Is this really a $70-$80 part and is it really needed or can I just seal it off? Original has been leaking vast quantities of PS fluid into my intake. Probably because I've mistakenly been using PS fluid instead of ATF. Just didn't expect it to be so expensive. At the local parts house it is $120.

 

The part is $63 (Dorman) at RockAuto, $91 (OEM) at http://www.toyotapartsoverstock.com/...rm=17630-16040 .

But if you've been using "PS" fluid instead of ATF, the remaining life of your pump is not very long. When I replaced mine, the reman from Autozone included the air valve. The pictures on their site now (and on RockAuto's) seem to imply that they come w/o the valve.

This is all the more important to you because an Autozone reman is only $60. If it were me, I'd drive to my nearest store and ask to look at the part. If it came with the valve I'd snap it up, and swap out the soon-to-be-dead pump you have now.

Is it really needed? Meh ... It will keep you from killing the engine when parallel parking. You could get used to keeping your foot on the gas.

 

I broke the air valve on my PS pump a while ago. No longer held a vacuum, but didn't leak fluid so I left it in and plugged off the vacuum lines. I haven't had any issues with the engine stalling while turning the wheel. Chances are if its leaking fluid into the vacuum system that it isn't increasing the engine speed anyway.

 

got one off ebay from a lexus for 20 bucks used.

All the same part on a bunch of yotas so you have a wide range of models to pick one from used..

LEXUS GS300 (1993 - 1997)
LEXUS GS400 (1998 - 2000)
LEXUS GS430 (2001 - 2006)
LEXUS GX470 (2003 - 2009)
LEXUS LS400 (1995 - 2000)
LEXUS LS430 (2001 - 2006)
LEXUS LX470 (1998 - 2007)
LEXUS SC300 (1992 - 2000)
LEXUS SC400 (1992 - 2000)
LEXUS SC430 (2002 - 2010)
TOYOTA 4RUNNER (1988 - 2009)
TOYOTA CAMRY (1985 - 1991)
TOYOTA CELICA (1986 - 1999)
TOYOTA COROLLA (1988 - 1991)
TOYOTA CRESSIDA (1989 - 1992)
TOYOTA LAND CRUISER (1998 - 2007)
TOYOTA PICKUP (1990 - 1995)
TOYOTA SEQUOIA (2001 - 2007)
TOYOTA T100 (1993 - 1994)
TOYOTA TERCEL (1990 - 1994)
TOYOTA TUNDRA (2000 - 2006)

 

I ran my 92 for three weeks with duck tape over it until the part showed up. New part showed and didn't notice a difference.

Only difference is WITH the part - when the power steering system is under load the motor revs higher for more power to the power steering.

WITHOUT - idle stayed the same under load.

 

I replaced mine with a used part I found on ebay for $20. It may not be working perfectly because when I turn the wheel while stationary I do not notice any increase in RPM's. However, this valve does not allow the fluid to leak into the intake so all of the exhaust smoke has ceased. Hopefully, this will increase my gas mileage as I was only getting about 10 mpg. I figured out that I was losing a half pint of steering fluid into the intake manifold for every gallon of gasoline I burned. No wonder it smoked so bad.