'72 power steering control valve leak

[Tom L.]

Went for a ride this week and found a puddle of power steering fluid under the car the next day. After cleaning, running and looking at it carefully, it seems to coming from the ball stud boot. I've looked at some of the vendors kits as well as tutorials on rebuilding these and it looks fairly straight forward. One thing I don't see is any seals in the articles or kits that would prevent fluid from leaking from the ball stud. Is this correct?? Do I just need a rebuild kit? Thanks!!

[John H.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

Went for a ride this week and found a puddle of power steering fluid under the car the next day. After cleaning, running and looking at it carefully, it seems to coming from the ball stud boot. I've looked at some of the vendors kits as well as tutorials on rebuilding these and it looks fairly straight forward. One thing I don't see is any seals in the articles or kits that would prevent fluid from leaking from the ball stud. Is this correct?? Do I just need a rebuild kit? Thanks!!

Lynn -

The control valve pressure seals are all internal to the valve; the rubber boot on the pitman arm stud is to keep dirt OUT, not to keep fluid IN - it's not a pressure seal. The rebuild kits include all the internal pressure seals, and the external stud boot.

[Michael G.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

Went for a ride this week and found a puddle of power steering fluid under the car the next day. After cleaning, running and looking at it carefully, it seems to coming from the ball stud boot. I've looked at some of the vendors kits as well as tutorials on rebuilding these and it looks fairly straight forward. One thing I don't see is any seals in the articles or kits that would prevent fluid from leaking from the ball stud. Is this correct?? Do I just need a rebuild kit? Thanks!!

Rebuild kit will get the job done. Very straight forward project. Pay attention on disassembly and of course.............reassemble in reverse order.

[Tom L.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

Thanks, Had a feeling that a simple rebuild is all it needs but I was just curiuos as to why I only see fluid coming ot of the ball stud area, s this common? . Is that a sign of worn ball stud parts or something more significant. Thanks!!

[Tom L.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

One more question. I checked the judging guide and it indicates that the dust cap for the adjustment screw should have an "X" on it. Mine has the "X", but should it be painted like the valve or should it be natural? The JG doesn't say specifically. Thanks!

[Michael G.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

One more question. I checked the judging guide and it indicates that the dust cap for the adjustment screw should have an "X" on it. Mine has the "X", but should it be painted like the valve or should it be natural? The JG doesn't say specifically. Thanks!

Natural..............

[Joe L.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

Thanks, Had a feeling that a simple rebuild is all it needs but I was just curiuos as to why I only see fluid coming ot of the ball stud area, s this common? . Is that a sign of worn ball stud parts or something more significant. Thanks!!

Lynn-----


There are two basic component parts of the control valve assembly, the VALVE and the ADAPTER. The VALVE is the part which has power steering fluid coursing through it. The ADAPTER is the part with the ball stud attached to the VALVE. Except for grease to lubricate the ball stud, the ADAPTER should be "dry". However, if certain seals are worn or fail in the VALVE, fluid will leak into the ADAPTER and, consequently, leak therefrom.

[Tom L.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

That's what I thought after looking at the information I could find, thanks for the clarification Joe.

[Jim S.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

I am quite sure that the valve and adapter was painted as a completed assembly. Therefore the end cap would be painted black not natural finish.

Jim

[Dick W.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

I am quite sure that the valve and adapter was painted as a completed assembly. Therefore the end cap would be painted black not natural finish.

Jim

Jim, that would be the norm in most cases, but I have never seen an original cap painted. With that said, there are a lot of cars I have never, or will ever see. I am wondering if the centering adjustment was done after paint and then the cap installed then?

[Jim S.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

Well Dick, you have seen a lot more C2/C3 control valves than I have. So I can't dispute your comment on unpainted end caps. That would mean that the end cap would have had a zinc type anticorrosion treatment.

I am not speaking from direct first hand knowledge. However, the Saginaw assembly drawing shows the cap installed on the valve and adapter as shipped from Saginaw. I am also sure that the valve was function tested and balanced at Saginaw before painting and shipping to St. Louis or Bowling Green. Not that we always shipped perfect parts, but I would have expected the valve to have been shipped in a balanced condition. All of this would mean that the assembly was shipped from Saginaw with the cap installed and the part painted.

FYI, On 4/10/1964 the the assembly drawing was revised to add the "X" to the cover. The 7816806 valve and adapter assembly drawing has a cap with the notation "C" on cover for identification purposes only. No way of knowing exactly when the "X" was replaced by the "C". The 7825636 valve and adapter assembly has a revision dated 7/20/77 where the "C" was removed from the cap.
Jim

[John H.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

We did the subassembly of the control valve to the power steering linkage along with all the hoses and fittings, power cylinder and the pitman arm in an off-line bench fixture in which we also bled and leak-checked the system, and balanced the control valve before installing the assembly on the chassis. The cap was black, just like the rest of the control valve - the operator used a flat screwdriver to remove it, and a plastic mallet to re-install it.

[Dick W.]

Re: '72 power steering control valve leak

We did the subassembly of the control valve to the power steering linkage along with all the hoses and fittings, power cylinder and the pitman arm in an off-line bench fixture in which we also bled and leak-checked the system, and balanced the control valve before installing the assembly on the chassis. The cap was black, just like the rest of the control valve - the operator used a flat screwdriver to remove it, and a plastic mallet to re-install it.

Thanks John, I guess the plating/coating on the cap kept the paint from adhering to it.