Mine usually leaks a few drops on the garage floor between drives. However, a couple of times, it has leaked quite a bit out (1 - 2 ounces?) after a drive. I cleaned everything off, fired up the engine and waited for a leak to start. Never saw a drip. Drove a few miles, parked up on my ramps, took a close look and fluid was VERY slowly forming a drop on what is either a bleeder or a grease fitting on the control valve. Anyone know which it is? Is this common? Ideas?
Thanks!

OK, I'm not an expert, so I don't want to assume that what I am looking at is the control valve. It is the cylinder with a rod coming out of it that connects to the tie rod (?) and extends or contracts to provide the power assist.

first thing I check is to see if there is pipe tape on high and low pressure hose fitting threads..

if not clean the threads and use pipe tape.. often this will fix "mystery" leaks..

|UPDATED|5/25/2004 9:56:07 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

I had the same problem. Couldnt find the leak to save my life. Changed out the control valve and works fine now. Just dont forget to bleed the power steering sys.
Glenn

How do I bleed the PS system? Is that fitting on the control valve a bleeder or grease fitting? It has a little ball in the end like a check valve. That ball is what appears to be leaking.

I'll probably be looking into a new control valve later today...

That part is a grease fitting, not a bleeder. There is no bleeder. Then normal function of the pump and operation of the steering will cause the power steering to self bleed. All you do is turn the wheel full lock to lock several times with the engine idling. If it was very low, turn the wheel back and forth with the engine off to prevent foaming. Then start and shut off the engine, fill the fluid, and repeat until the fluid stays up, then turn lock to lock. If the fluid is foamy, let the car sit until the foam is gone, then start the engine and turn lock to lock again.
If you are just topping off fluid, just drive the car.

The grease fitting in for the end of the control valve. The pitman arm (steering arm from the gear box) must be able to move the valve slightly, and therefore must move, so it lubed, like anything else. It should be lubed everytime the rest of the front end is lubed.

The fluid at that point is either a leaking hose, hose fitting, or from your discription, the control valve leaking into the pitman arm area. This typically leaks from movement, where the line or fitting leaks all the time.

Since the amount leaked out really varies from time to time, think I can assume the control valve needs to be replaced entirely, instead of something simple like putting plumbing tape on the fittings and retightening? I'm thinking a certain position of the valve must be opening up the "flood gate", while it is normally not too bad. Seems like if it were a fitting, it would be pretty constant. Make sense before I order a control valve?

I'm having a very similiar problem, however mine is leaking all the time and getting worse. I cleaned the control valve and the surrounding area really well, then checked all the hose fittings. I added power steering fluid and waited and sure enough it is still leaking. The drips are coming from the bracket right below the Pitman Arm and when I lubed the Zirk fitting it started spitting out fluid badly. I don't know much about these valves but I'm assuming there is a seal between the power steering fluid and Pitman Arm grease reservoir that is broken and the fluid is leaking from the grease boot. I'm thinking it's valve replacement time. Anybody got a better idea?

chesh said: Since the amount leaked out really varies from time to time, think I can assume the control valve needs to be replaced entirely, instead of something simple like putting plumbing tape on the fittings and retightening? I'm thinking a certain position of the valve must be opening up the "flood gate", while it is normally not too bad. Seems like if it were a fitting, it would be pretty constant. Make sense before I order a control valve?

the reason i suggested this is that it is cheap and easy.. it is always a good first test.

pressure does vary based upon steering position... dont you think the pressure at the fitting varies also??

if the valve is open there is more pressure and a slight leak on the fitting might leak more.. with the valve closed it might just trickle.

it cannot hurt to clean it up real good and take an 8 inch strip off a 33c roll of pipe tape and give it a try before spending quite a bit more money on a control valve..

I honestly do not know what to tell you except I have replaced the control valves on each of my three C3's at least 2 or 3 times and each still leaks every spring...

After driving 200 miles or so they each stop leaking...
some company a few years ago sold valves with aircraft
seals installed they were supossed to cure the "winter" storage problem... BUT did not...

I just gave up the last 5 or 6 years and fill the pumps every spring and drive a few hundred miles...end of problem...

Bob Griffiths