[Chrysler300] Power Steering Fluid Cooler/Filter

["Richard Barber" <c300@xxxxxxx>]

I thought the response below was worth sharing.  

Gary-The-Parts-Doc carries the power steering fluid filter for the ?55-?56
reservoir.  See item 13 on Gary?s list on our Club?s server.  Go to:
http://www.chrysler300club.com/rcmstuff/partsforsale.html
Scroll down to item 18.
Click on "Click here for the parts list", then scroll down to item 13--then
contact Gary for price & delivery at:  garythepartsdoc@xxxxxxxxxxxx  He
currently has these, but I don't have a quote yet. While you're there, shop
a little.  Gary has over 50 different 300-specific items and services. 

Another member advises:  "The filter in your PS reservoir is a standard
Baldwin hydraulic filter.  Nothing special."  I'm not sure where to shop for
such an item.

Another member advises Gary Goers sells the rubber load coupling that goes
between the generator and the p/s pump.  I've not dug out his catalog to
check on that yet.  

By the way, when I refilled the p/s reservoir, I used standard and current
clear power steering fluid.  I had previously put some red Lucas brand p/s
leak stop into the reservoir to stop a seepage out of the weep hole on the
p/s box (after a rebuild).  It worked.  

Chrysler's p/s fluid specs call for 2 quarts of Type "A" oil or SAE 10W
engine oil in the pressure system and one pint of same in the worm housing
which is separate.  Oil flow is 1.5 GPM at idle, so the entire oil capacity
seems to circulate at least every 20 seconds.

It might be a good idea to drain the system once every third blue moon or
so, clean any crud from the reservoir and replace the filter and p/s fluid.

It should be noted that Chrysler devotes 26 pages in the 1955 service manual
to the power steering system.  They emphasize cleanliness when servicing the
pump or box and point out the very tight clearances required for proper
operation.  As straight-weight oil has much lower viscosity at higher
temperatures, perhaps that is why Chrysler added the p/s fluid coolers for a
few years.

Thanks to all that have chimed in on this one.  No one has reported any
problems or early failure attributable to overheated p/s fluid.   

C-300'ly,
Rich Barber
Brentwood, CA
1955 Chrysler C-300

Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 5:46 PM
To: Richard Barber
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] Power Steering Fluid Cooler

I believe that the power steering fluid cooler appears in a picture in the
1966 Chrysler Service Manual. When I noticed that my new 1966 Chrysler 300
coupe with 440 TNT option did not have this cooler, I stopped in and asked
the dealer's Service Manager why it was not on my car even though it was
shown in the Service Manual. He checked with the local Regional Office and
they responded that it was not needed, so Chrysler discontinued providing it
as standard in 1966. 
 
I have been driving this car for the past 43 years and I have replaced the
power steering hoses, steering gear seal, O-rings on the slide valve, and
the pump seals and O-rings just once each. I guess that the cooler really
wasn't needed after all. However, I don't see how it could hurt
anything (except for a little of Chrysler's profits those days).
 


--- On Tue, 7/14/09, Richard Barber <c300@xxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Richard Barber <c300@xxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] Power Steering Fluid Cooler
To: "'Ryan Hill'" <ryan_hillc300@xxxxxxxxxxx>, ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx,
"'Chrysler 300'" <chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009, 7:51 PM

Interesting discussion. Auto manufacturers would not be expected to add an
expensive item like a power steering fluid cooler without good reason, even
if only government mandate. Anyone aware of problems with earlier power
steering systems associated with hot fluid? I can't imagine power steering
fluid getting any hotter than engine oil. But it is a relatively small
volume that has energy continuously added to it by the pump. If there was
and is a serious safety or performance problem that can be cured with a
cooler, perhaps we should consider retrofitting our older 300's and other
vehicles.

I rather like Chrysler's idea of placing the power steering pump on the back
end of the generator on the '55-'56 300's. Fewer belts and pulleys and easy
to access. Any problems to look forward to with that arrangement? I know
there is a rubber shock absorber piece that connects the pump to the
generator shaft. Is that likely to "go" someday? Any source for those?

I recently had to drain the power steering fluid reservoir on our 1955 C300
in order to get the LH rocker arm cover off and found a lot of black sludge
in the bottom of the reservoir--so perhaps the p/s fluid is
deteriorating- -or the rubber hoses in the system.

Is there a known source for the filter that goes in the '55-'56 p/s
reservoir?

C-300'ly,
Rich Barber
Brentwood, CA
1955 Chrysler C-300

-----Original Message-----
From: Chrysler300@ yahoogroups. com [mailto:Chrysler300@ yahoogroups. com]
On
Behalf Of Ryan Hill
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 11:30 AM
To: ronbo97@comcast. net; Chrysler 300
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] Power Steering Fluid Cooler

My '65 300 has what appears to be a factory installed power steering cooler,
I believe it was checked on the build sheet and I have seen another '65
Chrysler with the exact same cooler. Works well, after driving well over 400
miles on a hot day (mostly highway though) the fluid was just warm. It's on
the return side so there isn't really any pressure or leaks as long as
you're using the correct hose.

Ryan Hill 

To: chrysler300@ yahoogroups. com
From: ronbo97@comcast. net
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:37:34 -0400
Subject: [Chrysler300] Power Steering Fluid Cooler

Just wondering if anyone else has done this and if it's necessary. Shouldn't

the seals, etc. in the pump be able to withstand the heat that is 
transferred from the engine ? Additionally, my concern would be the 
introduction of additional hoses into the equation, which can leak or split.

Ron

>I recommend that you install a power steering fluid cooler to prolong the 
>life of the pump. We used a transmission cooler for a 2001 GMC 1500 series 
>4-wheel drive pick-up that mounted neatly to the front of the radiator yoke

>on the driver's side. We routed the hoses around the battery and through 
>existing cut outs in the radiator yoke. After driving the car for 
>prolonged periods with the engine nice and hot, one can hold the power 
>steering cooler return hose and it is just lukewarm.







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