What happens when power steering fluid overheats?

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HAFROD

Royal Smart Person
Jul 15, 2013
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Claremore, OKLAHOMA
I've been having weird stuff happen with my power steering. I just got back from a highway drive with ac running and had power steering fluid coming out from under the cap. I didn't think it was overfull. Then I noticed fluid leaking from the shaft seal on front of power steering box. I noticed everything under the hood was hotter than hell to the touch. I know the engines run hotter with air conditioning running but is this condenser heat causing stuff to get too hot under the hood? I'm thinking of running a power steering cooler on it. Last week I lost power steering after driving it and changed out pump, box, and hoses to Monte SS fast ratio. All reman stuff except hoses. Would over heating power steering fluid blow out seals and puke under the cap?
 

pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
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Elderton, Pa
It could be possible as there is cold/hot levels on the cap dip stick. Are you using actual p/s fluid or ATF? I personnally use ATF. Newer models have used longer hard line on the return side to use the flow thru air to cool. I am looking into using the transmission cooler in the radiator to cool mine when everything is back together. Let every thing cool (to include yourself) & get the level to cold on the stick, rebleed (I turn lock to lock about 3x's & check until there is no foaming), check to see if it is still leaking. I have never had p/s over heat, so that gremlin hidding in you steering must be a real SOB givving you all these troubles. Another thing, did anything crawl into the lines to block flow?
 

airboatgreg

Comic Book Super Hero
Oct 2, 2016
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Sounds like border line overheating of the engine. Did you check:
Engine temp?
Airflow through radiator?
Fan clutch?
Agree on ATF
Did the P/S whine? Not b**ch but whine?
 

pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
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Kitchener, Ontario
we ran a cooler on our circle tack car cause the power steering fluid would overheat and expand and leak out of the reservoir but never blew a seal. We had the car chipped at 6300 rpm and it would hit that 3/4 down the straight so we ran it harder then you would on the street. Yours should be overheating with regular driving a/c on or not. What kind of fluid are you using and do you have a stock pulley on the pump? If you are going to run a cooler we used a small transmission cooler.
 

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
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Michigan
Maybe try switching over to a synthetic power steering fluid first and after that maybe try adding a small cooler.
 

airboatgreg

Comic Book Super Hero
Oct 2, 2016
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It could be possible that the vent on the cap is plugged. I have never seen it but....
Everything else was hotter then Hades so go for overheating first. I like the idea of a P/S cooler. Fluid maintenance is the easiest cheapest thing we can do for vehicles. I bought an awesome evacuator from Harbor Freight. I had commercial grades when I had my shops and this one works just fine for my fleet of cars, trucks, mowers, boats, tractors, generator and pressure washer. Whew!!!!!!!!!!!! I tired after that. holy crap I gotta get rid of some stuff
 

HAFROD

Royal Smart Person
Jul 15, 2013
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Claremore, OKLAHOMA
It got up to 230 ish at idle with ac on. It does not run that hot driving though. Turned off the ac and left it idling for a few minutes and it went down to 195-200. I have a brand new fan clutch on the factory fan and it's working. Factory fan shroud and a stock replacement radiator which is an aluminum with plastic tanks. It's only a one row one inch wide tube though. The condenser is brand new so it's not clogged with crap
 

pontiacgp

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Mar 31, 2006
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Kitchener, Ontario
what about installing an electric push fan that turns on when you turn on the a/c and mount that in front of the condenser
 
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