Thread: P/S gear box question

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Typical day for a fellow working on his car.

I spent the last two weeks detailing under the hood of my 1980 Chev Malibu. Looks great! Engine, fan blades, pulleys, air cleaner painted, all new belts, vacumn/gas lines, brake booster/master cylinder, and brake lines painted (silver hammertone paint looks great), likewise on alternator. Inner wheel wells are plastic so they cleaned up nice using the Ducan plastic detail product. All ready for a picture....

So I decide to start the car up for a test, just to make sure I have no fuel, or vacumn leaks, all looks good. I decide to move the car into a spot for better light for the picture. Yikes! Power steering fluid is squirting out of the steering box. I get my face in there to see where it's coming from. There appears to be a very small whole in the casting, almost looks like it was meant to be there, perhaps as a bleed hole, or a vent hole?? It is about
1/16" . It is located on the back upper portion of the box (vertical portion), center.

Does anybody know if there is supposed to be a screw, or plug that fits in this hole, that I perhaps accidently worked loose, or knocked out while cleaning the steering box? It would have to be pretty small. I looked through my manual for any pictures of it, that might show a screw, or plug, but to no avail.

Help!

The hole I'm talking about does look like it was made to go there, just can't figure out if it's supposed to be plugged, or if it's a vent hole. If it's a vent hole. perhaps there is a seal leak internally that needs to be fixed, if not I cram a screw into it, or some JB Weld.

The tip of the pencil is resting in the hole, as seen in the picture.

Thanks for the response Denny. So I gather that you believe this hole to be a vent hole, rather than a hole that a screw or plug has popped out?

I will have to see if I can find what kind of steering box it is, before ordering the seal kit. I suspect that it is a Saginaw. Anybody able to confirm that?

My Clymer manual has nothing on P/S boxes, and is overall pretty useless, other than making me envious of what some of the H.P the earlier engines then mine turned out. I did order a service manual specific to the 1980 Chev models, from ebay, but it hasn't arrived yet.

Denny, Good call, you are 100% right! I am impressed!


I found a shop that specializes in rebuilding PS boxes. He also said that this hole was meant for a retaining ring release, and that the O ring is probably shot. As the box only has 60,000 miles on it, he said it probably would be worth doing a re-seal job on, but otherwise they don't bother with the retaining ring type steering boxes, only the GM 4-bolt style. The retaining ring type boxes have been known to leak prematurely, especially if they have been unused for any length of time, (as mine has). $150 will buy a rebuilt 4 bolt, with the proper idler arm, as the spline is different then my box. Decision time. Rebuild the old one myself or go to the better rebuilt box now...

Thanks again, Bill

I considered rebuilding the box, but after further consultation, I figured I don't want to end up with a leaking box again, in the near future, (or distant future for that matter ) I sprang for the rebuilt 4 bolt capped Saginaw. Apparently the spline on the pitman arm is different so they threw the proper one in for this box.

After screwing around getting all the right tools lined up for the job, (half SAE, half metric, what's with that anyway? ) I got the PS lines off, the bolt holding the column connector, and loosened the mounting bolts. I then undid the nut on the joint that holds the pitman arm to the track bar. Easy so far....

Now comes the interesting part . The fellow at Cancraft steering told me to give the end of the Pitman arm a good whack with a hammer to loosen the ball-joint on the track bar. Not possible, the end of the pitman arm faces the cross member. I figured I needed a splitter, but he said that they would just wreck the seal on the joint, causing more problems. I thought I could beat the problem by taking off the nut that joins the pitman arm to the steering box spline, and wiggling it off, then turn the pitman arm, so I could hammer the end of it to loosen it off the joint. Sure No way that pitman arm would come off the spline, its on there tight. Plus its very hard to apply downward pressure, or hit it with a hammer, because of it's position. so much for a simple change over..

So whats the trick?? Help... Do I need to buy a ball joint splitter, and risk tearing the seal, or is there another secret thing I'm missing...??

This is not my vehicle, but you can get the idea. This shows the pitman removed from the steering box spline. The other attaching point, (see grease nipple) on tracking arm is what I would really like to get off.

http://chevyhiperformance.com/techar...mage_large.jpg

This picture shows the pitman arm still attatched.

http://chevyhiperformance.com/techar...mage_large.jpg

http://chevyhiperformance.com/techar...mage_large.jpg

This is what I would like to see! (pitman arm removed from steering box spline) Apparently there is a "special" tool you can get for this. More $$.

The other end of the pitman arm joins at the tracking bar joint ( see grease nipple) is the other half of my problem, as I have to install the new pitman arm, that came with the new steering box. As I mentioned the spline is apparently different. If I could just get the tracking bar joint undone from the pitman, I could save the hassle of removing the pitman from the steering box spline altogeather, but this is the only way that I can turn the pitman on the joint to the point that I could give it a good hammer blow, which supposedly will cause it to release, from the joint.

Hold a big hammer against the other side of the arm when you hit it. That way you don't just move the arm. It more than doubles the force of the blow.

you need to put the arm back on the box, and then that will hold the arm when you hit it. with the arm hanging you want never knock it off,

Good tips! I'll try the double hammer trick, as I heard about that from a fellow today, who uses a body dolly, and hammer with success. Failing that, that tie rod puller tool might just be the answer. ( Is that joint a tie rod end, or a ball joint, or what is the proper name for it? It looks different than what I have seen a BJ or a TRE called... )

" They look at it as a sale" Good one Denny!

Be nice to get over this hump in the resto project, then at least I can move the car around. I spent tonight prepping the door trim panels for paint. They are the last of the trim items to paint. Next job is to find some headiner material to replace the old one. Already have the board out of the car, so things are looking up.

Soon it's off to the body shop for prep, and paint, then all that trim goes back in, if I can remember how..

It1s10..That is not a picture from my car. I haven't gotten that pitman to budge from the box yet, that's just an internet photo I found to give Denny the idea, of what I was facing.

Thanks for all the suggestions, and ideas. I finally got the stubborn s.o.b. to give up the fight. Now I have a nice new, tight ratio box in the coupe, system bled, ready to roll!

I ended up renting the 5 piece suspension tool kit from Canadian Tire. Only $229.00 ........Not if I return it within 3 days, all money is refunded. That's actually a pretty cool service for us home mechanics. It dosen't cost a cent. They have a whole chart of tools, that you can rent, for just about any ugly job that requires special tools. As I didn't need to save the Pitman arm, as the new box came with one, I concentrated on removing the pitman from the tracking bar joint. (Tie rod?)

For those working on the old GM G-Body cars, if you have to do this job, here are a few hints. Maybe it'll save you some sweat.

-lay the WD-40 to the joint you want to seperate.

-remove the P/S box mounting bolts except for the front lower one, just loosen this one, as it gives the box a point to pivot on. This allows the pitman arm to pop upward once the pressure is applied. ( All pressure lines, column rag joint bolt already off.)

-a tap with a hammer on the pitman arm helps release it once good pressure is on it with the puller. It seems to need it.

-to get the P/S box spline all the way into the rag joint, tap gently on the rag joint to allow it to slip over the spline. The rag joint tends to compress, and needs a little help. (This problem for a little while had me thinking I got the wrong replacement steering box, as the spline barely engaged the steering column rag joint, in spite of liberal white grease)

- When tightening the nut on the tracking bar tie rod, if the stud in the tie rod starts to turn, put a little pressure on the steering wheel, to force the pitman against the stud, so it just holds it. This stops it from turning, so you can tightening the nut. (Second person needed for this part). Once the taper on the joint starts to grab, it's pretty simple from there.

-RENT THE TOOL!! I spent two nights banging away with hammers, at one point using a sledge hammer and a metal bar to try and drive the joint out of the Pitman. Don't waste your time!

Originally Posted by Chev malibu

Thanks for all the suggestions, and ideas. I finally got the stubborn s.o.b. to give up the fight. Now I have a nice new, tight ratio box in the coupe, system bled, ready to roll!

I ended up renting the 5 piece suspension tool kit from Canadian Tire. Only $229.00 ........Not if I return it within 3 days, all money is refunded. That's actually a pretty cool service for us home mechanics. It dosen't cost a cent. They have a whole chart of tools, that you can rent, for just about any ugly job that requires special tools. As I didn't need to save the Pitman arm, as the new box came with one, I concentrated on removing the pitman from the tracking bar joint. (Tie rod?)

For those working on the old GM G-Body cars, if you have to do this job, here are a few hints. Maybe it'll save you some sweat.

-lay the WD-40 to the joint you want to seperate.

-remove the P/S box mounting bolts except for the front lower one, just loosen this one, as it gives the box a point to pivot on. This allows the pitman arm to pop upward once the pressure is applied. ( All pressure lines, column rag joint bolt already off.)

-a tap with a hammer on the pitman arm helps release it once good pressure is on it with the puller. It seems to need it.

-to get the P/S box spline all the way into the rag joint, tap gently on the rag joint to allow it to slip over the spline. The rag joint tends to compress, and needs a little help. (This problem for a little while had me thinking I got the wrong replacement steering box, as the spline barely engaged the steering column rag joint, in spite of liberal white grease)

- When tightening the nut on the tracking bar tie rod, if the stud in the tie rod starts to turn, put a little pressure on the steering wheel, to force the pitman against the stud, so it just holds it. This stops it from turning, so you can tightening the nut. (Second person needed for this part). Once the taper on the joint starts to grab, it's pretty simple from there.

-RENT THE TOOL!! I spent two nights banging away with hammers, at one point using a sledge hammer and a metal bar to try and drive the joint out of the Pitman. Don't waste your time!

the hammer should have got the job done. it's all in "the wrist."