So few weeks ago I noticed fluid on the ground so I looked and saw it was the power steering fluid. It was only a tiny bit. Then few days later got bad to where i had to refill pump every 2 days. So I researched and saw I could rebuild the system, no problem. After checking the parts I only saw fluid on the Pump and Control Valve, not the Ram Arm. So I ordered these parts from Willcox

Control Valve Kit
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=27244

Pump Kit
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...oducts_id=5360

So after following these instructions: http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1963...-pump-rebuild/ I didn't have problem rebuilding it all. Following it and lay out each part in the order I took them out. Instead of just replacing what was worn I just replaced everything that came in the kits. So now I have it all installed back into the car. Problem is now it doesn't work. I turn the wheels and its like its not putting pressure on the Ram Arm.

Went to my AIMS and verified I installed everything correctly and I did. I decided to lift the front end up and move wheels few times to work the air out thinking the air may have been problem. It turned fine. Put car back down, refilled the pump and again it still doesn't work.

So now I am down to what did I do wrong. Good news is, it doesn't seem to be leaking so thats fixed but now the power in my steering is broke . I did oddly find a circular magnet inside the pumps reservoir. It didn't seems to belong anywhere, maybe just fell in and its strong enough not to really move. So I left it out since I couldn't find it on the drawings. Where I found it is under the rebuild link, step 43 picture, it was on the left side on the flat base there.

So any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Sorry to hear about you problems, I would double check if you have the hoses correctly connected to the control valve, you can put them on backwards. I believe that the magnet you found is suppose to be there but I don't think thats your problem if you left it out. Sound to me like the control valve is not getting any or enough fluid from the pump.

Tim

 

Thanks for the reply. I did check my drawings and other than the valve to ram arm, the pumps was quite idiot proof. One has small fitting and big fitting, other had big fitting and hose clamp. But I did verify with the drawing for the valve to ram arm were correct since these all had same size fittings. And I hooked them up according to my drawings.

 

You have to bleed the air out ofhe system after a rebuild. It will usually take a couple of fills in the reservoir and the time for the entrapped air (or foam) to disperse before it will work properly. Jim Shea hasva paper somewhere on the FAQ page about bleeding the system.

 

Thanks, I didn't see the FAQ for bleeding it. I did look but couldn't find it but i will keep trying to bleed it. worst case if it still doesn't work could i just remove belt and steer it like as if car doesn't have power steering? Be temporary till next weekend when i can get parts from local parts store since its cheaper.

 

I have lost all power steering fluid before and the car will steer very very hard without the assist. I would not want to drive the car for any length of time in that condition.



Rick B.

 

Found it!

http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...V-29AU2012.pdf

 

The fact that you put the car up in the air and cycled the system full lock to full lock a couple times and then had to add fluid means that you did have a lot of air throughout the system. I would lift it up again and cycle it back and forth a couple dozen times. Refill to the "COLD" mark on the capstick as needed.

If you still have no assist, I would check the following. There is a small control valve inside the pump, just behind the discharge fitting. You should have inserted the spring first, then the control valve, before installing the discharge fitting. Is it possible that you installed the control valve backward? There is a hex fitting with a screen built into the face on one end of the control valve. That hex fitting end goes into the pump bore first.


Here is a rear view of the pump and reservoir with the magnet shown at the 4 o'clock position. The magnet is inside the pump seated against a flat portion of the pump housing. Typically high mileage pumps will have very fine, (silt like) metal particles that will adhere to the magnet.



BTW, the AIM doesn't help you in rebuilding the pump. You need the Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual for the year of your Corvette. (Although the instructions for rebuilding the pump are pretty much the same 1963-1982.)
Jim

 

Great information, looks like I need to pull pump back out and put magnet back in. I didn't install control valve backward but your images will help a lot. picture with magnet is pretty much spot where I found it. thanks

Well so far I have put the magnet back in and keeping car off and turning wheel lock to lock. doing it few dozen times and letting sit for about 30 minutes and turning it few dozen more times. so far only put about 3/4 of bottle in but that could be since I didn't take out the ram arm and fluid doesn't seem to be dropping, but then again can't seer reservoir very well LOL.

 

So after bleeding system few times I started it up and saw reservoir bubble a bit but didn't foam. kept car up and turn wheels and level stayed. put car down and still doesn't work. I can see fluid moving in the reservoir since I saw the bubbles so problem may be with the control valve.

 

The control valve may be stuck in the bore. When you get the pump off, and remove the fitting, if the valve isn't "free" in the bore you found the problem.

 

Well it all came apart easy and valve came out without problem both first and second tear apart. I pressed on the valve and it went up and down with no resistance except the spring. With reservoir cover on sat about 1/4 inch down. Putting fitting on it went down easily without hassle. I did try to stick one on my smallest screw drivers down hole but it just stopped, nothing showing any resistance so I think I didn't hit the valve so didn't try to force it in, don't want to break something. So for now I think I'll pull the parts back out, tear them apart again and verify everything looks fine, at least I won't have to take the pulley off the pump.

 

Tiger,

If you had a Black Book you would see that Chevrolet fitted a magnet to the Corvette's PS pump starting MY 1974, so it is a correct addition for your '76. Make sure you clean the magnet properly before replacing in the pump body.

Regards from Down Under.

aussiejohn

 

Well after scouring the net for pictures of the pump and control valve, I'm going to open it up and verify all parts there and in right spot, looking at control valve there may be missing washer and/or gasket that I don't remember installing.

 

please post the final fix, I too need to rebuild mine and are very interested!

And keep up the good work !

 

Willcox has a great procedure for rebuilding the power steering control valve.

 

I didn't see it, only thing I found was balancing it, nothing about rebuilding it. But today slept way to much so had hour before I went to work so just drained system for now, hopefully I can pull it out today and start my work on it.

 

See if this helps. Its the hard copy version of the Wilcox video built on a C2 forum discussion by Dave

PSCV Rebuild

 

Thank you so much. After reading it, it said to put the ball stud spring with pointy end down, I think I put it pointy end up. But I'm pretty sure that's the problem, find out today when I tear it apart.

 

Boy don't I feel like an idiot. The video showed me some minor problems so i rebuilt the control valve per the video and didn't have problem. now i tore into the pump and this is where i got stupid. LOL the cam ring was in backwards.

Before:


After:


Apparently I had blocked the channels that the fluid flows thru to the control valve. After scouring google for pictures (which only had 2) i saw my problem. This should fix my problem "knock on wood" but won't know till UPS shows up with my new hose since i found one quite old and cracked. Will report back if its fixed (given i don't loose my arm turning car on LOL).