Abstract: An electromagnetic pilot valve cartridge which is directly mountable on a pilot pressure activated directional valve and which has a valve barrel for interconnection with a socket portion of a directional valve housing. The valve barrel has laterally disposed fluid communication openings respectively coupled to a pressure fluid passage and a drain passage in the directional valve housing. A pilot flow opening is disposed at an end portion of the valve barrel and is separated from the laterally disposed fluid communication openings by a seal ring, and a flow restricting device is associated with the pilot flow opening. The flow restricting device includes an end cap mounted on the end portion of the valve barrel and a flow restricting opening and an annular shoulder for axially supporting the seal ring.