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I hope someone has a tip for me in replacing the power steering cooler on my 89 S4 auto. Do I have to take out the radiator or can it be done with the radiator in the car?
No there is a power steering oil cooler that is in front of the radiator, not sure about a 5 speed but if you open the hood and look directly down there us a metal pipe that does a loop. that is the power steering cooler and there is a fitted hose that connects to the bottom of the power steering res
NOSNOW, Are you meaning auto trans cooler? I have an 89 5spd and wasn't aware of a power steering cooler?
Look straight down in front of the radiator, where there is (should be...) a section of steel tubing running back then forth (one loop) at the bottom in front of the radiator and AC condenser. It's held in place with a couple (should be...) white tubing clamps, open end towards the left side (left as in driver's side on US cars) and the power steering pump and reservoir. This tubing is all that's needed for cooling the PS fluid on its way back from the rack to the filter/reservoir.
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The AC receiver drier supplied for my R134a conversion has a 944 part number, and just tall enough to touch the power steering cooler. When I did the conversion, I added a bit of nylon spiral wrap to the cooler pipe as it passes under the drier. Same stuff you use to wrap a wiring loom. It protects the cooler and the drier from rubbing holes in each other if there's movement.
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Never tried to remove he cooler, so no good answer to the original question.
Wow, I'll take a look in the morning on mine. I checked just now a couple of vendors and they do list a cooler for the 89. Learn something every day...
Hopefully someone will chime in soon on the procedure.
Look straight down in front of the radiator, where there is (should be...) a section of steel tubing running back then forth (one loop) at the bottom in front of the radiator and AC condenser. It's held in place with a couple (should be...) white tubing clamps, open end towards the left side (left as in driver's side on US cars) and the power steering pump and reservoir. This tubing is all that's needed for cooling the PS fluid on its way back from the rack to the filter/reservoir.
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The AC receiver drier supplied for my R134a conversion has a 944 part number, and just tall enough to touch the power steering cooler. When I did the conversion, I added a bit of nylon spiral wrap to the cooler pipe as it passes under the drier. Same stuff you use to wrap a wiring loom. It protects the cooler and the drier from rubbing holes in each other if there's movement.
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Never tried to remove he cooler, so no good answer to the original question.
That makes sense Dr. Bob. I have seen that line but was thinking it was going to be like a finned oil cooler. Thanks for clarifying.
Last edited by ALKada; 10-28-2016 at 12:19 AM.
Reason: Capitalized Dr. Bob' name. I think he deserves it!
I hope someone has a tip for me in replacing the power steering cooler on my 89 S4 auto. Do I have to take out the radiator or can it be done with the radiator in the car?
After looking at the situation there from the top and through the grill, I'd be tempted to just take the two top bolts holding the radiator in place, lift it some with everything else still connected, and tuck a couple blocks under the end tanks to make it possible to swing the cooler out towards the rear. Unplug the temp sensor at the bottom first, and there may be enough room to get it out towards the rear and under the condenser.
Curious why you want to take the cooler completely out. Is it damaged?
If you have a leak in the metal section of the loop, the above would be how to approach it. If you just need to replace the ~6 inches of rubber hose that leads back to the reservoir, just replace that in situ, it's a low pressure line.
There is a pressed on fitting for the rubber hose that goes to the fluid res. The previous owner replaced that hose and nicked the tube causing a continual power steering fluid drip. The previous owner also didn't use the proper hose causing more issues so I figured the best course of action is to replace the cooler.
I'd just cut it a little lower from where the leak is and put a quality hose and clamp. It will be a behr to get that replaced. I opted with what Rob said and it has been working just fine.
Rob's write-up is pretty-close to what I did when I had one customer prefer the replacement of the OEM assembly to replacing just the leaking hose section.
However, I didn't remove the front spoiler bits to get to the PS fluid cooler's bolts. IIRC, I moved, or removed, the oil cooler to enable access. On a pre-'90 there will be no oil cooler down there.
I purchased the section of hose last night in fact! I may do the repair this weekend and can let you know how it went.
On a related note, anyone know the best way to flush the system? I want to replace the Dextron VI in there now with Dextron VI synthetic equivalent.. I figured I'd just turn the wheels lock to lock a few times (on jacks). My pump is off at the moment.
To flush just open system at one of rack connections (swing sway bar out of way) and let it drain. Reconnect with new crush washers. Then fill reservoir, have someone run engine while you add more as it's sucked into pump (helper should cut engine after a few seconds so you can refill at leisure). Check level (at idle) and adjust. If you're flushing fluid then replace reservoir as that has integral filter.
If if you don't fancy disconnecting at rack then I've also flushed by diverting return line through longer plastic tubing line into bucket, and adding fluid as engine runs. Helper should turn lock to lock so old fluid pumped out (wheels off ground).
When replacing return hose rubber section, the ends are different ID. You get a snug fit and less strain on hose buying a new moulded supply hose, and cutting off the right angle at the non-flared end.
To flush just open system at one of rack connections (swing sway bar out of way) and let it drain. Reconnect with new crush washers. Then fill reservoir, have someone run engine while you add more as it's sucked into pump (helper should cut engine after a few seconds so you can refill at leisure). Check level (at idle) and adjust. If you're flushing fluid then replace reservoir as that has integral filter.
If if you don't fancy disconnecting at rack then I've also flushed by diverting return line through longer plastic tubing line into bucket, and adding fluid as engine runs. Helper should turn lock to lock so old fluid pumped out (wheels off ground).
When replacing return hose rubber section, the ends are different ID. You get a snug fit and less strain on hose buying a new moulded supply hose, and cutting off the right angle at the non-flared end.
Thanks for the tips on flushing and the suggestion to buy the formed hose. I thought that would be a good way to go as well. I have a short section of bulk 1/2" hose I am going to test fit as Dwayne did but I may go the formed hose route.
Today I replaced the flexible end of the power steering line in my S4. I used a piece of 1/2" Gates transmission hose as per the recommendation in the write-up by Dwaye I referenced above.
Here are some thoughts. The diameter of the hard line and the reservoir nipple is 12mm. You can't get metric hose in the USA, and 1/2" (12.7mm) is a little bigger. Installed I was able to get it clamped nice and tight. However, I think I would prefer using the proper sized hose. So the suggestion from StratfortShark to buy the molded hose for the other side of the resevior is probably the direction I would go
Also, I looked at removing the cooler line. and there is now way to remove the line without removing the radiator. I took a good hard look with my front bumper and air flaps removed. There are two removable anchors Under where the flaps would go. Those are easy enough to remove. However the lines snake around the a radiator and there is no room to maneuver them out.
I currently have my front bumper off and power steering pump/alternator off of the car.
10-27-2016, 11:35 PM
Power steering cooler
