A valve assembly comprised of a solenoid coil, having a coil bore, and being operative to produce a magnetic field when subject to an electric signal, a fixed magnetic pole piece within the coil bore, a generally cylindrically and axially translatable armature with a disc-shaped portion and an aperture therethrough, a valve base with a fixed portion over which the armature fits and forming a fluid cavity therebetween. The armature aperture allows a fluid to pass through the disc-shaped portion and into the fluid cavity to substantially equilibrate the fluid pressure on the armature in an axial direction. The valve assembly further includes a solenoid base which forms a chamber around the armature and a biasing mechanism between the magnetic pole piece and the armature which axially translates when the magnetic pole piece is subject to the electric signal, allowing the fluid to pass through the valve assembly in proportion to the electric current.