I bought a 1988 26.5' Crusisers Vsport 2660 two years ago. The boat has twin GM 350 Alpha 1 stern drives. It has power steering running off the starboard engine, although the other engine has the power steering pump mounted on the engine with fluid in it and the hoses are there but connected to each other so the fluid doesn't leak out (very clean, looks new)
The power steering definatly works, but it almost seems like some time it just quits working(very hard to steer) so I started doing some trouble shooting.
First I disconnected the steering cable from the steering arm (so the steer cable is free), another words I think it still runs through the actuator proportioning valve, but does not move the outdrives. The steering wheel spin's very easy.
Then I manualy pushed the outdrive from the outside and they moved reasonably easy also, I just leaned into them and they moved smoothly both directions all way.
So then I took a pair of vise grips and attempted to activate the proportioning valve to see if it would attempt to move the ram if I moved the valve, and it seemed to at least try to move the ram a little, but I felt that it wasn't quite right as far an steering assist system (not sure if I understand how it works, so I may have not given it an acurate test)
Finaly I swapped the power steering pump off the port side motor, but it did not make any noticable diffference in the steering.
Can the proportioning valve be rebuilt, or replaced?
Can the actuator ram etc. be rebuilt?
The power steering definatly works, but it almost seems like some time it just quits working(very hard to steer) so I started doing some trouble shooting.
First I disconnected the steering cable from the steering arm (so the steer cable is free), another words I think it still runs through the actuator proportioning valve, but does not move the outdrives. The steering wheel spin's very easy.
Then I manualy pushed the outdrive from the outside and they moved reasonably easy also, I just leaned into them and they moved smoothly both directions all way.
So then I took a pair of vise grips and attempted to activate the proportioning valve to see if it would attempt to move the ram if I moved the valve, and it seemed to at least try to move the ram a little, but I felt that it wasn't quite right as far an steering assist system (not sure if I understand how it works, so I may have not given it an acurate test)
Finaly I swapped the power steering pump off the port side motor, but it did not make any noticable diffference in the steering.
Can the proportioning valve be rebuilt, or replaced?
Can the actuator ram etc. be rebuilt?
