Power Steering - Air Control Valve --

[Neofate]

Heya,

Well spent the better part of this afternoon working on the PS systems. Removed the Solenoid again, cleaned screen.. Replaced it.. and tested function with 'on' on key. It clicks, so it is opening I suppose.

Then I removed the undercarriage engine shield... (Lots of bolts on that thing)

Got up into my ACV idle valve on the PS pump. Pulled the two vacuum hoses off it.. and then pulled them out and off the intake up top.

I've plugged/capped the intake where they went in.. and I went to Adv. Auto Parts and got what was said to work.

A 14 x 1.5 Bolt with washer(gasket type). It was labled as an oil pan bolt.

Anyhow, it was the right size, but the thread pattern is slightly different, no visible to the naked eye in general, but when you put it on, it only goes a 1/4 way then it stops. It is eating up the threads if you were to try and force it. (It also uses a 5/8'ths) to maneuver. I didn't trust it. So I went back, of course they had nothing that would fit the 'Metric thread'..

I went to Lowes.. nothing.

Home depot, nothing.

Hardware stores all closed on me.

So My car is jacked up awaiting an answer.

Hrmm -- I've heard some people took their Valve and ripped the black part off and somehow sealed the end of that bolt and used it as a cap.

I wouldn't mind doing this as it obviously fits.

Anyone mind telling me how to go about doing this with the regular ACV valve. I don't want to break it where it can't be used for the purpose, and would like to know what to do to seal it. Because the center is a valve.

I have access to a welder and other tools. How is it done to turn this valve into basically a regular bolt to seal the hole?

Seems easy enough, just need to know a good procedure for getting it solid. Leaving it as is, and say capping the nipples on the back wouldn't do any good, it would just leak I'm sure, and its under high pressure.

Any and all tips/answers, and if anyone has created a plug out of their ACV valve that would extremely helpful.

If no one has any idea,.. then where can I find this plug? I need to find it tommorow somewhere. The auto parts stores don't have it. And frankly I don't know what to 'ask' for -- What I have 'looks' like it fits,.. but its a thread pattern thing.

I have Adv. auto parts, autozone (same chain I think) -- Westwood (only one store).. and Napa around here. I didn't find one hardware store anywhere close.. they've all closed down.

Thanks!

[Neofate]

Anyone? I'm going to be doing this modification of the ACV into a plug in a 2 hours or so.. so any quick replies would be most helpful.

Just to give you an idea -- The ACV looks like this,..

So I basically want to remove that plastic/black area.. and make the bolt/nut part of this a plug. (This bolt is hollow inside with the valve stem) --

Ideas would be great, I have a few of my own, but would aprecaite any of yours. I will get it one way or another --

Thanks

[Haylands]

Anyone? I'm going to be doing this modification of the ACV into a plug in a 2 hours or so.. so any quick replies would be most helpful.

Just to give you an idea -- The ACV looks like this,..

So I basically want to remove that plastic/black area.. and make the bolt/nut part of this a plug. (This bolt is hollow inside with the valve stem) --

Ideas would be great, I have a few of my own, but would aprecaite any of yours. I will get it one way or another --

Thanks

Just a thought how about, weld up the open end of the threaded portion and reinstall....

Pete

[Neofate]

Just a thought how about, weld up the open end of the threaded portion and reinstall....

Pete

I did that -- Except on the other end.,.. basically I did what I had in mind...

** I welded the opposite end (in pictures below) -- because with the Mig welder, I didn't want to get an uneven tip on the threads at the end where the threads 'start'. I had alot more room to work with on the back to plug.. if you know what I mean. The tap, and 1/4" bolt section in the center was most likely unnecesssary, I like that it is connected to the weld, and gives it a little more integrity and , well, is there :) -- Its a truly custom bolt hehe.

I pulled my solenoid out, and dissassembled -- Cleaned screen, put back o-rings.. put it back on. (Fluid dropped from it)

Then I pulled my ACV valve. I took it and fabricated a leakproof plug out of it :)

I used a vice to split the plastic around the back of the bolt. Got that housing off. Was left with all metal, back end looks like a dish/soup bowl. I got a pin and knocked out the center valve from the open bolt.

Then I tapped half the bolt from the back end with a 1/4" tap. Sawed about a 1/4" of a 1/4" bolt (no head) -- Cut a notch in it.. and used a flat head to screw it in and flush it with the back.

Got out my welder and tapped it 3 times,.. and there is no way is it leaking from the internal.

On external, I wrapped it well with teflon, and I seated it in the PS AVC slot.

Might not look pretty, but this is the final product:

--Back end (weld)

--Side view

--Front view where it goes into house.. (hollowed out bolt)

--Then as I carefully threaded it into the not so convenient slot

I thought it turned out well.. zero dollar fix :)

Though as I mentioned I pulled the solenoid, that ACV, plugged, -- Capped vaccum lines in two different ways.

Then flushed 4 quarts of ATF through the PS system off the return hose.

Reconnected everything.. and filled up the reservoir, and started it up.

It made a horrible, HORRIBLE clanking/gear grinding kind of noise. At first I was like oh no.. give me a break! What on earth could have happened!

But, I Just said to myself.. keep bleeding it, add fluid, bleed and so on.

As I turned the wheel and came back to look at the reservoir.. it was foaming like a milkshake, and big bubbles would form and pop -- Rediculous amounts of air.

Took quite a while to get it right.

It kept on doing this noise for 30mins while bleeding.. wasn't looking good... but I kept on.

As I went from lock to lock.. the wheel would actually shake on one side. --

Finally,.. magically.. it just stopped. Like a snap of the finger -- And it was done. Like I got one major air bubble out somewhere.

I continued to bleed 100 more times or so (lock to lock). Then lowered it down and turned some more, and topped it off with fluid.

It all works like it should. Of course time will tell for good -- but so far it looks great.

So if you ever take off every piece of your power steering system basically,.. expect the potential for a TON of air -- I can't believe air was making the pump sound like it was literally about to shatter to pieces! I've never heard of such.. but it settled down to perfect.

You ever heard of one acting like that and bleeding getting everything smooth again after 30-45mins?

[Bigste]

Glad you sorted it Neo. Hate to say it but the first reply to your last thread said air in it for sure. I TOLD YOU SO. There, I said it. It is amazing how hard it is to get the air out but at the end of the day it costs nowt except time. You done yourself a favour by welding up the acv. Give us an update in a week or so.

[Haylands]

Neofate

Well done, perseverance won in the end, that looks a very nice street you live in, where abouts in the US are you... I'm writing this from Yorkshire and we have 6inches of snow on the ground at the moment.... A powerful rear wheel drive car is no good in the snow..... even the traction doesn't help much...

Pete

[Neofate]

Neofate

Well done, perseverance won in the end, that looks a very nice street you live in, where abouts in the US are you... I'm writing this from Yorkshire and we have 6inches of snow on the ground at the moment.... A powerful rear wheel drive car is no good in the snow..... even the traction doesn't help much...

Pete

Air was in the system after I finished with it, thats for sure. Now if air was causing the problem of ZERO power steering unless I was going relatively fast.. (and then I couldn't tell) -- I don't know. Ultimately what I did worked.

However, I did notice after 2 hours of driving today, back in the driveway at home, it made a slight moan (subtle) when at idle when I parked and turned the wheel side to side to check. *That was my original problem with the old pump,.. a moan at idle and low speeds,.. that fixed itself with just a few hundred rpms of rev* -- That might be coming back.. hrmm. Pump is different this time, so shouldn't that rule out a pump problem? Could it STILL have air in it? I can't think of anything else it could possibly be. It functions fine though. I anticipate on cold startup it won't make any , even, subtle noise.

Also, my pulley on the PS pump wobbled severely on the old one. The new one it STILL wobbles, just not as bad. So I suppose the same pulley was used on the new pump. Given that scenario, is it likely the pulley is simply bent in some manner? Not likely the new pump has a bent shaft or bearing like the old one could have had. This any worry? Could it be causing any issue? Can I take the pulley off and bend it back? Or have a machine shop get it straight again?

Anyhow.. to your question.

Yes it is a great neighborhood and city to live in.

I live in Alabama. But more particularly, Birmingham, AL. Best place in the state without a doubt. Doesn't have your typical connotations 'Alabama' is associated with.

If you go to Alabama for anything, go to Birmingham, Huntsville, or Montgomery (in that order) if you are passing through. ;)