Power steering valve adjustment
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 484
Likes: 10
From: Newcastle NSW
Power steering valve adjustment
Hi all,
Does anyone here know how "sensitive" the power steering valve is supposed to be to changes in the position of the adjusting nut? My car has had uneven power steering assist since I've owned it. Today I decided to replace the power assist cylinder-to-frame bushings (as mine were dry rotted). I figured that it would be a good time to adjust the power steering valve for even assist. With the cylinder unhooked, I started the car and started turing the nut clockwise to see when the rod would start moving. Even after quite a few 'flats' of nut movement, where was no extension or retraction of the cylinder. Many more turns the other way and nothing at all either. In fact, it took more than a complete revolution of the nut to get the cylinder to move, and then the adjustment was very non-linear. Is this normal? Or is my valve in need of replacement?
Best regards,
Matt.
Does anyone here know how "sensitive" the power steering valve is supposed to be to changes in the position of the adjusting nut? My car has had uneven power steering assist since I've owned it. Today I decided to replace the power assist cylinder-to-frame bushings (as mine were dry rotted). I figured that it would be a good time to adjust the power steering valve for even assist. With the cylinder unhooked, I started the car and started turing the nut clockwise to see when the rod would start moving. Even after quite a few 'flats' of nut movement, where was no extension or retraction of the cylinder. Many more turns the other way and nothing at all either. In fact, it took more than a complete revolution of the nut to get the cylinder to move, and then the adjustment was very non-linear. Is this normal? Or is my valve in need of replacement?
Best regards,
Matt.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Hi all,
Does anyone here know how "sensitive" the power steering valve is supposed to be to changes in the position of the adjusting nut? My car has had uneven power steering assist since I've owned it. Today I decided to replace the power assist cylinder-to-frame bushings (as mine were dry rotted). I figured that it would be a good time to adjust the power steering valve for even assist. With the cylinder unhooked, I started the car and started turing the nut clockwise to see when the rod would start moving. Even after quite a few 'flats' of nut movement, where was no extension or retraction of the cylinder. Many more turns the other way and nothing at all either. In fact, it took more than a complete revolution of the nut to get the cylinder to move, and then the adjustment was very non-linear. Is this normal? Or is my valve in need of replacement?
Best regards,
Matt.
Does anyone here know how "sensitive" the power steering valve is supposed to be to changes in the position of the adjusting nut? My car has had uneven power steering assist since I've owned it. Today I decided to replace the power assist cylinder-to-frame bushings (as mine were dry rotted). I figured that it would be a good time to adjust the power steering valve for even assist. With the cylinder unhooked, I started the car and started turing the nut clockwise to see when the rod would start moving. Even after quite a few 'flats' of nut movement, where was no extension or retraction of the cylinder. Many more turns the other way and nothing at all either. In fact, it took more than a complete revolution of the nut to get the cylinder to move, and then the adjustment was very non-linear. Is this normal? Or is my valve in need of replacement?
Best regards,
Matt.
The adjustment is not "super" sensitive so adjust it to where the rod doesn't move then (with the dust cap off) take it for a drive on a country road and see if it pulls to the left or to the right. Pull it over to the side of the road and using a 1/4" drive 7/16" socket and 6" extension adjust the nut until it'll track dead straight when you're driving down the center (on the crown) of the road.
If it pulls to the right (and it usually does) turn the adjustment nut about two flats clockwise and try it again. It usually takes several adjustments for it to track perfectly straight. Good luck.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The pdf below will show you exactly how to do the valve adjustment. 
Willcox
1963-1982 Corvette Power Steering Cylinder Adjustment
Willcox
1963-1982 Corvette Power Steering Cylinder Adjustment
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 484
Likes: 10
From: Newcastle NSW
Thanks guys. I'm going out to try again.
EDIT: Just got in from the garage. I found that, on my car, the threshold of the cylinder retracting to the threshold of the cylinder extending is about a full turn of the adjuster nut. Is this out of spec? I balanced the valve by turning the valve half way between these two positions and the test drive showed equal assist in each direction.
EDIT: Just got in from the garage. I found that, on my car, the threshold of the cylinder retracting to the threshold of the cylinder extending is about a full turn of the adjuster nut. Is this out of spec? I balanced the valve by turning the valve half way between these two positions and the test drive showed equal assist in each direction.
Last edited by Bad Bird; Jan 30, 2016 at 05:28 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Thanks guys. I'm going out to try again.
EDIT: Just got in from the garage. I found that, on my car, the threshold of the cylinder retracting to the threshold of the cylinder extending is about a full turn of the adjuster nut. Is this out of spec? I balanced the valve by turning the valve half way between these two positions and the test drive showed equal assist in each direction.
EDIT: Just got in from the garage. I found that, on my car, the threshold of the cylinder retracting to the threshold of the cylinder extending is about a full turn of the adjuster nut. Is this out of spec? I balanced the valve by turning the valve half way between these two positions and the test drive showed equal assist in each direction.
