Power Steering problem?? Troubleshooting??? Please Need HELP!!

[gonzalez3346]

HI,

I realize this is the best place to get a good advice.
I am in a jam with my 1994 5.0 Mercruiser Alpha I Gen II Engine serial number 0F132208 94 Sea Ray Sundancer I/O. I have just purchased this boat at the end of last year; I winterized and stored the boat for the winter season with no problems.
I have launched the boat a couple of days ago and I notice my steering wheel is hard to turn. I double check my steering pump fluid and is in the perfect line, I have no leaks and no humming noise coming from the PS. I double check the unit in the picture below and it seems to be greased at the correct points and show no signs of corrosion or leaks.
I then remove the clevis Pin B and turn the steering wheel both ways and it turn free and smooth as it should; without any problems. When I reconnected the pin it turns hard again. Could it be a bad P/S pump? How can I tell if the pump is bad? The drive belt looks okay, spins without a problem and I have no weird noises coming from the pump. I received a quote for a replacement pump and it cost about $600. I would like to hear what you think and what step should I take to diagnose the problem the least expensive way.

Is there a cross reference for my power steering pump? (Vehicle pump or generic pump)

16792A 1 PUMP ASSEMBLY



Thank you all

 

[gonzalez3346]

Any one??? please!!!

 

[JASinIL2006]

Might want to give folks a bit more time to respond... your first post was up for less than a couple of hours and I'm guessing most members don't yet know the forums are back up after being down for several days.

 

[pyrotek]

What if you remove the pin to the steering tiller arm to the outdrive? Does the actual sterndrive rotate freely?

 

[gonzalez3346]

I just removed the cable nut and the Clevis pin b. Completely removed the steering cable of the actuator. I turn the wheel left and right and it turns as smooth as it can be. I then clean with a shotgun steal brush the aluminum tube where the cable goes into. I grease the tube and put it back together. The cable and the aluminum tube had no corrosion and they both look brand new. What else should I do to diagnose the problem?

 

[gonzalez3346]

When I put it back together it came back to the stiff situation. What if you remove the pin to the steering tiller arm to the outdrive? Does the actual sterndrive rotate freely? I have not try to remove the pin from the tiller arm. What will that tell me???

 

[firel7]

Hello, I wanted to weigh in as much as I can. I am having a similar problem and think I might be headed in the right direction. My post is linked below along with the answers I have received. From all of the reading I have done the pumps failing is fairly uncommon. if the outdrive moves free when disconnected from actuator and the cable is free both when in the tube and when out of the tube it comes back to the actuator or the way the cable acts upon the actuator. This is where I am at and I have noticed that if I turn the helm rapidly that I do get some assist. Anyways I hope that will help to point you in some places to look or that my similar problem will help you find your solution also.

 

[pyrotek]

Im thinking you should be sure its not the outdrive that's having trouble turning. Assuming its not I think that points to the steering piston or hydraulics/pump. Im no expert just giving my opinion. Is it harder to turn with the engine off or on, or the same?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Most of those pumps are auto ones. just the cannistor has the return line located in a different spot. The return line fitting can be relocated .
Or if you cannistor is in good condition, remove yours and install on the new pump body.

 

[Bt Doctur]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=c5RaNn-fkQo

 

[gonzalez3346]

is hard to turn with the engine on and off. can the pump be bad??? how to test?

 

[dozerII]

Did you drain the water from the P/S cooler when you winterized? If not it may have colapsed and won't let the pump return.

 

[havoc_squad]

Did you drain the water from the P/S cooler when you winterized? If not it may have colapsed and won't let the pump return.

Wouldn't the PS cooler most likely have internal/external cracks caused by freezing expansion if that was the case?

There were a lot of instances this year where hard freeze and thawing occurred, I'd be expecting that thing to drip water like crazy or be dumping PS fluid into the seawater cooling system.

Either way, a low pressure line and high pressure line test with guages is probably in order.

If those test gauges aren't going to be ordered or already owned, it looks like a trip to the boat service shop is in order for diagnosis.

 

[NHGuy]

If you can disconnect the steering at the stern we would want to know if the cable is stiff, or if the drive is stiff to turn.

 

[gonzalez3346]

I will disconnect the stern this weekend. I will advise.