Power Steering Cooler

[tomlinmgt]

For a fox-body CMC car with a new, reman. power-steering rack and pump, how necessary is a power steering cooler if I run a high-quality synthetic (?) fluid? I'm getting remarkably close to starting up the car (which puts me maybe 85% of the way toward completion), and would love to skip this chore if it's really not necessary. I have a cooler and all of the necessary plumbing to make up the AN lines ready to go, but time to work on the car is becoming increasingly scarce and I'm having to lighten my load of unnecessary chores so I can see this damn thing to completion this spring (or should I say "year"). If cooler installation is necessary or highly recommended, I've been told the cooler does not necessarily have to be mounted so it has airflow over it...just away from a heat source. Any truth to this? I was thinking in front of the radiator, but if it doesn't need airflow, that opens up some optional mounting locations that would be a bit less time consuming for me. Finally, for a tiny little lightweight cooler like this, taking into consideration the road race environment, is it okay to mount it to the radiator (aftermarket aluminum) with the plastic zip-lock type anchors?

Thanks guys,
Michael

[Todd Covini]

Necessary or highly recommended.
AN fittings may be overkill.
Doesn't necessarily need to be in airflow.
Mine is beside the radiator (actually, right now it's in a TWS field...but that's another story.)

If you've slowed down the pump with a bigger pulley, you COULD get away with just extending the pump neck. But if you're running stock pump and pulley, highly recommend a cooler.

If it's gonna keep you from coming to the track, then you'll survive with a bit of burping, but put it on your long term to-do list.

-=- Todd

[marshall_mosty]

Larger Pump Pulley
$15.28 list at the local Ford House. I paid $10.70 plus tax
YR3Z-3A733-AA



I just run a sock on the top of the OEM filler neck to soak up any fluid that sprayed out of the cap.. Seems to work fine.

[tomlinmgt]

Looks like I have the small one. Bummer. Probably easier to go get the larger one than fool with the cooler. But then I have to resize the belt and pony up for factory p.s. hoses (I already have the stuff to make up AN hoses on the hi-pressure side). Decisions, decisions. Any answers on the issue with mounting the cooler on the radiator with the plastic zip-lock anchors? Thanks again, guys.

Michael

[Todd Covini]

I personally wouldn't mount a PS cooler on my radiator.
Engine heat is one of the biggest challenges I have with my car and I would think you'd be just pre-heating your PS fluid over there. I'd keep it off the radiator.

[GlennCMC70]

are those valve covers CMC legal?
i'm not a savy ford guy and all, but those look really nice for OEM stuff.

otherwise, man that motor looks really nice. very good job on the use of coatings. i'll be bringing you some exhaust stuff like Mitch did in a few months. i'm going to build a custon Y pipe for mine and i need to see how well it works before i spend money coating it and stuff.

[tomlinmgt]

Thanks Glen. Those covers were taken in trade for some coating work I did for a customer. They are from the Ford Motorsports Catalog (discontinued) and are almost identical to the milled finish finned aluminum covers that came stock on the later model carbureted 5.0L H.O. motors (up to 85) except those say "Powered By Ford" instead of "Ford Motorsports". Oh, and they cost about half to a third as much as the stockers. That's one of the little glitches that you run into with the whole "keep it OEM so it stays affordable" mantra. Some of this OEM stuff, at least for the Fords, I've found to be rather expensive. I gave a CEO's Christmas bonus to get the dual snorkel factory airbox and lid. I'm sure you'll find a handful of violations on my car..... petty as they may be (though none of them unsafe). You can save your breath sighting them. Until I become a serious contender, and trust me I'll be no threat to you anytime soon, I'll just be out there having a good time with good folk. Thanks again for the compliment on the motor. You couldn't see them in the picture, but the ceramic-coated OEM exhaust manifolds really set the whole package off (see what I mean)!

Michael