Power steer and Auto using 1 cooler?

[georgey]

gday
Seeing as though power steering fluid and Auto trans fluid are the same is it possible to plump the power steering fluid into the fan cooled transmission cooler using a T or Y junction?
Or would there be too much heat with using both fluids?

Just thinking this would save money and space if they could both share the same cooler,it would also add extra fluid to each system but would have to make sure they are always full so one doesnt run low.
thanks

[DamTriton]

I would think they would be working at vastly different pressures at various times and would end up adversely affecting the operation of each item.

Have you seen any manufacturer take this short cut? therein lies the clue........

[georgey]

Yeah didnt take into account the different pressures,
guess that idea was a fail lol
Thanks

[tehekho]

I could be wrong but I wouldn't think they'd be under any real pressure during the 'cooling' part of the loop. One can open the reservoir for the power steering circuit without shutting the system down, and one can remove the dipstick from the auto trans without shutting the system down.

Don't give up so soon!

[80's_delirious]

I don't think the coolers would be on the high pressure side, but one thing that could be a problem is a difference in the fill levels, power steer reservoir is a lot higher than the fill level of an auto trans, what would stop the fluid bleeding off into the auto and over filling it and leaving the steering low on fluid?

Its there a problem with over filling an auto?

[McLarryBob]

I don't think the coolers would be on the high pressure side, but one thing that could be a problem is a difference in the fill levels, power steer reservoir is a lot higher than the fill level of an auto trans, what would stop the fluid bleeding off into the auto and over filling it and leaving the steering low on fluid?

Its there a problem with over filling an auto?

I was thinking the exact same thing. What's stopping all the fluid draining into the auto...

And yeah I imagine over filling the Auto a smidge wouldn't worry it but possibly all the way to the top with the shared cooler idea probably would cause an issue.

[Dirty]

The problem will be more about volume of fluid than anything else.

If you mounted the PS pump at the sump level, you would have it plumbed in to draw the cooled fluid from the cooler and then exhaust from the steering box back into the cooler.

Technically what the pump is wanting to draw in from the cooler it should also be exhausting back into the system, so it might work? Any additional or less fluid that is required would be sourced out of the pan of the trannie and would be minimal in the scheme of the system.

Only flaw that I can see is that if the PS pump wants to draw addition fluid from the system above what is coming from the cooler, and if the return line into the trannie is not submerged in its sump it might suck in some air?

- David.

[nastytroll]

What about contamination from the tranny? P/S circuits rarely have a filter.

[georgey]

AFAIK the filter is before the cooler outlet and inlet lines on the tranny.

Chucked the idea in anyway because of different fluid leves,pressures etc

[Ice]

well the thought is kinda there... so who has dry sumped an auto before ??? remote fed both systems etc

[mud guts]

In theory it shuld work, each pump will have a maximum flow rate and level in res will balance out once the system is up to pressure. trial and error to find out how much head room u need in the reservoir Oil does drain back out of the converter into box but once pump is running, oil equalizes again. Id keep them separate because of heat differences and contaminates ruining the other system if one fails.
Could be wrong