Ok so i want to put in a power steering cooler due to the fact i blew lines to easy from pushing it, an i wanna know a good location where im not gonna restrict airflow to the radiator, i got a water pump fan setup. I also want to know if the 1989 mustangs came with tranny coolers? If not would putting one in front of the radiator be ok or should i spend more and buy one with its own fan and install it somewhere else? What do you guys think?
Drivetrain I Need Some Advice Can You Help?
- Thread starter Wonderbread750
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mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
You will be fine putting it in front of the radiator. The cooler is small and should not compromise the cooling capacity ot the radiator if it is in good working order. No 89 stangs that I am aware of came with transmission or p/s coolers from the factory, unless they were SSP or police service models.
fords2live
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- Apr 12, 2013
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The power steering fluid cooler was nothing more that a piece of tubing with fins on it. It was in the return line between the pump and the rack. Normally it was next to the radiator on the driver's side.
Automatic transmission cars came with a trans cooler built into the radiator. Look for the two steel tubes that connect to the driver's side radiator tank.
Power steering repair & time estimate:
Power steering system diagram:
Do not attempt to do this job without good jackstands.
The return hoses are all low pressure and are most commonly secured to the pump and associated plumbing with worm gear hose clamps. After a while they will frequently soften up at the end where they are clamped, and should be replaced. The auto parts store will sell you hose by the foot and it takes about 3 feet or less, depending if you have the fluid cooler in the low pressure side of the line.
Each hose uses an O ring on each end to seal them. The hoses will swivel when they are installed and tightened into place. That is why there are O rings on the fittings. The O ring is the part that actually makes the pressure seal. If you slide the nut all the way back as far as it will go, you will see the O ring and the groove cut into the center section of the fitting.
Sometimes you will get some white Teflon rings with the pump or rack. The rings go on the threaded part of the fitting to reduce or prevent small leaks. They are not meant to seal the pressure part of the line or substitute for the rubber O ring. Heat the white Teflon seals in hot water and they will be easier to install. You can install the fittings without them and not have any leaks if the O rings seal good.
You may find it is easier to drop the rack down to get to the hose fittings. The flex coupling for the steering shaft needs to be disconnected before you can get the rack out. You should disassemble the coupling by undoing the 2 bolts that hold it together.
Remove the two bolts that bolt the rack assembly to the frame and then pull the rack down. Get a catch pan to dump the fluid in when you disconnect the hydraulic lines. I replaced the rack mount bushings with some Energy Suspension urethane ones. When you re-install the rack assembly, put the rear bushings in the rack assembly and lift it into place. Then install the front bushings & washers and tighten down the nuts. Doing it this way makes room for the hydraulic lines without having them bind against the frame.
Time to do the job:
It takes 20 minutes to get the car up on jackstands.
It takes 20 minutes to disconnect the steering joint (rag joint). WD40 is your friend, so squirt the 2 rag joint coupler bolts with plenty of it. Do not attempt to disconnect the rag joint from the rack by removing the clamp joint bolt. It is hard to get apart and hard to align and put back together.
It takes 10 minutes to remove the two mount bolts that secure the steering rack to the k member.
It takes 10 minutes to remove the front rubber bushings and washers from the rack to K member mount so that you can slide the rack forward and then down.
You do not need to disconnect the rack from the tie rod ends, or remove the tie rod ends from the steering knuckles.
It takes 5 minutes per hydraulic line to disconnect them from the rack. Get a catch pan to dump the fluid in when you disconnect the hydraulic lines.
Total disassembly time roughly 1 1/2 hour, allowing time for some of the bolts to be rusty or hard to turn...
Figure a little more to reinstall and you have 2 3/4 to 3 hours total time. It you have an impact wrench, subtract 20-30 minutes from the total time
Automatic transmission cars came with a trans cooler built into the radiator. Look for the two steel tubes that connect to the driver's side radiator tank.
Power steering repair & time estimate:
Power steering system diagram:
Do not attempt to do this job without good jackstands.
The return hoses are all low pressure and are most commonly secured to the pump and associated plumbing with worm gear hose clamps. After a while they will frequently soften up at the end where they are clamped, and should be replaced. The auto parts store will sell you hose by the foot and it takes about 3 feet or less, depending if you have the fluid cooler in the low pressure side of the line.
Each hose uses an O ring on each end to seal them. The hoses will swivel when they are installed and tightened into place. That is why there are O rings on the fittings. The O ring is the part that actually makes the pressure seal. If you slide the nut all the way back as far as it will go, you will see the O ring and the groove cut into the center section of the fitting.
Sometimes you will get some white Teflon rings with the pump or rack. The rings go on the threaded part of the fitting to reduce or prevent small leaks. They are not meant to seal the pressure part of the line or substitute for the rubber O ring. Heat the white Teflon seals in hot water and they will be easier to install. You can install the fittings without them and not have any leaks if the O rings seal good.
You may find it is easier to drop the rack down to get to the hose fittings. The flex coupling for the steering shaft needs to be disconnected before you can get the rack out. You should disassemble the coupling by undoing the 2 bolts that hold it together.
Remove the two bolts that bolt the rack assembly to the frame and then pull the rack down. Get a catch pan to dump the fluid in when you disconnect the hydraulic lines. I replaced the rack mount bushings with some Energy Suspension urethane ones. When you re-install the rack assembly, put the rear bushings in the rack assembly and lift it into place. Then install the front bushings & washers and tighten down the nuts. Doing it this way makes room for the hydraulic lines without having them bind against the frame.
Time to do the job:
It takes 20 minutes to get the car up on jackstands.
It takes 20 minutes to disconnect the steering joint (rag joint). WD40 is your friend, so squirt the 2 rag joint coupler bolts with plenty of it. Do not attempt to disconnect the rag joint from the rack by removing the clamp joint bolt. It is hard to get apart and hard to align and put back together.
It takes 10 minutes to remove the two mount bolts that secure the steering rack to the k member.
It takes 10 minutes to remove the front rubber bushings and washers from the rack to K member mount so that you can slide the rack forward and then down.
You do not need to disconnect the rack from the tie rod ends, or remove the tie rod ends from the steering knuckles.
It takes 5 minutes per hydraulic line to disconnect them from the rack. Get a catch pan to dump the fluid in when you disconnect the hydraulic lines.
Total disassembly time roughly 1 1/2 hour, allowing time for some of the bolts to be rusty or hard to turn...
Figure a little more to reinstall and you have 2 3/4 to 3 hours total time. It you have an impact wrench, subtract 20-30 minutes from the total time
Last edited:
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
taurus/contour electric fan and a flex a lite 33054 controller. Been discussed about a zillion times now.
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