• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Remote steering pump fluid reservoir for stock pump

mountainjazz

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Caracas
Has anyone done a mod consisting of replacing a stock power steering fluid reservoir with a remote one (aluminum cylinder), keeping the stock pump? The reservoir on my 99 Classic 4.0I XJ is leaking and I can get a remote canister from a friend's swap. I don't want to replace the pump which is working fine. Thanks in advance
 
Keep in mind that the pump is not positive displacement. That means it will not draw fluid into it, it has to be gravity fed. I looked into this when I put in the SuperCharger and was not able to locate a suitably high enough place to mount the reservoir. I spoke with the folks at KRC and AGR and both agreed. The bottom of the tank needs to be above the inlet to the pump or it will starve and self destruct.

What I finally decided was that it could not be easily done. A horizontal tank mounted up by the radiator would work except for when going down something steep. Then the level would drop to the point of starvation. Mounting on the firewall looked good until I took measurements and calculated the angle. Starvation again.

I am hopeful that someone her has been successful and will perhaps share a photo of the install. It is something I still would like to do as it should reduce the fluid temps a tad.
 
You'll have to get a fitting installed on your stock pump for the hose to the reservoir. Get another stock reservoir, they're cheap.
 
It seems to me you could use an accumulator (like a remote reservoir for a shock) to keep the fluid pressurized going to the pump and also absorb the extra pressure as the fluid heats up during use. It would have to be bled thoroughly though. You end up with a closed, pressurized system that should never be able to starve the pump.
 
Here is the thing about just replacing the reservoir. You can't. Last year I looked everywhere (inclusing the dreaded dealer) and found that if I wanted just the reservoir, I would have to hit the JY.

If anyone has found a source, please post.
 
Here is the thing about just replacing the reservoir. You can't. Last year I looked everywhere (inclusing the dreaded dealer) and found that if I wanted just the reservoir, I would have to hit the JY.

If anyone has found a source, please post.

Yep, you can. Crown automotive sells the resevoir. They are listed for only up to I think a 96 year (I can't remember exactly what year), then they only list a pump and reservoir together but I know for a fact that just the reservoir will still fit on a '99 pump.
 
ZJ reservoirs (from the 5.2 or the 5.9) fit also. I am running one on my Heep. Needed the side mounted return to clear the gear case of the Supercharger.
 
What about mounting the ps pump down where the alternator is and relocating the alternator up top? Now it is easy to mount a reservoir above the pump and the alternator won't die in every mud hole.
 
YJ's used a remote res, on what looked to be the same pump.
I use a YJ pump and remote reservoir with a late model manifold. I had to drill out two of the three threaded holes to use the long bolts that go thru the pump to the manifold. The third bolt was left short and attaches to the bracket. I also had to swap pulleys to keep proper belt alignment.
 
@ o-gauge & jeeperjohn, it's not an XJ but a 4.0 swapped into a Scout. I could post pics but it wouldn't help with how to shoehorn the the reservoir into an XJ (and it might not be well received).
 
And there you are.

The problem I ran into was that I could not find a place high enough in the bay for the reservoir. The GM pump is gravity fed and will self destruct if it does not get fluid delivered properly. I looked hard. If it were only a Street Jeep, the reservoir could go up on the firewall. But given the angles our rigs are asked to work in, the pump would fluid starve.

If only it was a positive displacement pump. But it is not.
Or, if it was low on the engine like the pump on my Wife's Full Size Bronco. But it is not.
If there was room to relocate it. But there is not...
 
I think it would be possible to mount a pump low in the engine compartment and the reservoir as high as possible. I have not seen this done but it seems like it could be done with some fabbed brackets.
 
This is how I plumbed my PSC setup.

I didn't have an issue with it for a whole summer, but I haven't wheeled it since then. Plenty of others have them mounted similarly without issue.

IMG_2716.jpg
 
Back
Top