stano

My last two track events in my Z I noticed that my power steering fluid was boiling over and in fact went dry. I filled it and everything is fine but has anyone else had this problem? It's not leaking as I checked for leaks. Is there a different fluid I could use that would hold up to the heat?

Thanks!

Stan

AU N EGL

yes and why checking in constantly is so important

stano

Yes, there is a better fluid to deal with the heat? If so, what's out there? Motul Dextron III? Will the RBF work?

Falcon

I use Redline P/S fluid. It's a synthetic and has never been problem.

If your car is still under warranty, you might want to check on the fluid you use. I heard the Redline and other type fluids can be an issue with warranty.

davidfarmer

I have used Synpower fluid for many many years, and never boiled it. I've found that as long as I fill it so that it just Barely touches the dipstick, the fluid will swell as it heats, but doesn't boil. The GM cooler is small, but effective in my experience

stano

Thanks for the help guys

froggy47

I would be concerned if it "went dry". I assume you mean the resevoir. Maybe a loose cap or the rubber on the cap is shot?

I use Redline PS Fluid. I really don't think it can "boil" but seepage from the cap is pretty normal.

It "foams" when used hard & your p/s boost goes away.

Full synthetic resists the foaming better than oem.

Maybe you have a pully vibration near the pump?

Kinkajou

I had problems with my C4 at Track days. After a while PS fluid would boil, it even blew a pressure hose once.
I do not know if they have a solution for you, but I bought a modified PS pump from "TurnOne". No problems now. They told me that a stock PS pump would run with a lot of pressure so they lower it a bit and it works great. Hope they have a solution for your car.

imp zog

I've boiled just about every fluid they make in my search to find something that wouldn't in my C5 Z06 on the track, but the underlying problem is that the PS pump was made for street driving, so at sustained high RPMs from road course racing and HPDEs the PS pump is being way overdriven. I installed an underdrive pulley, and haven't boiled the fluid since. Now I am no longer embarrassed to have my hood open at the track, as I don't need the blue shop towels tie-wrapped to the PS reservoir cap any more.

Wicked Weasel

I have a turnone and use Joe gibbs racing ps fluid. Seems to work well.

FredSM

I hear that! The height of my embarrassment was getting meatballed giving demo rides. PS boilover has cause me no end of grief this year. I think (hope) David Farmer is correct . . . overfilling and lack of a cooler were the problems, both of which I hope are corrected now. We'll see at THill tomorrow and Infineon next weekend.

FM

imp zog

Good luck! I'm racing at Mosport this weekend, so I'm sure hoping this heat wave we're having breaks a bit before then... these are the days that I miss having pulled the AC, for when you are sitting strapped in at the grid just baking...

The Z06 comes with a PS cooler, albeit a rather small one, which is what was perplexing me with the boiling. I never filled the reservoir to the "Cold" fill line, at most I had it just touch the bottom of the stick, otherwise it just came out that much faster. Since the underdrive pulley though, I can fill it to the "Cold" line and not a drop has come out thru the cap.

davidfarmer

Just a side note, I think driving style has something to do with it. Many drivers are very twitchy with there hands, while others are very efficient at setting their steering input, and holding it all the way through a corner. I've developed very smooth, "slow hands" over the past 20 years, and I find not only do you avoid things like power steering issues and overheated tires, but you tend to actually enjoy racing in the rain etc.

I'm not judging anybody, but just wanted to point out that fast hands are harder on equipment than slow hands.

wmckeenster

AlwaysInBoost

I think I'm having some of the same problems.

I assumed it was from the banked turns and cornering forces causeing the PS fluid to seap out the cap. didn't really think I was working the wheel that hard to boil the fluid, especially with the OEM cooler.

GrantB

Never had an issue even on very tight tracks, though my tires only average about 1.1 gee through most corners (NT01s, XSs, etc). This is with 8 to 9 degrees caster and stock C5Z wheels. I've always used 25% UD, the OE C5 Z51/Z06 cooler, and the fluid is some crap I bought at Walmart

stano

I took David's advice and filled the fluid to just below the end of the dip stick. I'll keep a better eye on it and I also put in B&M tranny fluid to see if that helps. I'm running with -3 camber and I'm sure that's working the pump harder too. I've got an event this Sunday and it'll be hot for sure.
We'll see what happens.

imp zog

I would agree with that, except in my case I would say that I am a pretty smooth driver with my inputs, and I use that as my example when instructing at HPDEs. I demonstrate that when you find "the line" in many corners, your steering can be set for the corner, and minor corrections can be done with the throttle without unsettling the car. The underdrive pulley resolved my leakage issues, but it's not an easy mod, there's a lot of work involved to get in there. I had it put in when my PS rack decided to blow a seal and needed to be rebuilt, so it was a "while we're in there" decision... not sure I would have gone beyond the blue shop towel mod otherwise.

FredSM

Excellent point. This problem seems so rare that I have to suspect I'm part of it. Something else to watch and work on. I had 2 chances to replace the pulley with a UD but stuck with a stock size both times (long story, but I'm a happy GM warranty customer). I'm regretting that a bit since this car is only on the street getting to a track.

Only a hint of fluid on the reservoir cap Friday at Thunderhill. Got in at least 3 nice runs during the day. Pre-PS cooler and I'd have been spewing and smoking like a freight train. Oil temps were fine (new cooler there too). Hit 280*, but pre-cooler I was at 300+ every time out. New first, however . . . coolant over-temp warning late in the day! Ha! It never ends. Hopefully I can keep all the paint on at Infineon next weekend.

FM

Slalom4me

ACDelco used to offer their Cold Climate steering fluid (#10953471),
the label describes the contents as a partially synthetic base. IIRC,
I learned about it from posts here in AX&RR

I switched to CCF after using BG's Universal Synthetic Power Steering
Fluid #334. The BG fluid had been an improvement over conventional
Dexron (mineral) but I was unable to locate fresh BG for a flush
when the Hydroboost was installed.

As an OEM supplier product, the ACDelco #10953471 may be less
likely to be considered a warranty disqualifier.

A check online today suggests there may be an issue with availability,
though. Check with a dealer or an authorized ACDelco outlet if
interested.


.