Hi everyone. I've had a early 1960's IH 340 for a few years now that slowly leaks what looks like hydraulic fluid from the power steering box.
I can see signs of leakage from the oil seals on the steering arm shafts, the shaft adjusting screws, and where the steering valve meets the main steering gear housing. its a mess. it runs down everywhere.
Is there supposed to be hydraulic fluid in the steering gear box? Or the steering shaft 'tube'?

I'm looking at a parts manual and it looks like hydraulic fluid should only be in the steering valve near the top of the steering wheel and the power steering cylinder. Guessing I've got a leaky valve. maybe it's getting past some of the O-rings below the steering valve and leaking down the steering tube, into the steering gear housing?

I have the I&T shop manual and it sounds like doing anything with the power steering valve or gear is a major job. How that valve works is still a mystery to me. I'd like to replace those O-rings below that steering control valve but worry that I'd screw up the steering when I re-install.
Steering works just fine, it just makes a total mess anywhere it's parked.

Anyone ever serviced one of these units themselves? Can you get the valve off without removing the whole unit?

Thanks for any ideas.

My 340 has a slower seep than what you are decribing. everytime I look at what it would take to get in there and fix it, I decide it isn't worth it yet.

take pictures as you go in there and make some notes.

According to my 340 manual the original PS lubricant was 3 1/2 pints of Hytran, which is about a 20w oil, or "worm gear lubricant", which I take for 90w. In my mind that option would suggest just about anything works. My outer oils seals were leaking as well, and I'd read that using corn head grease would reduce leakage considerably. Corn head grease is a light lubricating grease, lighter than bearing grease. I believe corn head grease is a #1 grease, while regular bearing grease is #2, but my memory may fail me on that.

I learned the hard way that tapping the end of the steering shaft while trying to remove the steering wheel with a puller at least on the 340's PS is very likely to push out an expansion plug, and quickly drained the PS housing. Faced with that dilemma, I pumped in 2 1/2 tubes of JD corn head grease, the leaks stopped, and PS works fine.