1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

[sitkamick]

I am not sure if this where post needs to be but I must try it somewhere. My engine is a 1985 Mercruiser 260 and I have been painting the engine as of late. I noticed that the fittings on the high pressure hose for the steering are badly rusted beyond sand blasting and I would like to replace it. The problem is, I have only been able to find the hose listed as 53-54" length, and mine is 64" long. Anyone have an idea where I might get a good hose with good fittings that would give me the length that I need? Both ends are different sized fittings and look like about 90 degree ells. After market is OK with me.

 

[alldodge]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

According to what I found for your boat the two hoses are 136 and 72 inch items 10 and 12

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...1077&bnbr=340&bdesc=POWER+STEERING+COMPONENTS

 

[sitkamick]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

Thanks AllDodge, I will check it out.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

Hey Mick, do yourself a favor and use flare nut wrenches on the hose ends. The smaller end especially can be rounded off.
BTW if you end up with any kind of leak in the power steering, the valve area can be rebuilt using discontinued NOS parts. I did my 88 power assist unit by looking up the discontinued part # in the Merc listing. Then I googled the part # and found a kit for $18. It's much better than replacing the whole thing for much more $.
The stuff in the box was a GM repackage with Mercruiser instructions in the outer pack and GM info in the inner bag. It turns out most of the power steering valve is 60's era Corvette/Pickup truck stuff!

 

[sitkamick]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

NHGuy,
Thank you.

The hose came off with no problem. The problem is with the ends. The fitting, steel tubing and the crimped area are all badly rusted. No leaks, but I want to replace them as I have the engine out to clean and repaint all components. I don't know what the thread sizes are but they have a small o'ring on each end and maybe I will have problems identifing them. I think that my local NAPA store can crimp hydraulic hoses, just have to find the right ends and then make the hose any length I desire. The cost of a new hose seems to be a bit high so I will try to make them here. Don't know just yet where I can find the new end fittings. Both ends are Male, and one is a bit larger than the other. Sure would like to know what the threads are. With the small o'rings I doubt if they are pipe threads.

 

[alldodge]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

NHGuy,
Thank you.

The hose came off with no problem. The problem is with the ends. The fitting, steel tubing and the crimped area are all badly rusted. No leaks, but I want to replace them as I have the engine out to clean and repaint all components. I don't know what the thread sizes are but they have a small o'ring on each end and maybe I will have problems identifing them. I think that my local NAPA store can crimp hydraulic hoses, just have to find the right ends and then make the hose any length I desire. The cost of a new hose seems to be a bit high so I will try to make them here. Don't know just yet where I can find the new end fittings. Both ends are Male, and one is a bit larger than the other. Sure would like to know what the threads are. With the small o'rings I doubt if they are pipe threads.

Correct their not NPT, they are a metric thread. Some time this year there was another thread with the same question but he wanted a tap to chase the threads. Don't take this as gospel, but he said the one he was looking for turned out to be 14mm x 1.25

 

[NHGuy]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

Take off the hose and match up the ends with a thread sizer. I see them at hardware stores etc. Or get the female of the same style and fit check it. If you are really not sure take home the ends and check them on your pump and rack before having them crimped up.

The hoses are $100 or so. That seems fair for a hose that can handle hundreds of PSI. Can you save enough by having one made to order?
Here's the part #90494. If you type in Mercruiser in front of it there are some on the net.

 

[sitkamick]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

There is no doubt in my mind that I can beat the retail price of the hose as long as I am able to find the crimp fittings. Hose of this size is relative inexpensive. Even at around 5-6 bucks a foot, it would be a easy fix. Thanks for the part number. For some reason I had a part number of 32-806222-16. Possibly the number I had is an older number?
I am not at all surprised that the threads are metric, thanks AllDodge for that. In the mean time, my search continues for the correct fittings.
Thanks to all for your help, I will keep you posted on the outcome, hopefully, it will be good news and of help to all.

 

[Walt T]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

You can have that hose matched up at any hydraulic hose shop. Parker hose is one I use out here in CO.

 

[sitkamick]

Re: 1985- 64" Mercruiser High Pressure Power Steering Hose

Well, after all the fuss, I sandblasted my old hose fittings and guess what? They look sound so I am going to prime and paint and put them back into use. After much searching for the crimp fittings with no success, I am happy to find out that my old hose wasn't as bad as I had originally thought.
Thanks again to all the folks that tried to help me with this problem. A great bunch of folks here on this forum!

 

[heykevin]

The fittings in my Mercruiser Steering Ram "new style without the external tubing" are "M14 X 1.25 O ring" and the return fitting is M16 X 1.5 O ring. I know this is an old post but this may save someone a lot of aggregation in trying to track down the fitting sizes. I was able to find them on eBay