Help Mounting PS Reservoir Up High Under FJ40 Hood

[Sputnik40]

I know this isn't really a hard core question - but figure more people here run remote reservoirs for their power steering system.

I have a 2F in my FJ40, with a driver side power steering pump bracket that puts the pump up high - higher than thermostat housing. Just bought a new PSC pump with a nice reservoir along with their nice hose fitting kit. Problem is the fitting adds about 3" in height to the top of the pump reservoir making it near to impossible for me to keep my fender side mount location.

Thinking about using the two tapped bolt holes on the 2F intake to fab a bracket to locate the reservoir up high in front of the brake MC (only place to fit under the hood and keep it high up and close to the pump).

Thoughts - any alternative ideas other than cutting a hole in the hood? Didn't have this problem with the toyota mini-truck reservoir as it's not that tall and I could get it higher than the pump - but the new bling aluminum (small version) reservoir is way taller.

 

[Gumby]

Mine is located on a bracket bolted to the clutch master captured nuts. It put the reservoir roughly in the same position as the clutch master next to the brake master.

Doesn't help you much if you still have a clutch master though.

It's tight enough that I would have to take it off of the bracket to change the spin on filter on my Howe reservoir.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Like this?

 

[Sputnik40]

Damn Dan - too funny, same bolt holes I'm talking about using and my pump is in almost the exact same location.

However - I'm talking about mounting it way higher - I always thought you wanted the remote reservoir fill height to be higher than the pump/reservoir inlet.

By the time you add the jig fitting to the pump (adds 2 - 3" in height), the hose feeding into it will be almost as tall as the top of your reservoir? Does this work ok?

I've got it higher up where it is on the fenderwell - but just thought it needed to be a bit higher so that at least the fluid height in the remote reservoir stays higher than the feed point into the pump reservoir? Please let me know if your's is running and how it's doing. I just don't know enough about a PS system...

 

[Tapage]

the reservoir must be the higher point in the system ..

 

[rusty_tlc]

Damn Dan - too funny, same bolt holes I'm talking about using and my pump is in almost the exact same location.

However - I'm talking about mounting it way higher - I always thought you wanted the remote reservoir fill height to be higher than the pump/reservoir inlet.

By the time you add the jig fitting to the pump (adds 2 - 3" in height), the hose feeding into it will be almost as tall as the top of your reservoir? Does this work ok?

I've got it higher up where it is on the fenderwell - but just thought it needed to be a bit higher so that at least the fluid height in the remote reservoir stays higher than the feed point into the pump reservoir? Please let me know if your's is running and how it's doing. I just don't know enough about a PS system...

It wound up higher than in the picture. Notice you can adjust the res height by loosening the set screw on the clamp part.

I've been running the PSC conversion for three seasons now with no problems until the last trip. That trip included a LOT more highway miles than I typically run. I'm not sure what is wrong but I kind of doubt that it is the res location after all this time. I think running 100+ miles at a stretch, at 60+MPH, non stop in 100+ heat may have been to much for the system. I see a PS cooler in my future.

 

[Sputnik40]

Any chance you have any current pics - just want to compare height. I can see where your's can go way up - doing the same on the fenderwell but want to shoot for the highest part of the hood by the carb/MC.

Yeah - I have a cooler on mine, but was running a mini-truck reservoir that had very little volume compared to how much the system was pushing. Have gone thru an AGR and a PSC pump in the last 7 years or so. Switching to the larger remote reservoir this time - and picked up a case of the Amsoil hydraulic fluid that everyone raves about.

I have to have this running and on the trailer by Wednesday - any pics appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BellyDoc]

This may be zero help at all because I swapped to a V8 and then built all kinds of stuff that mounts all over the place, and if that's the case, just disregard me like my wife or kids...

I specifically chose a pump and bracket that would mount my PSC power steering pump as low as possible on the block. That way I'd have as much room as I could get to mount the reservoir above it and slightly forward, with a shortest possible hose run:

If you can't possibly raise the reservoir any higher to put it above the pump, can you lower the pump to get it under the reservoir?

Is there another possible way to rig the engine accessories?

I spent zero time messing with the F engines before this build so I just don't know. I'm just curious.

 

[D'Animal]

Not a 2F but here is how I got creative.


The picture of the setup with the res next to the pump will not work. The pump does not really suck fluid from the res.



Have you thought about mounting the pump where the smog pump originally was? Down low?

 

[Sputnik40]

Thanks for the pics. Started fabbing up a temporary bracket that puts the reservoir way up high in front of the MC. Similar to 2nd post at top - but as originally planned, maxing out the highest point of the hood in front of the MC.

I really should think about mounting it down on the smog pump bracket, but seeing as how I need to get it loaded up tomorrow - and with work being a pain - don't have enough time to move it down there (much less any spare time to run to the parts store to shop for a new belt to match).

Curious - is the PSC reservoir with the two inlets and bottom sump for a full hydro setup - I've not seen a pump like the one you show below it?

 

[rusty_tlc]

Any chance you have any current pics - just want to compare height. I can see where your's can go way up - doing the same on the fenderwell but want to shoot for the highest part of the hood by the carb/MC.

Yeah - I have a cooler on mine, but was running a mini-truck reservoir that had very little volume compared to how much the system was pushing. Have gone thru an AGR and a PSC pump in the last 7 years or so. Switching to the larger remote reservoir this time - and picked up a case of the Amsoil hydraulic fluid that everyone raves about.

I have to have this running and on the trailer by Wednesday - any pics appreciated. Thanks.

No pictures but I looked at it last night, the final mount is about 2" higher than shown in the pisture.

....


The picture of the setup with the res next to the pump will not work. The pump does not really suck fluid from the res.


....

If you mean the picture I posted, I'll have to stop driving the rig now that I know the the PS won't work.

 

[D'Animal]

The bottom hole in your res is the feed line to the pump.

The two ports in the side are for return lines from the box and the hydro ram.

 

[Sputnik40]

The bottom hole in your res is the feed line to the pump.

The two ports in the side are for return lines from the box and the hydro ram.

Got the sump part down.

So you have a return from the orbital valve and the full hydro ram? Sorry - just not getting how a ram can return fluid right to the reservoir.

 

[D'Animal]

How is your hydro assist ram working for you?

If you mean the picture I posted, I'll have to stop driving the rig now that I know the the PS won't work.

 

[rusty_tlc]

How is your hydro assist ram working for you?

No hydro, so far I haven't had any need for it.

As I mentioned above the tank sits higher now than in the picture. I posted the pic to show the mounting more than anything else since it is so close to what the OP was asking about.

 

[Tapage]

The two ports in the side are for return lines from the box and the hydro ram.

thought you mean from your steering box and Hydro brake MC

 

[Sputnik40]

It's far from pretty - but puts it where I think it's workable.

Temporary bracket so I can make this trip, will do a better one some day later.

Thanks to all for the pics - definitely helped my confidence that I was on the right track.

Raining now - and have to get this and the front end back on tonite .

 

[D'Animal]

LOL!

I wasn't thinking clearly. Sorry about that.

Got the sump part down.

So you have a return from the orbital valve and the full hydro ram? Sorry - just not getting how a ram can return fluid right to the reservoir.

 

[KillerPea]

Its actually not workable. I just went through the exact same issue myself. Everything will work in your current configuration....until it is hot and you are climbing something steep working the wheel back and forth. Then the fluid will puke out, overheat, and aerate. The reservoir relies 100% on gravity feed. WIth your current setup, you only have 2 choices:

1) Cut the hood and stick the reservoir up through the hood approx 2 inches, or
2) Change your setup and run the pump off of the smog pump bracket. That puts the pump below your reservoir and cooler, which is supposedly a no-no and a difficult packaging issue.

If I can, I will post some pics of my newly cut hood hole and reservoir next week. In the meantime...just trust me.

 

[Sputnik40]

From what little I know - and trust me that's not a whole lot - I tend to agree with you. I really don't want to cut a hole in the hood.

I think the pump can be below the cooler - it's the reservoir that needs to be above the cooler from what I understand. If you have pics or your smog mount please do send.

Another question - how warm does the fluid normally get, enough to where the gear gets warm (not hot -just warm?).

Its actually not workable. I just went through the exact same issue myself. Everything will work in your current configuration....until it is hot and you are climbing something steep working the wheel back and forth. Then the fluid will puke out, overheat, and aerate. The reservoir relies 100% on gravity feed. WIth your current setup, you only have 2 choices:

1) Cut the hood and stick the reservoir up through the hood approx 2 inches, or
2) Change your setup and run the pump off of the smog pump bracket. That puts the pump below your reservoir and cooler, which is supposedly a no-no and a difficult packaging issue.

If I can, I will post some pics of my newly cut hood hole and reservoir next week. In the meantime...just trust me.