Mercruiser power steering

[Rzvolensky]

You
I have a 1997 sea rat 210 with a 5.7l engine. I ran the power steering reservoir empty one outing. I have added fluid and turned the wheel lock to lock with the engine on and off. Problem is I can still move the drive by hand side to side with the motor off. I have read that you need to bleed at the helm. But I have a power assist system. Does it self purge over time. Or am I missing something. I have not identified a leak. But bgh I did find the oil cooler wet with a lose clamp on the return line.

 

[alldodge]

The standard Merc PS system self purges. Fire it up, go lock to lock a couple times and your good

 

[Scott Danforth]

just turn the wheel to bleed

if you find you need to rebuild the pump, rebuild kits for saginaw power steering pumps are $11

 

[Rzvolensky]

Ok. Thank you for the information. Should I be concerned of being able to move the drive by hand when the engine is off. Or will this remedy itself once it is fully bled?

 

[achris]

Should sort itself out. It's the actuator that locks when it's full of oil. It's the pump that burns up when you run it out of oil, so the only thing connecting the 2 is air in the actuator. ... But if you can't get rid of the air, it may mean the pump is not pumping oil, so it may be damaged. That $11 rebuild kit sounds good.

 

[Rzvolensky]

Ok. Thank you all. I will keep an eye on it.

 

[stang32]

if you stil have assist, the pump should be fine, turning the stern by hand out of the water is no indicastion of an issue, when replacing bellows, i often turn the drive by pushing or pulling on th gimbal ring and trim arms. sometimes it locks, sometimes it doesnt .i woudl be more concerned about where the fluid went. if you do not see it in the bilge look further. i had one last summer that the cooler had an internal hole in it and the fluid all pumped out into the coolant system. what a mess on my driveway. i added about 2 qts before i realized wher it was going.

this system uses a similar set up as the old 60's corvettes and mustangs. the actuator is there to aid in turning the wheel, not to actually turn it. as for bleeding at the belm, that is for the hydraulic steering, you have a mechanical
good luck,

 

[Bondo]

But bgh I did find the oil cooler wet with a lose clamp on the return line.

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,..... If the boat was improperly winterized at some point,....
The P/S Cooler freezes, 'n busts a tube internally, leakin' it's oil into the motor's coolin' water stream,....

You should pull it, 'n pressure test it,....