I was loosing a lot of power steering fluid. Turns out it was my power steering cooler. It was so rusted that it is beyond repair. Would it hurt anything to just bypass it for now and run the return line directly to the pump? I do plan on getting an aftermarket cooler, however I want to have my 4x4 vehicle available for now.

This is what I ordered to replace it.

Thanks guys.

 

I would say it would be fine for temporary use. Honestly I don't how the factory cooler does much as it is anyhow lol

 

Well, luck being what it is my upper radiator hose is also leaking and nobody locally has one and it is pouring outside today. So I should have my new cooler tomorrow so I am just going to wait for that and better weather. I am off on New Years day and I have my corolla so I am good. I just hope I don't need 4x4 for the next couple of days. Funny thing is that I got all new hoses installed and I dropped my 10mm socket behind the grill and I pulled the grill off to get it. Then I saw that everything was covered in PS fluid. I should have gotten pictures but it was dark and cold out. It has big rust bubbles all around where it meets the mounting frame. I did cut and flare the metal lines that run through the firewall. I just painted it hammer finish silver since I didn't have any black. I'll post pictures once I get it installed and I clean the entire engine that is covered in power steering fluid and coolant.

 

Ok, so here is the remains of the cooler. It is leaking in 3 places



Here is the part that goes through the firewall. It had some surface rust. I sanded it with 60 grit and then did a heavy coat of primer and 2 coats of hammer finish. I might have gone a bit overboard on the flares, should be fun getting the rubber hose over them.


I have more pictures but Flickr links stopped working.

 

Now that Flickr is working here are the rest of the pictures.





I will post the rest in my build thread when I get everything done, if it ever stops raining.