PS control valve & piston problems
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Bella Vista AR
PS control valve & piston problems
A few years back I replaced the control valve and ram with new units and rebuilt my ps pump. After that I had no power assist.
I thought I might have rebuilt the pump so replaced it with a rebuilt unit. Still no power assist. Rebalanced the control valve and ram worked perfectly.
Reinstalled my old control valve and now I have power steering. When I tried to balance the control valve the ram would extend fine, but would not retract all the way. When I tried to retract the rod it would almost kill the engine.
Drove the car and right tuns are okay, but left turns (retracting the ram rod) almost kill the engine. Besides the fact my car hates me, any mechanical ideas?
Uintah
I thought I might have rebuilt the pump so replaced it with a rebuilt unit. Still no power assist. Rebalanced the control valve and ram worked perfectly.
Reinstalled my old control valve and now I have power steering. When I tried to balance the control valve the ram would extend fine, but would not retract all the way. When I tried to retract the rod it would almost kill the engine.
Drove the car and right tuns are okay, but left turns (retracting the ram rod) almost kill the engine. Besides the fact my car hates me, any mechanical ideas?
Uintah
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,734
Likes: 2,582
At the end of your second sentence you stated the ram worked perfectly.
Your third sentence starts with you reinstalled the old valve and have power steering but you adjusted the valve and would not retract.
Why did you reinstall the old valve?
Your third sentence starts with you reinstalled the old valve and have power steering but you adjusted the valve and would not retract.
Why did you reinstall the old valve?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Bella Vista AR
Something else I did when installing the old control valve again was filling the ball stud side full of grease before bolting it on. It seemed to take a lot. Could to much grease not be allowing the internal parts of the valve to travel left to right freely?
Uintah
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Bella Vista AR
I installed the new valve years ago, which caused me to loose my power assist. I just didn't get around to trying to remedy the problem until now. Originally the old valve had no issues, but I wanted to replace the old parts all at the same time, that was a bad idea.
Uintah
Uintah
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The "new" control valve apparently had 'problems' in it. Even though a part has been recently purchased is no guarantee that it works as it should...especially when they are 'rebuilds'. Your 'old' control valve also has problems.
My suggestion to you is to buy an inexpensive rebuild kit for your original control valve and rebuild it yourself. Jim_Shea (member on this Forum) has several detailed instruction documents on rebuilding the various components of the C3 Power Steering system. These are free and are online; you can download them for reference when you do the rebuilding.
Once you have rebuilt your old unit, you can disassemble the "new" one to find out what the re-manufacturer messed-up before sending to your vendor. You may be able to repair it and sell it on eBay or to another member of this Forum.
Good luck.
My suggestion to you is to buy an inexpensive rebuild kit for your original control valve and rebuild it yourself. Jim_Shea (member on this Forum) has several detailed instruction documents on rebuilding the various components of the C3 Power Steering system. These are free and are online; you can download them for reference when you do the rebuilding.
Once you have rebuilt your old unit, you can disassemble the "new" one to find out what the re-manufacturer messed-up before sending to your vendor. You may be able to repair it and sell it on eBay or to another member of this Forum.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Bella Vista AR
If it got into the fluid valve, could it plug up some of the passages in the control valve and piston? If so would there be a way to flush the system on the vehicle?
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