My Power Steering Control Valve blowed up today

Old Redneck

Old Redneck

Well-known member
And what a mess that makes I started backing out of the garage and the Power Steering Control Valve let loose. I called Hill's and they are back ordered, I half to get in line for one?I am going to take mine off tomorrow. Don't have any idea how much trouble it going to be. Today I was cleaning oil up off the floor. What a mess. I don't think this T-Bird likes me.
 
Old Redneck said:
And what a mess that makes I started backing out of the garage and the Power Steering Control Valve let loose. I called Hill's and they are back ordered, I half to get in line for one?I am going to take mine off tomorrow. Don't have any idea how much trouble it going to be. Today I was cleaning oil up off the floor. What a mess. I don't think this T-Bird likes me.
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Tell it if it doesn't behave you're going to put a small block Chevy in it.:cool:
 
Never heard of the control valve blowing up. One of the hoses, yes, but not due to overpressure, but because of old, worn and cracked hoses. Good idea to keep an eye on the main pressure hose from pump to valve every few years, especially for cracks in the outer rubber jacket. I just replaced mine last year. It was in real bad shape, but hadn't started leaking yet. Probably caught it just in time.
 
Old Redneck said:
And what a mess that makes I started backing out of the garage and the Power Steering Control Valve let loose. I called Hill's and they are back ordered, I half to get in line for one?I am going to take mine off tomorrow. Don't have any idea how much trouble it going to be. Today I was cleaning oil up off the floor. What a mess. I don't think this T-Bird likes me.
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Not sure what year car you have. So I will be a bit generic. I have PS in my 53' Merc. If yours looks like this (picture 1) then all you did is blow out the seals (picture 3).

You might want to read my prior post:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1429425#post1429425

Repair is a couple of hours after you get the new seals.
 

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Remove it, mail it to Larres Corp in Minnesota, watch the mail box and reinstall new valve. Read instructions on installation. Then read it again.
 
I have heard of them blowing. Mostly on streetrods with the T-bird rack The GM pump is a 3 lbs, and the ford pumps are setup for 2 lbs. At sustained high RPM I guess they can, and do blow.
 
Ole Don sounds like he has been there, and done that. Might be worth taking his advice.
 
Today I took the Power Steering Control Valve off the T-Bird. How did you clean IR? Gasoline or hot water. That about all I have to clean it. I don't have solvent like I did when I had the garage. Still have not decided where to send it to be repaired yet. Good thing I had Snap-on line wrenches. Not easy to get the lines off. Most of the conors rounded off.
 
They really don't get very cruddy except around the drag link portion where all that grease is oozing out. If I were doing it, I would just scrape off that excess grease, wrap the thing in newspaper, put it in a box and ship it of to the rebuilder. They will clean it properly. If you really feel you have to clean it yourself, you better put nylon plugs in all those holes where the hose fittings go before cleaning so that dirt doesn't get down into those threads and bottom of the pressure fitting. That would be awful hard to get out if you don't. Gasoline or paint thinner would be okay.
I would NOT dunk the valve in a can of gas. Dump a little gas in an old coffee-can and use an old toothbrush dipped in the gas to brush away dirt and oil. Finally wipe down the outside using a rag dipped in the gas.
 
Why are you cleaning it if it needs to be rebuilt? I would send to to Steer and Gear in Columbus OH and have them rebuild it. Around $200 and they will paint it very nicely for you after their rebuild.Just had them do mine. GREAT folks to work with and a job well done!
 
If I have to send out part for repair, I always clean it up, just to make it easier for the repair person, hoping that he will take a little extra care when repairing.


Do the same for parts I sell.
 
paul2748 said:
If I have to send out part for repair, I always clean it up, just to make it easier for the repair person, hoping that he will take a little extra care when repairing.Do the same for parts I sell.
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I'll be the second one to confess I do the same thing, just didn't want anyone to know I was so anal about handling and working on clean parts, unless somebody else fessed up first. Ha.
 
This is how the block looked, before I took it to the machine shop. I always clean everything before it goes out, if for no other reason I don't want the mess in the Jeep.
 

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I would not worry about getting anything in the hose holes.they will be completely disassembling it anyway.not anywhere for dirt to hide once apart.biggest thing would be draining the fluid out completely.
 
I would recommend LARES Corp , you can google the contact info. I have sent control valves and gear boxes and P.S. pumps to them over the past 20 years. Always top notch rebuilder and reasonable price. Quick turn around time too.
 
I have also used Lares before successfully for all power steering components and even had them rebuild a steering gearbox, but it's been over 20 years, so I can't testify to the quality they produce nowadays.
 
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