Power Steering Oil Cooler?

[pm26]

What is the purpose of the skinny auxiliary cooler in from of the A/C condenser on my truck? It is not the transmission oil cooler, it is tall and narrow, and mounted on the extreme driver's side. It also seems to be made of steel, not aluminum, because it has some surface rust on it. I did not trace the cooler lines to see where they are coming from.

[MikeNH]

I have a 2011 but in the same location on my truck has a similar looking/sounding cooler for engine oil. Does your truck have the all-aluminum 5.3? If so I think that Gen III high output 5.3 is very closely related to the 5.3 the trucks have today.

[BlackZ71Silverado]

Do you have a picture?...oil cooler?

[2010LTZ4x4]

I had that same cooler on my older truck and it was hooked up to the ps pump.

[jrrod2004]

its the power steering pump oil cooler

[pm26]

its the power steering pump oil cooler

 

Thanks, that's what I thought. I know I do not have the engine oil cooler as I have a plate installed where the lines are coming out of the engine block, and engine oil cooler would not be so skinny. Now why did they make this cooler out of carbon steel, not aluminum?

[redsled2007]

Much more pressure!

[pm26]

Much more pressure!

 

I think they did not route pressurized hydraulic oil through the cooler.

[dewfpo]

The P.S. cooler is typically on the lower pressure return line.

 

DEWFPO