Power steering control valve
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Eagle River AK
St. Jude Donor '10, '13
Power steering control valve
Hi all, my P/S control valve is leaking from the top joint, so I thought I would do a rebuild and change out the seals. I can get a seal kit in town for $9.00 Has anyone done this? Is it worth the effort and how hard of a job am I looking at?
Thanks,
Thanks,
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
Likes: 5
From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by SCS Red80
Hi all, my P/S control valve is leaking from the top joint, so I thought I would do a rebuild and change out the seals. I can get a seal kit in town for $9.00 Has anyone done this? Is it worth the effort and how hard of a job am I looking at?
Thanks,
Thanks,
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Eagle River AK
St. Jude Donor '10, '13
Thanks for the reply, but I think we are talking about two different parts. What you described sounded like the P/S cylinder, and Im talking about the control valve. the control valve sits just prior to the cylinder and is connected to it via two hoses.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: Weatherford TX
No its not a big job. I did mine about a year ago. Whatever you do DO NOT put your hand inside the steering wheel when you first start the car after replacing the valve. I was warned before I did mine and did not really think the steering wheel would spin but it did. It could break a bone if you arm is just right, it will certainly hurt. Use the proper tools to break the ball joint apart. Autozone will loan one out if you don't have one. Count the turns it takes to unscrew the valve off. Put the new one on using the same number of turns. Adjust the valve to center being carefull not to put your hand in the spoke of the steering when you reach in to start the engine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
and I'll add...
My two choices are new or rebuild your own.
The internal parts & surfaces wear out to the point that a "rebuild" by anybody (vendors included) will not necessarily run dry.
Many professionally rebuilt units leak right out of the box.... they are too far gone to rebuild. Until someone starts reproducing individual parts (the ones that wear) the odds are in your favor if you rebuild your own, or buy a totally new unit. Plus.... I have seen rebuilt units that have messed up threads on them..... the tap required to straighten them out ain't cheap.
Shipping & handling (plus your blood sweat & tears) add up after a few leaky professionally rebuilt units have been tried.
It's not hard to rebuild.... just pay close attention to how it comes apart. The internal adjustment is important- the ball stud & socket.
I grease them & adjust them to a fairly tight -0- clearance.
My two choices are new or rebuild your own.
The internal parts & surfaces wear out to the point that a "rebuild" by anybody (vendors included) will not necessarily run dry.
Many professionally rebuilt units leak right out of the box.... they are too far gone to rebuild. Until someone starts reproducing individual parts (the ones that wear) the odds are in your favor if you rebuild your own, or buy a totally new unit. Plus.... I have seen rebuilt units that have messed up threads on them..... the tap required to straighten them out ain't cheap.
Shipping & handling (plus your blood sweat & tears) add up after a few leaky professionally rebuilt units have been tried.
It's not hard to rebuild.... just pay close attention to how it comes apart. The internal adjustment is important- the ball stud & socket.
I grease them & adjust them to a fairly tight -0- clearance.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
I buy stuff from ZIP as well... no complaints. But another friend went through 3 of them from ZIP before he got one that didn't leak or didn't have buggered up threads. Luck of the draw.
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 620
Likes: 2
From: San Antonio TX
I just did mine earlier this summer. Don't remember where I ordered the rebuild kit from though. In any case, it wasn't a hard job if you are careful and take note how all the little pieces fit together. I used a digital camera to help my failing brain! Anyway, it's really important that you don't get your arms in the wheel spokes like BN7035 mentioned. Also, make absolutely sure that you don't get your hoses mixed up.
After I was done with the rebuild, I started the car and the centering was WAY off, even though I returned it to what it was before. I ended up disconnecting the coil wire while my wife cranked it. I did the gross adjustment then.
After I was done with the rebuild, I started the car and the centering was WAY off, even though I returned it to what it was before. I ended up disconnecting the coil wire while my wife cranked it. I did the gross adjustment then.
