apexman

I have a 2000 FRC. Just wondering what you track junkies are using for a power steering cooler? I have my car apart now and my cooler is beat up a bit. I plan on getting back doing track days this yr. Should I stick with the stock cooler or go with something else?

Thanks,

Derek

varkwso

Never used anything but stock cooler. The TurnOne power steering pump is a nice upgrade when the time comes for a new pump (runs a lot cooler with less drag).

apexman

Yeah, I haven't had a problem with the stock cooler other than it being a bit beat up from being in and out of the car. I may just replace with a stock one as my pump seems fine.

Thanks for the quick reply.

68sixspeed

do you have the loop of tubing or the z06 type finned cooler than goes in it's place? The z06 one is a nice upgrade and you can usually find used ones on the forum. I've had good luck with that cooler and redline ps fluid.

travisnd

Never had any issues with the stock C5 Z06 finned cooler. The Z-51 suspension package included the finned cooler as well.

I run Redline syn fluid in the system and suck out the reservoir and re-fill with fresh stuff between track weekends.

John Shiels

I put a bigger cooler in and it works great. I can measure it if you want. I was always blowing out fluid even with the under-drive pulley. Now it is cool! I use to have a picture but no clue now where it is.

travisnd

I will say that every student I've had with the standard PC cooler has a mess to clean up after each track session. Oyishdog on here has a ST2 car built out of a '98 coupe that used to be a T1 car.... it didn't have the Z06/Z51 PS cooler and he used to crap fluid all over. He ended up installing a generic finned cooler kit and has had no issues since to my knowledge... not sure how he installed it.

John Shiels

mine is 8 x 10 x 1.75 works great. I used to spit it out all the time. I took the honey for a ride. She buys a new helmet so she can ride once in a while. She gets in on Pocono Long course. The car is pouring power steering fluid on the headers and the cabin has smoke pouring into it. She is yelling smoke smoke and points around. Needless to say I didn't stop and the helmet has not been used since. Not the fluid is cool and I can check it right after I come. Before I need a glove.

apexman

Cool guys, thanks for the replys. I have what I suppose is like the C5 Z06/Z51 cooler. I never had a problem with fluid spewing at Sebring or Homestead. I was just trying to get a feel if I should upgrade or replace with the same cooler. The fins are very beat up. I guess I can replace it with something aftermarket and install in the same place with some AN fittings.

apexman

Too funny

MJM

I have a 2000 FRC as well. I have used it at very high ambient temperatures (Willow Springs, Phoenix, etc) and never had any problems.

I used Redline power steering fluid.

Matt

2000BSME

I bought an aftermarket radiator with an auto trans cooler and used it for ps instead. I also have the weak a$$ z06 cooler installed inline as well.

Dirk Miller

I too have gotten pretty tired of power steering fluid belching out the top of my reservoir.
Call it coincidence but the first picture in my photobuciket shows the 5” X 10” X 2” heat exchanger I am in the middle of installing over the past couple of evenings. (Sorry I couldn't figure out how to send only the shot of the the radiator) The cooling tubes are 5/8” OD and plumbed w/ 3/8” nonconductive 7N thermoplastic hose from the local Swagelok distributor.
http://s1111.photobucket.com/albums/h465/DirkMiller1/

ptindall

I was blowing fluid out of the resevoir with my stock Z06 cooler until I changed to redline power steering fluid. That cured the ill 100%. My fins are also banged up, mostly from my angry wars with my crank pulley. Looks like crap. Maybe someday when I care, I'll straighten them.

woody0198

Just got done replacing my power steering pump, cooler, and lines on my C5 (non-Z06) with a Turn One pump and pulley, and Z51 take-off PS cooler. Froggy (YouTube) taught me what NOT to do in his videos. I have never done car work (total noob) and I completed the swap in 2-3 hours. Short list of steps:
Purchase: Turn one PS pump w/ pulley, Z51 cooler, new PS reservoir outlet hose ($40!), new PS inlet hose assy, 2 quarts of fluid of choice (I used Redline ATF).
1) Jack up front of car and put on jack stands. Remove serpentine (15mm socket and long wrench on the tensioner), .
2) Disconnect PS reservoir return and place end in catch jar (I needed two empty pasta sauce jars).
3) Turn key to start electrical, but don't turn on engine. Turn steering wheel lock to lock about 20 times, checking to make sure jar is filling. Fluid will be dark!
4) Disconnect battery, remove alternator (two bolts, two electrical connections). Leave bracket in!
5) Disconnect high-pressure PS line from axle. Break plastic OEM pulley off (strategically placed crowbar does the job) and un-bolt PS pump (4 bolts). Lift PS reservoir out of bracket with PS pump and high pressure line attached. Disconnect reservoir hose from reservoir. Discard pump and two hoses.
6) Disconnect PS cooler from front axle and remove PS cooler. Discard.
7) Install PS cooler, using nut and bolt for passenger side and hole is un-tapped. Tap it if you have the right tap would be better, but I didn't have one. Attach hose to axle.
8) Replace reservoir outlet hose and connect to new TurnOne pump. Dig old pump and inlet hose out of trash. Attach new inlet hose assy to PS pump. Match elbow orientation to discarded pump/ hose assy.
9) Slide PS reservoir back on to bracket, dangling PS pump by new outlet hose.
10) Bolt PS pump into place. Connect inlet hose to axle.
11) Re-install alternator and serpentine belt.
12) Fill reservoir with fluid. Turn engine one for a few seconds to prime PS system, turn off, continue to fill reservoir to proper level.
13) Disconnect battery, remove serpentine belt, remove alternator, tighten the inlet hose fitting at axle that you forgot to tighten. Re-install all and fill with fluid again. Clean garage floor, apologize to wife for ATF fumes and soiled floor.

Sorry for the lack of pictures. This thread has some excellent ones. It's easier to just remove the PS inlet line (since it ought to be replaced with this upgrade anyway, according to a few posts I've seen around) than only removing the line to the PS cooler itself.

J.R.

Agree.

trackboss

Stock cooler works, but for me, I didn't like the location on the cross member right in front of the dampener. Just got in the way and crowded an already tight space. I replaced mine with a very similar frame rail transmission cooler and mounted it inside the airbox all done with commonly available AN plumbing. Freed up the space where the original cooler was and also put it in the air stream although some would argue that introduces some heat to the intake, but I prefer the location vs. the original.
Kind of hard to see with the screen in place, but this should give you an idea. I used threaded inserts in the shroud so the cooler can be installed/removed from one side without assistance or additional tools.

Apocolipse

An fittings look just so much better don't they.

woody0198

If your stock cooler is the Z51 version (tube and fins like shown above) then, yes, it'd work great. In the 1998 non-Z06, it's just a simple tube and during HPDEs, it doesn't cool sufficiently. I had to come in early from a couple track sessions because I had no PS. Take a look at this pic of what I pulled out:
http://www.ls1howto.com/howto/c5/hea...psassembly.jpg

varkwso

Welcome to the world of "fixin" Corvettes