Got tired of the leaks, so I took the upper valve assembly off my power steering sector (68 charger). cleaned up and put back together...then it had no power steering at low rpms...rev it up and there is power steering. I loosened up the two bolts and tapped the valve assembly around a bit to try to adjust, which only accomplished breaking an ear off. So, I put on a whole new assembly that is super clean...still loses power assist at low rpms. strange in that it was fine before, just leaked. Pump seems to be circulating fine. 68 TRW pump.

any ideas guys?

thanks a bunch,
mike

Define low RPMs, my AAR will do it at times but only if it is about to stall 500 RPMs or less (still chasing a flucuating idle scenario).

i would say it is at a high idle ~1000 rpm. I removed the return line from the sector valve and there is no fluid shooting out until you rev it up. pump failure? but, it didn't do this before

Is it possible that the pump is actually a Federal unit...not a TRW ??
I ask because I had no lower(2000 RPM and less) assist on my '68 GTX and it was the pump. There is a big spring inside the pump that keep everything seated in the rotor/valve part of the pump.....and it had broken.
I can't for the life of me think how you could have done something to the box by removing the valve unless a piece of old o-ring fell inside one of the ports.
Usually you MIGHT have to tap the valve a bit either way to center it so there won't be any "self steer", but you shouldn't lose pressure.

trw pump like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mopar-383-440-42...de2&vxp=mtr

I took the outlet line off of the pump and it pumped pretty well at idle?

Exact same prob with my '68 Bee with a Federal pump. I swapped the Federal pump for a 69 Saginaw pump on my Bee & drove it for several years and never had a problem with it. Later, I rebuilt & restored the original '68 pump & put it back on & the problem returned. The vanes and springs seemed fine but the rotor slots appeared to be worn too wide. My theory is that the grooves in the rotor where the vanes ride wear out & get sloppy & it loses pressure. If if your car is a driver, I'd just bolt on a Saginaw pump & forget about it. If its a restoration, you may have to find a suitable donor pump for parts or have your machinist weld up the slots in your Federal pump's rotor & re-cut the grooves.

that was my plan...put on a Saginaw and see if it is fix...just odd timing for it to not work?

I did run the pump with outlet regurgitating back into pump reservoir, pumped ok, but kind or "spurty?" reved it up and made a helluva mess!