2 CO2 worries!

I think my regulator is broken. I can't get it to set at a particular pressure; even with the regulator closed, the pressure (somewhat slowly) maxes out. I took it apart and noticed a leak around the central needle-valve. I fear it's busted. Can someone confirm?

So now I can't keep pressure on my fresh keg of brown ale. I have been pressuring it up to 15-20 psi and letting it sit in the fridge (cold aging). When I check the pressure 12 hours later, there is none. I've checked for leaks and can't find any. I hope that the beer is absorbing the CO2, but I don't know for sure. What's going on?

I hate to insult your intelligence, but is your tank full? I am sure it is. Do you get the hiss of CO2 rushing into your keg when you gas it? I had a bad valve on the keg once and my tank was emptied before I even noticed a leak.

As far as regulators go, the cheaper ones stink in my opinion. I was on a little kick once, where I sold a few beverage setups (including my good personal one). When I decided to replace it with a new one, I ordered a cheap dual regulator from a certain well known HB shop. They had to ship me three more replacements because the cheap gauges couldn't survive UPS. If you find that it is your regulator. Get a good one to replace it

I soaped all around the top, posts, and release valve of my keg last night and could find not even a slow leak, yet, I pressure up to 20 psi, and this morning it was below 10. Now, given this is the first week in the keg, so I'm praying that this is the beer absorbing the CO2, but I don't know for sure. Sux that I can't keep my CO2 tank on (G-D regulator).

I've given up on my regulator (POS) and will be purchasing a quality one asap.