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Temporary Delete of Power Steering - '66 L79 4Spd

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Old 01-17-2017, 11:56 PM
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After38Years
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Default Temporary Delete of Power Steering - '66 L79 4Spd

My power steering is leaking big time. It's the second rebuilt system for the car. Until I find a competent rebuilder or figure out how to do it myself, I'm considering converting to non-power so I can enjoy the upcoming spring/summer driving season.

What would be required to change the factory power to non-power steering.

No air, no air pump.

Thanks,
Ralph
Old 01-18-2017, 05:17 AM
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tbarb
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Take the belt off the pump and remove the slave cylinder so you are not pushing/pulling fluid and install the outer tie rod ends in the rearward hole for easy steering.

You will soon appreciate the P/S, can you tell where the leaks are located.
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Old 01-18-2017, 08:57 AM
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jim lockwood
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Drain the fluid and remove the PS drive belt. The steering effort will be no greater than for manual, quick steering.

Been there. Done that.

This is what I did when the PS on my '63 sprang a leak and I was waiting on repair parts to arrive. Worked fine.

Jim
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Old 01-18-2017, 09:03 AM
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Vettegeezer
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Originally Posted by tbarb
Take the belt off the pump and remove the slave cylinder so you are not pushing/pulling fluid and install the outer tie rod ends in the rearward hole for easy steering.

You will soon appreciate the P/S, can you tell where the leaks are located.
Just a quick note: if you do relocate the tie rods to the other set of holes, this will throw off the front wheel alignment to the point where you will need to readjust the toe-in.
Phil M.
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Old 01-18-2017, 11:56 AM
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After38Years
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Originally Posted by tbarb
can you tell where the leaks are located.
Can't tell and it's about 40 degrees in my garage so would need a warm day to continue searching. My belief is it's the pump and it's a significant leak.
Old 01-18-2017, 12:28 PM
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gbvette62
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If you decide to eliminate the power steering, you'll need to replace the center link and pitman arm, but everything else remains the same.

Hydraulic cam, small block 63-68 Corvettes, used a steering damper, but it really isn't necessary. Big blocks, solid lifter 327's, and 69 and later Corvettes, didn't use the damper.
Old 01-18-2017, 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by gbvette62
If you decide to eliminate the power steering, you'll need to replace the center link and pitman arm, but everything else remains the same.

Hydraulic cam, small block 63-68 Corvettes, used a steering damper, but it really isn't necessary. Big blocks, solid lifter 327's, and 69 and later Corvettes, didn't use the damper.
This is a temporary delete, I'll reinstall when I'm confident that the leaks have been fixed.
I understand that many small blocks had steering dampers. My car never had one (had it since new...).
Old 01-18-2017, 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by jim lockwood
Drain the fluid and remove the PS drive belt. The steering effort will be no greater than for manual, quick steering.

Been there. Done that.

This is what I did when the PS on my '63 sprang a leak and I was waiting on repair parts to arrive. Worked fine.

Jim
Or just crack the lines open on the cylinder and remove the belt. Go around a few corners and the system will self purge of oil.
Old 01-18-2017, 02:52 PM
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tuxnharley
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Originally Posted by Vettegeezer
Just a quick note: if you do relocate the tie rods to the other set of holes, this will throw off the front wheel alignment to the point where you will need to readjust the toe-in.
Phil M.
You may also want to check/reduce the caster to ease the steering effort.
Old 01-18-2017, 03:29 PM
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GTOguy
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I would simply spend a weekend and repair the power steering. I rebuilt the pump on my '67 GTO (same pump) with a seal kit off of the internet for less than $20. It took me longer to r&r the pump than it did to rebuild it! If the box is leaking, buy a new one from NAPA and keep your original to have it rebuilt at your leisure. Cheap, and your car will be back in top form with minimal fuss and no jury-rigging.
Old 01-18-2017, 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by GTOguy
I would simply spend a weekend and repair the power steering. I rebuilt the pump on my '67 GTO (same pump) with a seal kit off of the internet for less than $20. It took me longer to r&r the pump than it did to rebuild it! If the box is leaking, buy a new one from NAPA and keep your original to have it rebuilt at your leisure. Cheap, and your car will be back in top form with minimal fuss and no jury-rigging.
Old 01-18-2017, 05:08 PM
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Originally Posted by MikeM
Or just crack the lines open on the cylinder and remove the belt. Go around a few corners and the system will self purge of oil.
35 EPA types just passed out after reading your suggestion.....
Old 01-18-2017, 06:44 PM
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So, you knew what you had to do all along. You just wanted to let everyone know you were working or your car? Or wanted to boost your post count?

You've been driving the thing with it leaking for some time, obviously from your post. What's a few more drips on the pavement?

Last edited by MikeM; 01-18-2017 at 06:46 PM.
Old 01-18-2017, 07:40 PM
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Get rid of the original power assist with the leaky valve body and get a Borgeson kit...
Old 01-18-2017, 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by MikeM
So, you knew what you had to do all along. You just wanted to let everyone know you were working or your car? Or wanted to boost your post count?

You've been driving the thing with it leaking for some time, obviously from your post. What's a few more drips on the pavement?

Cranky we are today?
Old 12-16-2018, 08:40 AM
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dknowles67
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Has anyone tried this on a 67 L36 (427/390hp) with A/C? It's a complicated pulley system, but it looks like I can take the center pulley (2 grooves) that drives the A/C compressor, and run it to the alternator (38" belt?). In the current configuration, the center pulley drives the PS pump (2 grooves) and the 2nd groove from the PS pump runs the alternator. I can do w/o A/C and PS this week, and rebuild the PS pump over the Christmas break. If so, what length belt? I measured ~38" (inside diameter) with my wife's sewing tape measure. (Hard to do with belts on the pulleys).
Old 12-16-2018, 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Crunch527
Get rid of the original power assist with the leaky valve body and get a Borgeson kit...

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To Temporary Delete of Power Steering - '66 L79 4Spd

Old 12-16-2018, 10:36 AM
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65GGvert
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It's a hell of a lot easier to change the pump than it is to add Borgeson. Borgeson still uses the pump and if that's where the leak is there's no help there.
Old 12-16-2018, 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by 65GGvert
It's a hell of a lot easier to change the pump than it is to add Borgeson. Borgeson still uses the pump and if that's where the leak is there's no help there.
because addressing the real problem and fixing it correctly is a real problem around here.
Old 12-16-2018, 12:32 PM
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Problem? Hmm...unless complete originality is your goal which I respect, why fix old technology when you can make it better?

Of course this doesn’t answer the OP’s question. BTW, the center link is the same. It is the control valve on the pitman end of the center link that is different with manual steering.

Now we have a new poster in the old thread wanting to know about the belt. Frankly, you should take some time and fix your leak if it is that significant, rather than try to rearrange the belts.



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