Power Steering Lesson Learned
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 14,376
Likes: 1
From: Check this riff........
Power Steering Lesson Learned
If any of you followed my steering issues on my 68, you know the journey has been long and hard. In fact, I basically quit for about 6 months out of frustration.
Started with a manual steering big block vert.
bought steeroids and planned to convert to PS.
Steeroids would not clear oil pan and we could never get it sorted out. Removed steeroids, sold on ebay. Purchased power steering kit. PS pulley would not clear crossmember. Installed cylinder, pitman arm, etc with no problem. Sold PS brackets and pump on ebay and purchased march serpentine system. March cleared everything and looked good. Everytime I started the car, power steering fluid would foam, then fly out of remote ps resevoir. PS did not work. Gave up for about 6 months.
Well I felt motivated over the weekend and looked everything over. I noticed that the remote resevoir for the PS had two "nozzels" inside the bottom of the resevoir. One was just straight in from the bottom. The other came in from the bottom, then made a 90 degree angle inside the resevoir. I had the return on the the straigt nozzel. I reversed the hoses and the foam was GONE!. PS, although kind of weak, at least works. I guess that the return hose was making a PS fluid fountain inside the resevoir causeing the foaming. Once I put it on the 90 degree fitting, I guess it just squirted towards the side of the resevoir not getting mixed with air. So, if you are going to put a remote resevoir system on your car, make sure you got the hoses right!
PS the installation manual did not mention anything specific about the remote resevoir.
Started with a manual steering big block vert.
bought steeroids and planned to convert to PS.
Steeroids would not clear oil pan and we could never get it sorted out. Removed steeroids, sold on ebay. Purchased power steering kit. PS pulley would not clear crossmember. Installed cylinder, pitman arm, etc with no problem. Sold PS brackets and pump on ebay and purchased march serpentine system. March cleared everything and looked good. Everytime I started the car, power steering fluid would foam, then fly out of remote ps resevoir. PS did not work. Gave up for about 6 months.
Well I felt motivated over the weekend and looked everything over. I noticed that the remote resevoir for the PS had two "nozzels" inside the bottom of the resevoir. One was just straight in from the bottom. The other came in from the bottom, then made a 90 degree angle inside the resevoir. I had the return on the the straigt nozzel. I reversed the hoses and the foam was GONE!. PS, although kind of weak, at least works. I guess that the return hose was making a PS fluid fountain inside the resevoir causeing the foaming. Once I put it on the 90 degree fitting, I guess it just squirted towards the side of the resevoir not getting mixed with air. So, if you are going to put a remote resevoir system on your car, make sure you got the hoses right!
PS the installation manual did not mention anything specific about the remote resevoir.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
The line out of the remote reservoir to the pump should be at least 5/8 inch inside diameter and should be the spout on the bottom. The hose coming to the reservoir from the gear should be 3/8 inch inside diameter and should be on the side. How could you get the two different size hoses installed on the wrong reservoir spouts?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 14,376
Likes: 1
From: Check this riff........
The "spouts" are on the inside of the resevoir. THere are two tapped holes at the bottom of the resevoir of the same size. I had to create my own connections using AN fittings and adapters. March's hose kit does not work on corvettes.
Last edited by BigBadRed; Nov 29, 2004 at 06:52 PM.
Glad things are working. 
