Help with Power Steering Leak

[Don Z.]

Hello:
Need some ideas as to what my problem may be. Over the course of the summer I have had a few drops of power steering fluid on the floor after my car sits for a week or two after driving. I recently put the front end on jack stands ( not to high) for a few days to do some work. About the 2nd or 3rd day I looked under the car and there was a puddle about 4"-5" dia. I checked everything. The pump, hoses connections, cylinder all dry. It looked like it had come out of the valve. There is what looks like a grease fitting on the valve and it looked as though it came from there. The valve is newly re-built about 2-3 years ago. Is this the problem? Any help appreciated

[John H.]

Re: Help with Power Steering Leak

There is what looks like a grease fitting on the valve and it looked as though it came from there. The valve is newly re-built about 2-3 years ago. Is this the problem? Any help appreciated

Probably. That fitting is only used during assembly of the valve; most rebuilt valves include a warning card or stamp that says not to grease it or the valve warranty will be void, or there's a plug there instead of the grease fitting.

[Jim S.]

Re: Help with Power Steering Leak

The early control valves had a zerk fitting and a seal on the ball stud that had a nipple with a purge slit to allow excess grease to leak from the seal cavity.

Later valves eliminated the zerk fitting and were "greased for life." The purge slit was also eliminated.

Today we have old valve housings with zerk fittings that are being rebuilt. These valve also have the newer stud seals without purge slits. So it is possible to add grease through the zerk fitting to one of those valves and over pressurize the grease cavity. This pressure can rupture the ball stud seal and it can also damage the lip seal inside the valve and cause a power steering fluid leak into the grease cavity.

Jim