So I cooked my power steering fluid from too much wheeling and went to go change it the other day. Did you guys know that the H3 Alpha has a really tiny radiator for the power steering fluid? I got it up on the lift, took the front skids off and started poking around.

I was really surprised to see a tiny little radiator maybe three inches tall and a little over a foot long hiding behind a flap. I almost couldn't tell it was a radiator it was so caked in mud and crud.

So I started tracing the lines going to it and to my surprise they went to the power steering pump! Made my life a bit easier since I just pulled the return line off of it and started moving the wheels back and forth and lo and behold, power steering fluid started pouring out. I filled the PS system back up with Mobil 1 synthetic ATF and it's butter smooth now.

Does anyone know if the I5 has something like this on it? I was honestly shocked that the tiny radiator I found was for the PS and not something like transmission fluid.

 

That's probably why you 'cooked' your power steering fluid. I understand a radiator works by air flowing through it, so, you don't want it in a small, sealed compartment, but, did it look like there was any way of sealing it off better to prevent crud from plugging it in the future?

 

Well, there is a "flap" that hangs down in front of it. Kind of like the same ones found in our fender wells. That would be about the only idea I have to protect it. It's down so low that even just taking a run through the mud is going to flood it and cake it up good. I've just written it off as another thing to remember to clean after a wheeling trip.

 

Here, this is pretty much exactly what I found.

Amazon.com: Derale 13200 Power Steering Cooler Kit: Automotive

 

Jeez....at that price anybody that doesn't have one of these in their H3 should get one!

 

I'm sure all the Alphas have them, I doubt the previous owner installed something like that. If the I5's don't have them it would be super easy to put one on them in the same location the Alpha's have them. It's just simply sitting on a crossmember behind the skids, and I'm sure the I5's have the same crossmember and a spot where it could go.

 

I don't know about putting it back in that location where it will get clogged all the time. May be a good reason to open up the fake hood grill and put the ps radiator underneath on some brackets over the motor.