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Does anybody know what the correct power steering cap for '68 A-body with V8 looks like?
The '68-69 parts manual states that it should be part number 5692928, but I can't find any reference pictures of that.
There are two main styles I've seen, shown in pics below... they are either shiny metal with two "ears", or black corrugated plastic. The NOS black plastic one I have has part number 7803820.
Luke, I cant 100% guarantee, but I've seen both the metal ear type and plastic types on 68's that I believe to be original:
Metal Type - Chris Dreiling has a mostly original VERY early production Lansing built car (2nd week Sept 67). It also still has those weird headlight bucket gaskets, and the A/C vent in the center of the dash only has one longitudinal rib.
Plastic Type - My Hurst has this, and since just about everything else on the car is original I would believe it would be OE for my car. Obviously it is a late May build - maybe that explains the two listed - metal for the early production, and the plastic for the later ones. Where the change is - does the revision list in the PIM help?
The PIM (6-1, page 126) appears to show the metal two-eared cap on the drawing, but there's no notes I've seen about it, unfortunately. There's a pump assembly number (7801023 for A body), so there is likely another drawing for it somewhere that is lost to the ages... I may check my '69 PIM tonight to see if it has any more info in it, since the '68 manual is a bit thinner on engine info.
As I understand it, from experience, the '67 and earlier pump has the larger opening and takes the larger metal 2-ear cap.
The 1968+ pumps have a much smaller opening and can only use the smaller plastic many-ribbed cap.
I have not looked into whether the pump/bracket assemblies interchange, but I know the whole pulley set including groove to groove spacing for one pair of grooves changed from 67 to 68.
While not impossible, and I have not seen every such car, I think it is unlikely that a '67 came from the factory with the small top pump, or a '68 came with the large-top pump.
I opened my NOS plastic cap tonight, and it replaces with the 2 ear metal cap on my pump without issue (both are made for the same size reservoir neck). Both fluid level sticks are close to the overall same length, but the two ear metal cap says "full" about 1/2-3/4" lower than the plastic cap says "full hot".
I also confirmed that the p/s pump assembly in the '69 PIM is also 7801023 for F-85, though I don't see any details that would pertain to the assembly or the cap.
Thanks for all the input, guys... interesting discussion.
I opened my NOS plastic cap tonight, and it replaces with the 2 ear metal cap on my pump without issue (both are made for the same size reservoir neck). Both fluid level sticks are close to the overall same length, but the two ear metal cap says "full" about 1/2-3/4" lower than the plastic cap says "full hot".
I also confirmed that the p/s pump assembly in the '69 PIM is also 7801023 for F-85, though I don't see any details that would pertain to the assembly or the cap.
Thanks for all the input, guys... interesting discussion.
Luke, what is the date listed on 6-1 126.? Very interesting indeed. Again, I'm about 99 percent sure that Chris's is original to his car with the metal cap with ears - a likely leftover. I wonder what the pump assembly P/N is in the 67 PIM?
My 6-1 126 is dated Nov 11, 1966 for initial issue, with revisions up to K2 on 1-19-68 included.
EDIT: I checked my '68-'69 parts manual (effective Dec. '68), and it agrees with the PIM that 7801023 p/s assembly is correct for '68-69 F85. Per the parts manual, '67 would have 5698090 or 5699490 pump assemblies.
6.635 ― CAP, POWER STEERING GEAR OIL PUMP RESERVOIR 7803820 1966-71 ALL 6 CYL- OIL FILLER
3908539 1964-66 ALL V-8 - INCLUDES GASKET [SUP 5695670] 7808942 1968-70 ALL V-8 - INCL GASKETS [SUP 7802636-5692928-7802636]
7803820 1972 ALL - OIL FILLER
Now I'm wondering what the difference would be between the 6 cylinder and V-8 power steering reservoirs, and why the '72-up reservoirs use the same dipstick as '66-'71 6 cylinders... the NOS filler cap I have (7803820) is listed as a 6 cylinder cap or '72-up all per the catalog.
Last edited by 83hurstguy; April 28th, 2016 at 07:24 AM.
My '68, a Nov '67 Lansing car, has the small metal cap with the ears & a round plastic dip stick inside. It has a natural galvanized type finish just like the one in the engine pic from the '68 dealer brochure. It's much smaller than the '67 style. I've seen both kinds on '68s. My first '68, that I restored back in '78-'80 was an April '68 build & it had the round ribbed plastic cap.
THANK YOU for the photos. In all my travels I have never noticed a small-dia two-eared early 1968 PS cap. That factory pic has a whole lot of '68-only stuff.
Octania,your welcome!! don't know why it's sideways?? I flipped it before I uploaded it. You're right about the '68 only stuff in the pic. I've had allot of '68s over the years & I've never seen an oil filler cap like that one. I have the chrome '69 H/O repop cap from Fusick on mine but it's the same as my original painted one that has the "AC FC-60" stamped on it. I've had a couple of very knowledgeable Olds nuts tell me that the alt. fans on '68s were painted black,but the one in the pic is clearly plated.
I've been watching this thread since it was first posted. I didn't want to say w/o knowing for sure. A couple things...I have a cap removed from a 68 442 a wazillion years ago, it's a small eared natural metal cap. I'm fairly positive a 69 cap is plastic. You can't go by the parts books, some parts were superceded within 6 months. If you look at a 72 or 75 parts book, it will tell you what was available at that time, not the original 68 part, assembly manuals are best for that. I think there was a change even in the plastic caps around 71-72...the lettering or something. You can't really go by factory pics in brochures, stuff was enhanced in those pics and often the engine was from the previous year. That engine pic looks pretty good. Finally...I was recemtly trying to figure out my PS cap for my 67 GS. I spent hours + hours researching. On a camaro website, I found like a 10 page thread about caps, recalls and changes around 67-68.
I've always liked this photo of the New '68 350, and I've stared at it in the past, trying to pick up on the various details that it shows, but I will admit that I NEVER noticed the metal P/S cap until you pointed it out.
The pic validates another detail - whether that the P/S pulley nut should be "bright" or not. And it is not just for this publicity photo - the '73 Lansing big car assembly line photos show the same thing. Also, interesting on the stud bolt at the engine lift hook, and you can really see the offset in that water outlet.
Last edited by costpenn; April 28th, 2016 at 06:10 PM.
April 26th, 2016, 07:15 PM
