Hard steering on 1991 maxum force 120 l drive

Halfton89

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Dec 2, 2016
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6
Where do I start of its not my steering cable? Do I take power head off and leg? First boat and I didn't realize the steering was so tight? Any help would be greatly appreciated
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
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Welcome, try spraying with WD or any silicone spray the steering cable where it exits the steering tube.
Also on the base of the steering yoke is a grease fitting. Look up the parts diagrams and find these places.
The grease has been in the yoke for a LONNNNNG time.
You might want to take a propane torch and heat the area around the yoke to make it easier to add grease.

​Force used press in zerks for adding grease on these motors.
If you aren't careful the new grease will hit the old solid grease and push the zerk fitting out.
​Then you'll be tapping holes.

​Some steering cables have an adjustment screw on the bottom of the bezel on the dash??
 

Halfton89

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Dec 2, 2016
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Alright great! I will be home in about a week and really wanna tackle this. Do you happen to know if the gas is gravity fed to the engine? Presvious owner said he had issues with getting gas from the tank to engine. And rigged up an outboard gas tank to it any ideas?
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
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No gravity feed.
​It's possible: the tank is full of CRUD? Or, Ethanol has destroyed the hoses? Or, the fuel pump is no good?

I don't want to rain on your parade BUT the L-drive was only made for a couple of years.
Poor engineering and now lack of parts and people who will work on them have seriously hampered the fixing of the L-drive.
​You might be lucky and have a good one that has never had any troubles.
​But don't give up!!
We'll try to help as much as we can.

Do a compression and a spark test before you do anything.
Check the oil in the drive.
There is a slotted screw on the side of the lower unit.
DON"T touch this.
The drain plug should be an allen headed screw on the very bottom.
 

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Halfton89

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Dec 2, 2016
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6
I have done a compression. Test on all 4 cylinders all were 155 I drained the oil out of the lower leg and it was milky but the screw was not tight when I took it into the water. What would be the best way to clean it out?
 

Halfton89

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Dec 2, 2016
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Also I took the screws off the top of the tank there was wired and stuff but i though it would be for the gas gauge I saw nothing that looked like a pump
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
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On my last post it looks like some of the words didn't print??
It was supposed to say the pumps on the motor.

Clean out what?
​You need to figure out what's wrong.
​IF?? it's running on a spare tank?
Then the pump is probably good.

You need to see if the tank has gunk or the lines are bad??

​The thing with the wires is for the gauge.
​But it's also where you'd clean out the tank.

Pull the sending unit and look inside the tank.
Look at the sending unit for rust or corrosion.
If it's bad? then the pickup tube could be clogged??

​The hoses are 25 years old and need t be changed.
Get Ethanol resistant hoses.
Change the squeezie too.
 
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