Mercruiser steering actuator replacement Crownline

[ibrw1]

I'm trying to replace my steering actuator in my 1999 Crownline 202 BR. I have the 2 hoses removed, the main bolt and the pin. All that's remaining is the steering cable, then HOPEFULLY it will come out. My questions are. 1. If everything is disconnected, will it come out. I hear one guy say with Crownline you must remove the engine. 2. Anything special about the steering cable? The entire cable is turning with the nut. I sprayed Kroil on it hoping to break cable loose from the nut. Any warnings? I found a guy on eBay that for 550.00 has new actuators. Mine leaks oil like the Valdez.

 

[alldodge]

You must hold the tube to remove the nut, see pic d.



Note when the cable goes back in, the slots must face vertical. Just slide the cable in a tighten the nut.

Don't know which one your needing (have not mentioned what drive) but it probably is 8M0063382 and they are less then $550

 

[Bondo]

1. If everything is disconnected, will it come out. I hear one guy say with Crownline you must remove the engine.

Ayuh,.... There's 2 bolts holdin' it to the transom plate, 1 pointed up, 'n another pointed down, in-line with each other,...

 

[ibrw1]

Argph. I guess one would assume that I knew what I was doing? and they'd be wrong. I'm glad you said 1 pointed up, 'n another pointed down, in-line with each other... that instantly gave me the information that I needed. Who ever designed this thing must LOVE building boats in a bottle. Which is why I work on boats with a bottle. Is there any truth in the statement "Its a requirement to remove the engine? I'm pretty sure I don't have too.

 

[alldodge]

You don't have to remove the motor but getting at the tabs and bending them out of the way is the problem. In the pic above it shows the two bolts which need to be removed. There ar metal tabs which are bent up against the hex head to keep it from turning. You need to be inventive to move the tabs away from the hex head. They are stainless steel and the bottom one will be the most difficult to move

 

[ibrw1]

Yeah, The top one was just about impossible to get to regarding tabs and the bolt. The bottom should just about do me in, Satan was a Mercruiser engineer! That pin with the cotter key. I would have used a bolt and thread it into the bottom. Lot of work, simple problem....

 

[Bondo]

Lot of work, simple problem....

Ayuh,.... If it were Easy,..... Everybody would be doin' it,.....

 

[Scott Danforth]

you dont have to remove the engine...... however it gives you much needed room to make life easier.

 

[ibrw1]

Thanks, insult to injury, last winter I had the intake and heads off. I was looking right at it and thought, I'll bet this will leak one day, thought naw, now I'm just throwing money in the boat.

 

[ibrw1]

Last question.
I found a new "in the box" replacement steering actuator for 129.00. Got the old one out. Best lubracant to reinstall? I read several people's comments with regard to Mercruiser lubricant issue. Just wondering if better stuff available. Anti-seize? Like that??

 

[ibrw1]

A - Quicksilver 2-4-C Marine
Lubricant with Teflon . . . . 92-825407A12
B - Quicksilver Special
Lubricant 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . 92-13872A1

Better? Or go with OEM?

 

[alldodge]

Manual shows to use 101 for install. IMO any good grease will work

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,... I have 2 grease guns, 1 with 2-4-C, 'n the other with Napa chassis grease,....

Either will work, but honestly, I'd probably use the 2-4-C for that app,.....

 

[ibrw1]

So I got the right stuff, I followed instructions as shown above, it's all done. Question, AllDodge posted a Mercruiser page above that says cable guide tube "D" must be vertical. And that's exactly how I left mine. BUT WHY? On the unit I took out, it was 90 degrees off of that. Anyway,Thanks for all the help!

 

[alldodge]

So I got the right stuff, I followed instructions as shown above, it's all done. Question, AllDodge posted a Mercruiser page above that says cable guide tube "D" must be vertical. And that's exactly how I left mine. BUT WHY? On the unit I took out, it was 90 degrees off of that. Anyway,Thanks for all the help!

Being 90 degrees out from vertical causes the ram not to work correctly.

 

[ibrw1]

What I noticed is fluid leaking into the bilge, the actuator was wet with power steering fluid. I think I had to hold steering wheel to port to go straight, like that?

 

[alldodge]

The leaking is a bad seal, the holding to port is most likely because the tube was not aligned. It set vertical to align the ports inside the ram

 

[mxcobra]

i need this thread for future reference thanks...

 

[ibrw1]

As always, great information. One thing old boat can do, FORCE YOU TO LEARN. Thanks everyone. All in all, once I took the back seats out, and the frame around the engine. It went pretty quick. I recommend attempting to perform this repair for anyone that can follow simple instructions. The replacement part was 129.00.

 

[ibrw1]

Still have a power steering leak. Boat has a significant water leak too. It can sit in water all week and the bilge is dry. Paid a guy to find the leak. Nothing. Now I still have power steering leak. It won’t go away. ALL HOSES and pump and ram dry. I read another post. They say O ring on Y pipe and leaky oil cooler. I agree. I’m going to pull 5.0 and replace with 383 stroker. While out, fix O ring and cooler/heat exchanger. Alpha 1 Gen 2. 383 HP will be 340 ish . Shower’s? Better gears for outdrive? I hear that I can take gears out, have them treated using cryogenic treatment will improve lifetime of gears. Anyone try this. Neighbor builds hot rods for drag strip. He says can’t hurt