1993 7.4L/Bravo1 Power Steering

[FuelishBehavior]

My boat feels like it only has manual steering. I pulled the rack and the cable completely out of the boat along with the tube assembly (came of the actuator when I removed the nut) and really cleaned the tube and lubricated the cable and put back together. Rack and cable seem to work effortlessly. Re-installed on boat, still have stiff steering. No power steering at all. There seems to be a small PS leak somewhere because I'm continually adding fluid. There also seems to be a lot of play in that part that houses the steering tube on the actuator assembly that is held on by the nut that appears to be a hex head bolt. Any ideas on what is not working. I never hear any noise from the pump even when it appears low....seems to me that would be a good sign of a failed pump, but I'm used to pumps making noise when they're bad. The actuator is virtually impossible to change on this crownline due to room in the engine bay. How or how would one diagnose both parts...? Or is it possibly a clogged cooler? Any help appreciated, thanks!

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... To see if the pump, is pumpin', deadhead it into a gauge, 'n see what it's puttin' out,.... probably 1500/ 2000lbs, donno, look in the Manual,....

The Slop ya found in the actuator is the valve movin' with out hyd. pressure,...
When the cable pushes out the slop, the actuator Pushes too,...
Donno how to Test it, never had a bad one,...
I Do know the plumbin' fittin's changed on later models,... a couple times I believe,....
A cracked cooler, Could be where yer oil is goin',....
It's on the suction side(water) with a Bravo,...