CHEAP Power steering coolers ready for the taking!

[Kern Dog]

I have a steel power steering cooler in my 70 Charger and have been looking for spares. Mine came from a mid 80s M body police car. Diplomats and Gran Fury models had them.
Mine is attached to a Saginaw power steering pump.
These donor cars are harder to find than they were in the early 2000s when I found mine.
Aftermarket coolers are available but if you’re one that likes to save a few bucks and repurpose things, here is a solution.
Dodge/Plymouth Neons, PT cruisers and Mopar minivans!
Here is one I pulled from a Neon:

These are aluminum. The lines are 1/2” but they are swedged down at the ends. The lines are a little weird but they could be shortened. I looked further at other cars and found that these models are even better:

Their design is better since the nipples are close to the body of the cooler.

They are really easy to reach, too.
There are two 9mm bolts to remove then just cut the hoses. One minute if you are slow.

CHEAP....How about NINE dollars each?

 

[12many]

9 bucks for a power steering cooler?? I just roll my window down and can hang my arms out if they get too hot from steering (yup, manual) and it didn’t cost me a dime!

But that’s a great idea you’ve come up with vs. spending excess $$$

 

[Kern Dog]

The Minivan cooler versus the Neon version:

 

[mopowers]

I've always wondered - how do they price items like that if they aren't on their standard price list?

 

[Kern Dog]

It is sometimes at the discretion of the clerk.

 

[mopowers]

Sure beats $114+shipping for new. Great way to repurpose good used parts too!

More Information for EDELMANN 58012

 

[Kern Dog]

Christ...that is the NEW price???

 

[Professor Fate]

Second Gen Dakotas are a good source, too.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Could also make a good fuel cooler.

 

[Kern Dog]

Holy crap...That is an excellent idea.
There was another car in the Mopar section that was a straight through like a long, thin hot dog. That was mounted in front of the radiator.

 

[Kern Dog]

I just checked on my '70 Charger "Jigsaw". It looks like I could mount this on the frame rail below the battery like so:

Flip it so the fittings face the rear and the the pinch weld could be drilled to accommodate the bracket:

This puts one nipple right toward the steering box. The other rubber line could be a loop back to the pump.

 

[Professor Fate]

That looks like a good place to mount it, that should keep it at or below the level of the pump.

For those who don't know, the cooler needs to be mounted below the reservoir level- since it's plumbed into the return line, when the engine is shut off it can backdrain and overflow the reservoir making a nice mess on your garage floor. Then when you restart, the reservoir drains too low as the pump refills the cooler, possibly allowing the pump to run dry. The bigger the cooler, the bigger your changes in fluid level.
So if you're contemplating a cooler, keep it high enough to be out of harm's way, but at or below the pump level!

 

[Kern Dog]

I agree in theory but this is how it was mounted in the Diplomat Police car.



I kept it bolted to the face of the pump....actually to the bracket on the front.

 

[Professor Fate]

I'm sure that works fine- it's only the parts of the cooler and lines that are above the "full" level of the reservoir that will drain back. A little ain't bad. You just don't want the whole thing too high, because the volume of the cooler and lines can be substantial.