Mercruiser 4.3L stiff power steering

[poconojoe]

2003 Mercruiser 4.3L
My power steering seems a bit stiff lately. It is a struggle at idle. I had to use two hands. On the move I was able to use one hand, but it seemed tougher than normal. In retrospect, I don't think my wife would have enough strength to operate it. I checked the fluid and it looks just a little bit low. So little I wouldn't think it would be a big deal.
I did a search here and I'm confused on which fluid to use. Mercury trim and steering, mercury trim and steering synthetic or Dextron III.
In my searches here I saw a post about cleaning and greasing the ram. Anyone care to elaborate on this? Or any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Joe

 

[Scott Danforth]

start by disconnecting the tiller arm from the helm cable and see if the wheel turns freely, then disconnect the ram from the tiller arm, does the drive move freely>

 

[Bt Doctur]

http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Techbk/97/97hs5.pdf

 

[zellerj]

This happened to me a few years ago. There was nothing wrong with the power steering system. There is a tube behind the engine that is packed with grease, and a ram slides along inside this sleeve that pivots your outdrive. You maybe have to remove the ram from the sleeve (tube) and flush out all of the old caked up grease and put in fresh. Not a hard job - took me about one hour. This is suppose to be a yearly maintenance item - greasing the steering, but I had never done it, so now I keep an eye on the steering.

 

[poconojoe]

Thanks guys... I appreciate the help. Now if it ever stops raining I'll get out there and report back.

 

[poconojoe]

Hey guys, I'm still trying to isolate my cable from the steering valve.
Looking at the diagram posted by BT, my cable at the power steering valve looks different. It doesn't have the self locking coupler nut or the grease fitting.
There is a nut that has some caution inscribed on it. I can't quite read or figure what the caution might be. It's not like any cable connection I've ever seen. I don't understand where the actual cable is connected internally. At first I thought this was a hydraulic line.
So...do I just loosen the big "caution" nut? Why the "caution"?
And how does the actual internal cable connect?
I'm going to try to post a picture...

 

[poconojoe]

Here's some pictures...

 

[poconojoe]

Another question.... since I've owned this used 2003 boat for 5 years and it's my first boat with power steering, the steering was always a bit stiff. Now it seems worse. How easy should my steering be? As easy as a car or a bit stiffer?

 

[harringtondav]

With your '2003, I'm positive you have the "New Model" steering shown. Merc. dropped the grease fitting, and now states Don't apply grease. The nut at the end of the cable connects to the steering hyd. shuttle valve. The caution is due to the critical nature of getting this connection tight. You can do Scott Danforth 's test by leaving this alone, for now. The cable end is straight thru the cyl/valve, and is cotter key/pin attached. Remove this pin and check your steering effort.

I had your problem, and did this check, and it seemed OK, but I still had strong arm steering when attached. I changed my Teleflex cable. (I had to replace the cable + rack assy) and I'm now at little finger steering effort.

The cable sheath is attached to the spool valve with that 'caution' nut. The difference in the push-pull force between the cable sheath and the cable core on the tiller causes the valve to shuttle and add hyd. assist. Apparently my cable had enough resistance to negate this effect. Anyway, with a new cable, my son freaked out after it was changed, thinking the steering was disconnected - wheel effort was almost zero.

If you end up changing the cable, use a back up wrench on the flats on the the cable guide tube on the clevis side of the cyl/valve. Same when installing the new cable. Coupling nut torque = 35 ft lb

 

[zellerj]

Steering wheel should turn with one finger. I believe the ram and tube is on the starboard side of the boat. But yours may be different than mine - I am no expert. My experience is a N = 1.

I had a clevis pin and cotter key holding the silver ram to the steering yoke. I believe that this is how you disconnect to see if the outdrive moves easily, or the steering wheel turns easily as directed by Scott Danforth. . If the steering wheel is stiff, the tube that the ram goes into needs to be cleaned out of old grease. Unscrew the larger diameter nut that you took a picture of.and pull out the ram. That was my issue as described above. IF the outdrive is stiff you have other problems other than old grease making the ram movement stiff.

 

[poconojoe]

Thanks guys! Those explanations were exactly what I needed.

Wow! Now I think get it! The connecting end of the cable goes through the actuator and attaches at that pivot point. What threw me off was that ram looking section. It looks hydraulic in nature. Am I right by assuming it's just the actual cable end piece?

 

[poconojoe]

Oh, I'm also very relieved and maybe a little excited that the wheel should turn with one finger! Thanks for that mention guys!
Hope it's just the dried up grease situation...that would be nice...rather that than change the cable.

 

[poconojoe]

Holly hassle batman!
Must have took me an hour just to get that cotter pin out! I went through all different pliers, screwdrivers, etc. Jamming my arms in there...oh the woes of owning an I/O!!!! I gotta get me a set of angled needlenose pliers. Why an upside down cramped in cotter pin? A bolt with a nylock would have been much easier. Or just make that pin threaded on the end with a washer and nut.

Now I'm attempting to get that cable coupler nut off it's real close to the exhaust. I found the flat spots on the sleeve to place the second wrench. This thing is tight and it's about to rain. I'll get it off tomorrow with some sort of cheater bars.

By the way, with the cable disconnected now, the steering still feels tight. So I'm assuming it's either the cable or dried up grease packed in the sleeve.

To be continued...

 

[zellerj]

Any update? Did you figure out what the problem was?

 

[poconojoe]

Sorry all, I couldn't get that cable coupler nut off with the tools I had.
I had a big enough wrench to hold onto the flat spots of the threaded part, but none big enough for the cable sheath nut. I reluctantly tried an adjustable wrench, but it didn't have enough leverage.
I'm usually a stickler for using proper tools. I don't like using adjustable pliers, channel-lock pliers, etc. And always try to use 6 point sockets as verses those 12 pointers.
The largest wrench I had was 1 inch and that nut is a bit larger.
I ordered a set of large wrenches in standard and metric.
I'm a little concerned about breaking something since that nut is so tight.
I'll report back when I man up and just go for it. LOL!

 

[poconojoe]

OK, I finally got the engine side of the cable disconnected and pulled out. Unfortunately I believe the problem is the cable itself. It's still very hard to turn the steering wheel even though it's disconnected. There was no dried up grease or anything that I could see that would inhibit easy movement. I shot some WD-40 into the extended cable ram to perhaps free things up. I applied a coat of light oil on the moving parts and reinstalled it pending the purchase of a new cable.

 

[poconojoe]

Just to make sure it's the cable...I'm thinking to remove the cable from the helm side and check everything there.
it's rack and pinion and has tilt wheel.

 

[poconojoe]

OK, this saga is over! I changed the cable and the steering is AMAZING! I can literally turn the wheel with one finger! Night and day compared to having to use two hands to fight the wheel.
Just as a note for others in the future...
I ordered the kit which included the cable and the helm piece. I figured get everything new as to make sure there were no compatibility issues or in case my old helm piece was worn.
Now here's the catch...I HAD tilt wheel, but the new hem piece won't work with my old tilt option. The tilt option needs a special helm that has a hole on the end of its shaft. The new helm I got has threads on the end to connect directly to the steering wheel.
You can buy shim kits that will permanently angle your helm. They come in 10 or 20 degrees.
I'm still thinking of either using a shim kit or using my old helm and tilt option because the wheel is way too close to my thighs when sitting. Maybe I should just buy a new compatible helm for my tilt.
I spoke to Seastar (formally Teleflex) and the complete kit I bought only comes with the threaded helm. So I should have bought the cable and compatible helm separately.
Hope this all helps someone in the future.