Dry power steering reservior

I'm looking to purchase a 1997 Rinker Captiva 192 with a 4.3l merc i/o.

I went to look at it today and I noticed that during the inspection of the engine, there was no power steering fluid in the reservior. The owner said that he usually adds some every year. I thought that the power steering system is a closed system just like an automobile.

So I looked for any obvious leaks in the engine compartment. I could not find any. I had noticed that there was some oil residue in the engine compartment and in the carpet of the water ski compartment.

The boat had gotten some water in it during outdoor storage last winter, and the bow was lower than the strern, thus causing the water to end up in the ski locker.

He said that the marina that winterized the boat, and doesn't use a pump to change the oil, he uses a special "pan" to drain the oil out. Do you think that maybe a bunch of oil was spilled during the oil change and it was not cleaned up? Then when the water got in it from the snow this winter, the oil floated to the top when it melted? Then upon draining this spring, the oil spread all over every where?

What do you think?

Thanks Morty

P.S. Don S. My uncle lives in Ketchikan, his name is Stan Berentson do you know him?

Re: Dry power steering reservior

Run away from it.

Re: Dry power steering reservior

Sounds fishy... It could be the pump leaking,lines or steering cooler,who knows..It should not lose any fluid.Unless you are getting one heck of a deal on the boat i would keep looking.The fact the guy stored it with the bow down kind of shows that he doesn't take very good care of it..And a shop that gets oil everywhere and don't use a pump to extract the oil kind of makes me wonder.
Water sitting in the bilge all winter could cause rot,mildew and all kinds of bad things.

Re: Dry power steering reservior

Oh, I forgot!

Welcome to Iboats!!

Re: Dry power steering reservior

Re: Dry power steering reservior

Being stored bow down, oil in the bilge and now all over the place, PS leaks........ Walk away. Too many workable boats on the market to start with a dead one.

PS. Sorry, don't recognize the name.

Re: Dry power steering reservior

out through an improperly winterized or failing p/s cooler is another place p/s fluid can go without detection of the leak.