I have a 70 Cougar. The short hose from the control head to the cylinder is leaking. I installed a new one but it still leaked. I replaced it with another and it still leaked. Replaced the cylinder with a rebuilt one. It quit for about 30 days and it started leaking. Turned the hose end for end and that did not help. Here is my thought. Years ago I thought you could get new seats that set in the bore of the cylinder holes. I think on all of the cylinders that have had the hoses on and off a number of times tend to seat the brass against the steel seat deeper until you run out of threads on the flare nut to seat it tighter? I have tighten it as tight as I can but it is for lost cause. I have heard of string on the flare nut to take up the gap to stop the leak. Any help on this?
Yes, there are supposed to be seats in there. You thread a screw in and then you can pull them out.
Sealing the threads is not a solution. These lines are sealed between the flare at the end of the hose and the conical seat.
I thought they had replaceable seats, but it had been so long ago that we did that I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or really did it. This goes back to the early 60’s on the full size cars. Where do you think a guy could find some? Thanks for making me fill I can remember back that far.
I didn’t see any on the WCCC catalog page. I found some here: https://www.dallasmustang.com/parts/steering/power-steering-control-valves/power-steering-control-valve-tube-seat-set-1967-1970-5-16.html
To Scott’s (sfhess) comment: I took this to mean that you put something between where the flare nut seats on the rear of the tubing flare and the rear of the tubing flare, thus making it push the flare further in for a given depth on the flare nut. A flare nut spacer if you will. Never did it, never heard of it, shouldnt be necessary but I assumed this was what he meant.
Many people put silicone or Teflon tape on the threads of the flare fittings, believing that such will prevent leakage.
Yes, I have heard of such practices and yes, that doesn’t work at all!
Before you try to remove those conical seats and have perhaps a bigger mess than you have now, go to a hydraulic hose shop and get a “SeatSaver”. It’s a thin fibrous conical seat. Do the cheapest and or easiest thing first although removing the original seats is pretty easy. Put just a dab of trans fluid or light oil on the tubing nut so as not to install the threads dry. Use the proper tubing wrench and snug them up. Don’t put a breaker bar on that wrench.