Help !! Mercruiser Alpha 1 Generation 1 Power Steering Actuator

[lastblast]

I have a 1992 Searay that is in immaculate condition that has around 260 hours on it.

And then this happened, My Power Steering Actuator started to leak. I am guessing it is leaking where the steering tube connects to the Valve Power Body. On this version of the Power Steering Actuator these parts are separate but connected and it’s a moving part.

Here are my issues, I am guessing this is a Mercruiser Alpha one Generation one. I have looked over and over and over again and again and all I can find is rebuilding kits for the Mercruiser Alpha One Generation 2.

Preferably I wanted to just drop this off at the dealership that this was purchased 100 years ago at but they pretty much said “Sorry Charlie, no parts available for this and we don’t want to work on it”.

So after long hours of frustration and cursing I pulled it out, only to find out it didn’t even have the serial number that the shop said it would have.

Anyways, here are all the serial numbers that I have pulled off of the Stern Drive and the Power Steering Actuator.

958473 Actuator Unit

02013401 Valve Power Unit

00757192 Stern Drive

I would have loved to have mailed this off to some shop and have it rebuilt, but I cant find any shops that do this

I would love to find a rebuild kit (Seals) to have a Hydraulic shop rebuild it, but I cannot find anything on the Alpha One, let alone cross referencing on the seals I need.

Aside from just driving the boat without power steering does anyone have any input on this? I cannot be the only person that has had this issue.

 

[alldodge]

That is a Gen 2 Alpha, just the first run of the Gen 2's
The steering actuator
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/30858/1017/160

Serial number range 0D469859 to 0F679999
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/alpha-one-gen-ii-1991-1995-0d469859

 

[alldodge]

Could replace it with newer style but is costly. Used ebay one maybe?

 

[Lou C]

I have the same unit on my OMC Cobra, except it was painted OMC grey.
Guess what, the control valve is the same old Bendix type that was used on Corvettes and Mustangs, from the 60s well into the 70s (for the Corvette, till the '84 came out). The parts to rebuild the control valve (the part with the ball stud on it) are available, but if the hydraulic cylinder is leaking that I have never seen parts for. I replaced mine with a used ebay unit and it's been fine.

 

[lastblast]

That is a Gen 2 Alpha, just the first run of the Gen 2's
The steering actuator
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/30858/1017/160

Serial number range 0D469859 to 0F679999
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/alpha-one-gen-ii-1991-1995-0d469859

I have been to those sites and nothing is in stock. And the Unit that they are selling in exploded view for $1300 that looks like mine is different from the one that they show in their photos. Not sure if the one in the photo would work as a replacement.

 

[lastblast]

Could replace it with newer style but is costly. Used ebay one maybe?

Not sure if you have taken one of these out, but you dont want to take a chance on a used one. You need small hands like a child or a female yet the strength of an adult male to get your one hand in there to work on anything. No way 2 hands can fit.

When you say upgrade to newer one is there any retrofitting that needs to be done or is it just an newer style unit that fits right in.

 

[alldodge]

Not sure if you have taken one of these out, but you dont want to take a chance on a used one. You need small hands like a child or a female yet the strength of an adult male to get your one hand in there to work on anything. No way 2 hands can fit.

When you say upgrade to newer one is there any retrofitting that needs to be done or is it just an newer style unit that fits right in.

Yes, I have removed one while installed. Don't have small hands but this is a BBC so not much room but got it done

No expert but have not found any retro fitting needed. Remove old, install new and connect lines

 

[lastblast]

I have the same unit on my OMC Cobra, except it was painted OMC grey.
Guess what, the control valve is the same old Bendix type that was used on Corvettes and Mustangs, from the 60s well into the 70s (for the Corvette, till the '84 came out). The parts to rebuild the control valve (the part with the ball stud on it) are available, but if the hydraulic cylinder is leaking that I have never seen parts for. I replaced mine with a used ebay unit and it's been fine.

The Cylinder isnt leaking.
Any idea on which control valve, or is it any year from 60s to 84 that work.
I would like to rebuild the entire thing if possible so I never have to touch it again in my lifetime

 

[Lou C]

When I did mine I pulled both exhaust manifolds and the only issue was the cotter pins that OMC & Volvo used to retain the mounting bolts; Merc used a lock plate; not sure if they are easier to deal with. That & the 2 that are under the clevis. The 4 cotter pins from hell!
About the control valve call the places that sell them for Vettes & Mustangs & ask that question. My guess is they are all the same but I’m not an expert. The used one I installed is working fine….

 

[lastblast]

I have the same unit on my OMC Cobra, except it was painted OMC grey.
Guess what, the control valve is the same old Bendix type that was used on Corvettes and Mustangs, from the 60s well into the 70s (for the Corvette, till the '84 came out). The parts to rebuild the control valve (the part with the ball stud on it) are available, but if the hydraulic cylinder is leaking that I have never seen parts for. I replaced mine with a used ebay unit and it's been fine.

Did the back of your control valve look like this? If so what did you do to make it work? The other photo is of the corvette control valve.

 

[Lou C]

I replaced my whole unit with a used ebay one. Inside that control valve are seals that start to leak P/S fluid, one thing to keep in mind is that there is a grease fitting on the back side of most of those units. If you grease them too much it can make the seals fail inside. You only need a pump or 2 of grease to lube the ball stud inside. You might able to just replace the control valve with one from a Corvette or Mustang, as long as your hydraulic cylinder isn't leaking. The also sell rebuild kits for these, you can also take a crack at rebuilding yours....
The decision depends on how difficult it is to remove & reinstall the unit, if it is fairly easy to get out might try rebuilding it, if it is difficult might want to just get a rebuilt unit.

 

[lastblast]

I replaced my whole unit with a used ebay one. Inside that control valve are seals that start to leak P/S fluid, one thing to keep in mind is that there is a grease fitting on the back side of most of those units. If you grease them too much it can make the seals fail inside. You only need a pump or 2 of grease to lube the ball stud inside. You might able to just replace the control valve with one from a Corvette or Mustang, as long as your hydraulic cylinder isn't leaking. The also sell rebuild kits for these, you can also take a crack at rebuilding yours....
The decision depends on how difficult it is to remove & reinstall the unit, if it is fairly easy to get out might try rebuilding it, if it is difficult might want to just get a rebuilt unit.

I am almost 100 percent positive its the control valve that someone over greased. There is grease everywhere.
I was checking up on your Corvette suggestion and the problem I ran into was what is circled in the images attached. I was wondering if you where aware of this or if yours is different.
The 1st image is my unit, the 2nd image is a corvette replacement. See the difference?
Everything else looks like it would work and lines up accept the back mounting.
Am I missing something here?

 

[Lou C]

OMC Stern Drive Power Steering Cylinder Parts for 1988 4.3L 434APRGDP Stern Drive

Online inventory of OMC stern drive 434APRGDP power steering cylinder parts for 1988 4.3L stern drives. Buy a genuine OEM or aftermarket part.

www.marineengine.com

ok it does look like they are slightly different, here is one from an OMC parts source that is the same as mine (in addition to the used complete unit I bought, I have a spare one of these as well) I would think about buying this as it is brand new and will fit the unit.
It looks like Bendix slightly modified the automotive unit to work on a marine steering set up.
Alternatively you can upgrade to the later style (I think both OMC and Merc stopped using this set up in 1990) but new they are about a grand.
The other option is to try to rebuild your old unit using the internal parts in the rebuild kits you can buy, that is a lot cheaper than buying this new unit but you have to decide if you want to take the chance that you're going to get it 100% right the first time. It wasn't fun removing the unit on my boat, but I was able to get it done, the worst part was getting the cotter pins that held the mounting bolts in place. I had to use a cotter pin extractor and a small hammer to get those out. When I replaced them I greased the pins with OMC triple guard grease so if I ever have to get in there again, they will come out easily.

 

[floyd mason]

I have a 1989 Regal in great shape that has the 5.7 liter and alpha one stern drive. I also had a leak in the actuator that seemed like the leak described. The power cylinder ( the unit the high and low pressure power steering lines from power steering pump connect to) had two pieces held together with two 9/16” bolts. The lines where they connected weren’t leaking although that’s the first place to check. There is a gasket between the two pieces joined with the 9/16” bolts and the leak appears to come from the junction of the cylinder where the steering cable attaches and the power unit. Actually it is the gasket between to two parts of the power cylinder and it drips down across that junction.
The fix in my case was a 3/8” drive 9/16” socket on a long extension (which allows you to reach the bolts without removing the actuator lines) and a long 3/8” swivel ratchet (because you can apply more torque) and crank those bolts down tight (tighter than you can get with a standard length 3/8” ratchet. Apply some removable thread lock (permatex orange) to the bolts to keep them tight.
My theory is after years of movement and vibration the bolts loosened slightly or the gasket compressed slightly. Upon tightening these two bolts the leak which would amount to an ounce or more of power steering fluid for 4 hours of operation completely stopped. It is surprising how much mess an ounce or two of oil or in this case power steering fluid can make in the bilge.
You can check for the leak by placing paper towel just below the actuator and above the connection of the steering cable, and another below in the bilge or back of the boat. My leak would show on the towels without running the engine after about two or three hours. Use the same paper towels to confirm the leak has stopped.