Power Steering cooler setups. Post Em!

[Shadowhunter]

Hey guys, I am going to be pulling my power steering rack soon for replacement and I am interested in setting up a power steering cooler setup while I am in there. I already have the Isis stainless line running from the rack to the pump. I tried searching but the results for power steering coolers is far and few in between. This is for a S14 with KA motor by the way.

The questions I have are:
1. Where do the hoses get routed from? I am guessing it's the second barb fitting on the rack to the reservoir but I just cannot see in my head what line goes where. I am a visual person and pictures would help me out very much in getting this done.

2. Does anyone have the line lengths and sizes of the fittings offhand? I am getting custom Earls lines made and knowing what size would help out alot.

3. Where are you guys mounting the cooler or rather how? I see some people mount to the bumper support, others say get a trans cooler for an automatic and mount it to the radiator support.

The more pictures and info you guys can post the better,hopefully someone who is planning to do this in the future can use this thread as a reference guide. Thanks in advance for your help!

[sean350z]

One line comes from the rack and the other from the reservoir. Just use standard rubber hose seeing this is not pressurized. It'll be hard to find hose in metric ID but find the closest SAE size, I think it's something like 5/16 or something, I could be wrong though, measure!! You might need adaptors with your lines to connect up to the power steering cooler that you get.

Get a cheap power steering cooler (Perma-Cool 1001 Perma-Cool Power Steering / Fuel Cooler (http://www.jegs.com/i/Perma-Cool/771/1001/10002/-1))

http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/700/771/771-1001.jpg

Route the rubber lines along the frame rail, might want to get some hose insulation if you have a bottom mount turbo, and then mount it with some 1/4" aluminum in front of your radiator and behind your intercooler (if you have one)...

[GSXRJJordan]

I made my setup a couple years ago for about $100, most of that was in the reservoir. I run a Baker Precision -6AN cooler core, -6AN line, and a -10NAN feed to the pump.

Reservoir on the right.
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pVHrK9RbFlcHDXZjdGzVdmKTHFzaoBAj-CplHjJSrW3y_0hH3V0wICAz0kXOLN_lfqjpZZXuu2DAGMIBrMl ZIMQ/IMG_0493.jpg
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1poInigMnX5U0AE6oax9Npyfil7x1sSOm9LbAbY3TF9vEo6Be 4G1Ej2kbj-753l6dRHlsrnHZwdSe8RAJiVXJK-w/jefes14%20016
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1po8lugez9s0WYJzkcaGKoXox1dW3bKSUfywboqUDK710K5el rjkC-wZ0RVR8kTBraN_Wq8WH8iEsrG4_Ym3nP0Q/jefes14%20018

Fittings are M12x1.25 and M14x1.50 metric O-ring to -6AN. Make sure you use high temp, oil-safe loctite (white tube with red letters) on the power steering rack fittings.

The questions I have are:
1. Where do the hoses get routed from? I am guessing it's the second barb fitting on the rack to the reservoir but I just cannot see in my head what line goes where. I am a visual person and pictures would help me out very much in getting this done.

Hoses go from the low-pressure side of the rack to the cooler to the reservoir.

2. Does anyone have the line lengths and sizes of the fittings offhand? I am getting custom Earls lines made and knowing what size would help out alot.

Nope, but when measuring make sure you have room for the hose to make large-radius bends. This stuff doesn't bend tightly.

3. Where are you guys mounting the cooler or rather how? I see some people mount to the bumper support, others say get a trans cooler for an automatic and mount it to the radiator support.

Cooler's mounted to the 'ear' of the front frame rail now, in front of the radiator support. I used gasketing foam to make a rattle-free mounting surface, and it sits between the intercooler and the radiator as far as airflow.

[Shadowhunter]

Thanks for the replies guys, so what I am gathering from what both you guys are saying is that it is not required to use stainless lines as the high pressure hose is the one I already have going to the pump. So just using standard rubber hose from pump to cooler should be ok then.

So what I will do is buy a new barb fitting for the low pressure side of the rack as the one in the rack got stripped out when coming out. Now is it necessary to relocate the reservoir? Does this serve any benefit like feeding the cooler with a more direct path making it easier for fluid exchange or did you relocate due to the tubs and turbo setup?

Also just by looking at the setup the top hose looks like it is from the reservoir(as this makes most sense) and bottom from the rack is that correct?

Thanks again for the info and pictures. So far I think once the rack is out this should be a pretty simple project. If anyone has any different mounting ideas or any other things you did with a power steering cooler setup please go ahead and post them so we can all benefit.

[GSXRJJordan]

Thanks for the replies guys, so what I am gathering from what both you guys are saying is that it is not required to use stainless lines as the high pressure hose is the one I already have going to the pump. So just using standard rubber hose from pump to cooler should be ok then.

So what I will do is buy a new barb fitting for the low pressure side of the rack as the one in the rack got stripped out when coming out. Now is it necessary to relocate the reservoir? Does this serve any benefit like feeding the cooler with a more direct path making it easier for fluid exchange or did you relocate due to the tubs and turbo setup?

Also just by looking at the setup the top hose looks like it is from the reservoir(as this makes most sense) and bottom from the rack is that correct?

Thanks again for the info and pictures. So far I think once the rack is out this should be a pretty simple project. If anyone has any different mounting ideas or any other things you did with a power steering cooler setup please go ahead and post them so we can all benefit.

Rubber hose is fine, I used Aeroquip 250psi aircraft hose, cause I'm dumb and like to spend lots of money on hoses and fittings.

The fitting on the rack is M12x1.25 for one, M14x1.50 for the other. I believe the big one is the high pressure side, but I don't remember to be honest. Make sure to get O-ring fittings the white tube/red lettering loctite as a backup, and don't strip the rack by over tightening.

Relocating the reservoir was for looks and for tub clearance, stock location's fine. Above the pump works best, but there's enough flow that it'll be fine if the feed is a little below.

Not necessary to remove the rack to install this stuff, you can get to it just fine from below.

[godrifttoday]

ill be making mine tomorrow ill post some pics

[Ryan.maccie]

Bring this sucker back from the death rather than starting a new thread.

Where do you get M12x1.25 o-ring fitting as EARLS only does that size non-oring..

Also, does anyone know the size/thread pitch of the Ka24DE Powersteering pump?