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I replaced my leaking power steering control valve with a rebuilt one from Willcox in May. It's already leaking about a pint of fluid every few weeks. After six months this shouldn't be an issue, but it is. Do these things just leak no matter how many times you switch them out? I shouldn't have to run to the store for more fluid every two weeks. This car is an 80 daily driver. I really don't want to buy another control valve and be at the same point a few months down the road. The one from Willcox replaced my leaking one from Rock Auto that went to crap after a year or so.
In the picture below you can see fluid dripping from the control valve where the gold strap is located. This picture was taken about 20 minutes after I cleaned the control valve and all hoses to determine where the leak was originating. The car was not started after cleaning the hoses and control valve, but fluid is dripping already. I did not fill the reservoir with fluid so the drip is not from that. The pump is also fairly new and it's still dry along with dry hoses.
I just replaced mine recently. Hopefully I don't encounter the same problem. How much grease are you putting in? That grease nipple only gets about 1/4 pump. I've heard of people who put a full pump into it, and that causes problems.
Yep, they leak.
I replaced mine twice...first one came with a leak built it.
I now tore the whole assembly out and went with Steeroids.
I am a programmer, I have two rules and the second one applies to my car as well.
Rule 1, Let the machine do it.
Rule 2, I don't like doing things twice.
Once it leaked the third time, I applied Rule 2 to my car.
My local shop put 4 rebuilts in before they got one that didn't leak. I had it back in the shop a couple of weeks later to replace it again. The fifth one has been in about 6 months, hasn't leaked.
They aren't hard to rebuild yourself and you know the saying: "If you want it done right, do it yourself." If you can remove/install the valve, you have the ability to rebuild it also.
I just replaced mine recently. Hopefully I don't encounter the same problem. How much grease are you putting in? That grease nipple only gets about 1/4 pump. I've heard of people who put a full pump into it, and that causes problems.
I don't know about the rebuilds from other companies, but the control valves from Lonestar Caliper come pre-greased. If you grease one of Lonestar's PSCV's, it voids the warranty. This is spelled out right on the box.
Lonestar's PSCV's come with a 5 year warranty, and I've had very good luck with them. I don't recall any being returned because they were leaking, but I have had a couple come back that people had trouble centering. Lonestar's are rebuilt in their factory in Texas, not overseas like most of the ones out of regular auto parts stores.
11-10-2016, 01:57 PM
Another leaking power steering control valve
