Mercruiser Power Steering Issue

[MarkMuck]

1997 Mercruiser / Alpha Drive / Hours Unknown.

My friends boat has lost power steering in this single engine boat. It worked fined last year. We fired it up for the season and it's not working. The pully is turning. There is fluid in it. It doesn't appear to be leaking.... New Pump? Can the old one be repaired? Are they expensive ? Easy to install? Thanks.. Mark

 

[j-d]

What is the condition of the Steering Cable? The one from the Helm to the Power Steering unit on the Inner Transom Assembly? If it is AT ALL STIFF, the Power Steering will not respond. Also, if the Cable has been disconnected or replaced, there are two wrench flats on the piece the nut tightens onto. Once the nut is tight, the flats have to be VERTICAL or again, Power Steering won't respond.

 

[littlebookworm]

If you check out all the components and then find the power steering pump itself is bad, you can buy a GM auto pump to replace it, either used or rebuilt. The only considerations are the hose angles, pulley diameter, and the American vs Metric threads. Match those and you're set. There's nothing marine about that pump. Hy

 

[j-d]

Hy is correct. It's a GM auto/truck pump, probably a "Saginaw." Pulley removal requires a special tool. I have one from Snap-On that's the three pieces in the upper left. The rest of the picture is the Pulley Installer part of the kit.

Usually a reman pump comes with the "installer" which in that case bears on a simple thick washer instead of a special ball bearing. Harder to use but works fine if you start and keep the press-fit pulley hub straight on the pump shaft. NO BEATING!!!
I just had the pump off our MerC (signature) which uses a V-Belt and yours might be serpentine. The pulley comes off/goes on the same way but the brackets might be different. I say "pump off" but the problem was the bolt that goes through the Alternator goes through that PS bracket too, and the steel bolt was stuck corroded in the aluminum alternator housing. I wanted to get the Pump out of the Bracket and leave it with the Boat while the rest (alternator and bracket) went into my shop. I found that I should have hacksawed the excess length of the two studs at the rear of the Pump off before I started the removal, it would have gone much easier. There are thick Washer/Spacers that adapt the Saginaw Pump to the MerC Bracket. I should have marked them, made notes, or taken photos. One or two go between Pump and Bracket, and another one or two go between Bracket and Nut.
My Prime Suspect, however, remains Stiff Cable.