circuit, the fluid running through the cooler is on the order of 30 psi so we don't need any type of cooler which can tolerate high pressures. A regular engine oil cooler is fine.

They do indeed rebuild power steering racks.

Cloaked323

It's puzzling to me when I go to a HPDE with guys driving the same make and model car and the little issue that occasionally pop up differ from car to car, rarely does anyone have the exact same issue. Only once was there an issue that more than one car had on the same day, that issue was the power steering unit.

davidfarmer

does your car not already have an OEM cooler??? If not the OEM cooler is a super-easy upgrade

John Shiels

RPM & driving styles

bobmoore2

I had a PS pump fail on my C5 Z51 a few years ago. Had all the symptoms you mentioned. When we replaced the pump, then the problem was fixed and it didn't come back before I sold the car.

I suspect that the high fluid temperatures are not the thing that makes the pumps fail, but a symptom that a pump is starting to fail. I think when a pump starts to fail, it gets hot (something in its mechanical interior starts generating lots of heat), and that heat is transferred into the fluid, which boils over. Putting in a better cooler is like putting a bandaid on a sword wound. It addresses the problem a little, but not very well. When your power steering fluid starts boiling over, you need to replace the PS pump, because that is the cause of the problem. I think the boiling PS fuid is just a symptom of a failed PS pump.

Of course my theory could be completely wrong too...

6SPEEDZ

If you continue to run high fluid temps your rack will start leaking next. The high temps burn out the seals.

John Shiels

that happens in heavy equipment also. Short seal life due to high temps then you are really costing big bucks!

Cloaked323

I didn't think of that,however; as mentioned this was the first time I've noticed the slight boil over from the filler cap, I didn't notice the previous pump at all until if failed. I'm going to keep an eye on this issue, I have another event in June, temps will be higher but the track not as demanding on the steering unit. I also notice that the fluid hot level was above the"hot full" line. I dunno if that caused the boil over I didn't check it cold I will do so today. I'm draining the pump and lines and adding Red line, I would think two bottles will be enough in a dry system or should I order a 3rd bottle?

davidfarmer

my systems never leaked before failure....... I've personally never had a PS leak.

Often if you are just losing fluid, the first thing to do is lower the level in the resevoir. You need just enough fluid to "touch" the bottom of the dipstick....this allows the fluid to swell when it gets warm and not slosh out.

Again, and OEM cooler should be adequate and is an easy upgrade.