Sever power steering engine load and operation question

[Jschoenherr]

Hello all. I've been fighting a power steering issue forever. Decided to tackle it this month be rebuilding my actuator (which I believe I did correctly) but it still doesnt work right. Moving the lever in any direction does nothing. If I loosen or tighten the adjustment nut it will extend or retract the piston so I "centered" it so it doesn't push in or out. Installed in the boat and turning the wheel does not seem to affect the position of the lever on the arm. Is that normal? No assist and stuff steering as I feel I have to fight oil moving through the actuator. At full throttle the boat shakes and I feel like I get 50 percent power at most. I then pulled the belt off of the pump and engine operation returned to normal with stiff steering. I then pulled one of the power steering lines off of the actuator to let the oil out of the cylinder and the steering was way easier to turn (like normal with no power steering).
does any one have any clue what's going on because I'm at a loss.
Thanks for any input. Boat is now functional but no power steering is tiring after an hour or so.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Whatcha workin' on,..??..?? Boat is alittle vague,.....

 

[Jschoenherr]

Oh my goodness I'm sorry I missed that. Boat is a 1988 Chaparral 198xl with a 4.3 merc and an Alpha1 outdrive

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... What "Lever",..??

Did you get the wrench flats on the tube, dead vertical,..?? it effects the valvin',.....

 

[Jschoenherr]

My tube does not have vertical floats

 

[Jschoenherr]

I think it was the later models that had the vertical flats on the cylinder if I recall correctly.