Rebuilding the power steering valve & controller

chromebumpers

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
On C3, Leaks are coming from the valve, controller or both, so I desided to rebuild both units. These kits don't come with any diagrams. Perhaps it's not that big of a deal . Maybe it's just a matter of replacing part for part, but seldom am I that lucky. Are there any instructions, specs or seal installation?
 
as usual theres a great deal of info in the links
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/assets/p ... /39163.pdf

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette-te ... -3861.html

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1963-19 ... g-rebuild/

http://www.cssbinc.com/images/ads/howto ... ctions.pdf

http://tech.corvettecentral.com/2012/03 ... g-service/

http://www.vetteweb.com/tech/vemp_0907_ ... ewall.html



http://www.vetteco.com/catalog/index.ph ... cts_id=975

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corvette ... -1982.html
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Hitch over at CF posted this

Power Steering Control Valve leak and Rebuild
Well it seems that my vette has decided to start leaking this week. Well I looked under the car and it wasn’t where I thought the leak would be coming from. I found that the Power Steering Control Valve (PSCV) was leaking from the Ball stud dust boot. So this could only mean one thing.. The vee seal in the PSCV had torn.

I started by looking at getting a replacement but it seems that the only ones available are the crappo overseas crap. I looked into the vendor that John Hinkley recommended but that was still over $100 for a control valve. I called Corvette Stainless Steel Brakes and they had the rebuild kit for $21 and Tom was nice enough to give me a quick tutorial on rebuilding the PSCV.

I have read all of the horror stories of PSCV leaking after they’ve been replaced, rebuilt or even the new ones. So I thought what the heck it’s only $21 plus shipping. I’ve rebuilt about everything else on the car why not this.

I think the hardest part of all of this was separating the ball stud from the pitman arm. I know that I’ve read in the past that using a pickle fork is not a good idea on the PSCV. However I have tried my tie rod puller and there is not enough room so I had to use the pickle fork. If anyone has a picture of said ball stud separator that will fit in the confines of a midyear frame it would be greatly appreciated. The only way that you can effectively get to the ball stud to separate it with the pickle fork is to do as follows. Remove the four nuts that secure the Power steering ram and let it hang down. You will need to have the car up on jackstands as now you have to get under the car. Turn the wheels to the right so that the pitman arm is pretty much at the center of the car. Then place the pickle fork perpendicular to the control valve and hammer away. It is necessary to be perpendicular as this is the only way that the pickle fork is not binding on the hosing bolts.

psr1.jpg

Once you have the ball stud separated from the pitman arm now you can remove the four hoses from the PSCV. Now remove the bolt that secures the PSCV to the drag link. This will allow you to unscrew the PSCV. As you unscrew the PSCV count the amount of revolutions it requires to remove it. This is important as you need to match this when you put it back on. If you don’t you will have the opportunity to have the balance of the system off. Mine was 16 turns.

Now you have the PSCV off and on your work bench. Secure it in the vise and remove the dust cover from the end. There is an adjustment nut under the dust cap that is what controls the PSCV. When you remove this it is important that you count the revolutions also. Mine was 10 turns.
psr2.jpg

The reason that this is important is that when you get the system all back together this is what controls the centering of the system. Now you can remove the two bolts that hold the two halves together. I took lots of pictures as the Overhaul manual has a good picture but not good enough to see the items as I would like. I can see why so many guys have problems with this rebuild.


I cleaned up the all of the parts in my handy dandy plastic tub with some BrakeKleen as I don’t have a fancy parts washer yet. The rebuild kit that I received had all of the seals that I needed but one looked a little smaller and the original was not damaged so I reused it.

I did not take pictures as I rebuilt the ball stud side but I have the disassembly pics..When you seperate the two sides you first see this with a washer on top.
psr3.jpg

Now unscrew the ball stud adjuster nut.
psr4.jpg

Once you have that out there is a spring under it that you want the point end towards the ball stud cup.
psr5.jpg

The way I was told to do this was to stack the parts on the ball stud side of the unit and lower the hydraulic side down on it. Well in theory that may work but I found a better way. This is how it should look if you try to stack them.

Default Power Steering Control Valve leak and Rebuild
Well it seems that my vette has decided to start leaking this week. Well I looked under the car and it wasn’t where I thought the leak would be coming from. I found that the Power Steering Control Valve (PSCV) was leaking from the Ball stud dust boot. So this could only mean one thing.. The vee seal in the PSCV had torn.

I started by looking at getting a replacement but it seems that the only ones available are the crappo overseas crap. I looked into the vendor that John Hinkley recommended but that was still over $100 for a control valve. I called Corvette Stainless Steel Brakes and they had the rebuild kit for $21 and Tom was nice enough to give me a quick tutorial on rebuilding the PSCV.

I have read all of the horror stories of PSCV leaking after they’ve been replaced, rebuilt or even the new ones. So I thought what the heck it’s only $21 plus shipping. I’ve rebuilt about everything else on the car why not this.

I think the hardest part of all of this was separating the ball stud from the pitman arm. I know that I’ve read in the past that using a pickle fork is not a good idea on the PSCV. However I have tried my tie rod puller and there is not enough room so I had to use the pickle fork. If anyone has a picture of said ball stud separator that will fit in the confines of a midyear frame it would be greatly appreciated. The only way that you can effectively get to the ball stud to separate it with the pickle fork is to do as follows. Remove the four nuts that secure the Power steering ram and let it hang down. You will need to have the car up on jackstands as now you have to get under the car. Turn the wheels to the right so that the pitman arm is pretty much at the center of the car. Then place the pickle fork perpendicular to the control valve and hammer away. It is necessary to be perpendicular as this is the only way that the pickle fork is not binding on the hosing bolts.



Once you have the ball stud separated from the pitman arm now you can remove the four hoses from the PSCV. Now remove the bolt that secures the PSCV to the drag link. This will allow you to unscrew the PSCV. As you unscrew the PSCV count the amount of revolutions it requires to remove it. This is important as you need to match this when you put it back on. If you don’t you will have the opportunity to have the balance of the system off. Mine was 16 turns.

Now you have the PSCV off and on your work bench. Secure it in the vise and remove the dust cover from the end. There is an adjustment nut under the dust cap that is what controls the PSCV. When you remove this it is important that you count the revolutions also. Mine was 10 turns.



The reason that this is important is that when you get the system all back together this is what controls the centering of the system. Now you can remove the two bolts that hold the two halves together. I took lots of pictures as the Overhaul manual has a good picture but not good enough to see the items as I would like. I can see why so many guys have problems with this rebuild.


I cleaned up the all of the parts in my handy dandy plastic tub with some BrakeKleen as I don’t have a fancy parts washer yet. The rebuild kit that I received had all of the seals that I needed but one looked a little smaller and the original was not damaged so I reused it.

I did not take pictures as I rebuilt the ball stud side but I have the disassembly pics..When you seperate the two sides you first see this with a washer on top.
psr6.jpg


Now to get to that point I think the manual is a little lacking. Here is the order to build the hydraulic side.

This is the washer, seal and washer. Remember the seal lip goes towards the hydraulic side.
psr7.jpg

Then next add the spring
psr8.jpg

Then the valve reaction spool
psr9.jpg


Next you need to add the keeper.
Now unscrew the ball stud adjuster nut.
psr10.jpg

The other side of the hydraulic portion has the valve spool and adjustment spring. I used a little bit of grease to hold the spring inside.
Now unscrew the ball stud adjuster nut.
The other side of the hydraulic portion has the valve spool and adjustment spring. I used a little bit of grease to hold the spring inside.


psr11.jpg

This loads into the top of the housing.

Now that you have the ball stud stacked in the vise and you have the spool valve in the hydraulic housing you could lower it onto the ball stud side. Unfortunately I could not get the seal to pass into the hydraulic housing.

So I turned the hydraulic housing over and loaded the stack into it. You will have to apply some pressure to the seal to compress the spring in the spool. All the while working the seal into the bore. Then place the plate and thin metal gasket over top while still hold it down. Now with your thumbs holding the metal plate lower it onto the Ball stud side. Slide your thumbs out and you have now just joined the two sides. Easy not exactly but it can be done.
Once you have that out there is a spring under it that you want the point end towards the ball stud cup.
This loads into the top of the housing.

Now that you have the ball stud stacked in the vise and you have the spool valve in the hydraulic housing you could lower it onto the ball stud side. Unfortunately I could not get the seal to pass into the hydraulic housing.

So I turned the hydraulic housing over and loaded the stack into it. You will have to apply some pressure to the seal to compress the spring in the spool. All the while working the seal into the bore. Then place the plate and thin metal gasket over top while still hold it down. Now with your thumbs holding the metal plate lower it onto the Ball stud side. Slide your thumbs out and you have now just joined the two sides. Easy not exactly but it can be done.


psr12.jpg


The way I was told to do this was to stack the parts on the ball stud side of the unit and lower the hydraulic side down on it. Well in theory that may work but I
Just for reference here are all of the parts laid out like the Overhaul manual shows them.

psr13.jpg

The ball stud side.

psr14.jpg

The hydraulic side

psr15.jpg

The finished product.

psr16.jpg

psr17.jpg


When you have the PSCV reinstalled your ready to start the car right? Nope. Refill the PS reservoir and remember to remove the belt and rotate the pump backwards to prime it. I also move the steering wheel back and forth to get some of the air out of the system then run the pump backwards by hand again. Okay now we've got the reservoir filled and we are ready to start the car.

Now the manual says to disconnect the ram so the pump doesn't burn the belts and hurt something. Well I say I'd rather the ram jam the wheels verses the chance of it over extending and then I have to deal with that. I just made sure that I set the adjustment nut to 10 turns. This got me close. Make SURE THAT YOU KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU START THE CAR. If the PSCV is not center it will rotate the wheel violently. At first you only want to run the car for about 10 seconds to get some of the air out. The car is still up in the air.

Now if your steering wheel was spinning by itself you need to adjust the nut. Turn it one turn to see if when you start the car back up if the wheel will stay center if not you will have to adjust it until it does.

I doubt that I got it all but the Overhaul manual just didn't do it for me and I could not find a good write up here in the archives. Hope this helps someone save some money on a rebuilt control valve Dave
 
There's certainly much more than I ever expected to do with these parts! Perhaps some Bars Stop leak for power steering would save some time :lol: Just kidding folks!
 
I recently got asked if you can interchange power steering fluid and ATF fluid

THE ANSWER REQUIRES YOU TOO READ YOUR CARS SHOP MANUAL OR OWNERS MANUAL,

In most cases you ONLY USE POWER STEERING FLUID,
theres a VERY distinct difference, in some cases that can cause steering seals to slowly degrade.

Substitutes for Power Steering Fluid
Types of Power Steering Fluid

Transmission Fluid

Clean transmission fluid is red, but as it works through your car's transmission, it turns darker and maybe even orange. If you're having trouble accelerating, it is probably a fluid problem and could be because the car is leaking transmission fluid or the fluid level is low. Check the transmission fluid levels while the engine is running. Transmission fluid reservoirs are usually marked by a colored dipstick with a ring handle.
Power Steering Fluid

Power steering fluid allows you to easily change direction in your car. The fluid is usually clear, though it will turn red or brown over time. If your car is making whining sounds when you take sharp turns, it may be time to check the power steering fluid level. The reservoir is usually on the driver side of the engine. Check the fluid level with the dipstick while the engine is turned off. If you need to add fluid, don't overfill or it could spray over the engine when it gets warm.
Interchanging the Two

Some cars (Fords) use transmission fluid in the power steering because the fluids are essentially the same thing---hydraulic. Transmission fluid has a dye added so that it can be identified when checking for a leak. However, some cars (Hondas) require a special power steering fluid. Check your owner's manual to make sure there are no cautions against using transmission fluid for both the transmission and power steering.


There are many type of Power Steering fluid and many types of ATF.

What is important is that you follow the manufactures recommendations.

If it says PS fluid and says use ATF Dexton II then that is the proper fluid for your cars PS.

If it says PS fluid Toyota part number xxxxxxx. No subsititutes. then then proper fluid is the toyota part number.

WHY? The seals and hoses and design of the parts inside the pump and power steering box or rack and pinon unit are designed for a specific type of fluid. If the wrong fluid is used then the seals, hoses and parts will not perform as they are supposed to and will fail. That simple.
some info worth noting - according to Hydratech, an outfit that sells GM type hydroboost units - they say you should ONLY use real P/S fluid in a hydroboost. From their site: "OEM fluids from the dealer are the absolute best. You can use any type of commercially available power steering fluid that meets the specifications of your vehicle. You should not use any type of ATF as it may foam excessively when it gets warm"
 
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