Power Steering problem

[scoflaw]

Can you disconnect at the tiller arm? Start it up and try then.

 

[Wanderer 290]

Can you disconnect at the tiller arm? Start it up and try then.

I can. What will that indicate? I disconnected at the tiller arm a couple hours ago and the wheel spun freely..

update… disconnected at the end of the ram and wheel spins freely with engine running.

 

[scoflaw]

I thought you disconnected the cable from the ram. So if the helm, cable and ram move freely then there's only 1 thing left.

 

[Wanderer 290]

I p

I thought you disconnected the cable from the ram. So if the helm, cable and ram move freely then there's only 1 thing left.

I pulled the pin that connects the shaft with 2 flats to the tiller. I did not disconnect the cable where it attaches with the large hex nut.

 

[scoflaw]

Did you try it under engine power disconnected to eliminate a valve issue? If it's smooth it must be binding in your gimble, be my guess.

 

[Wanderer 290]

Did you try it under engine power disconnected to eliminate a valve issue? If it's smooth it must be binding in your gimble, be my guess.

I did as you advised and the wheel spun easily with the engine running and without the engine running.
Going a step further, I disconnected each outdrive steer pin where it connects the ram and linkage assembly and I easily moved each outdrive side to side by hand. so it is not in the cable and not in the gimbals.
Either the pump (both bad because I swapped pumps last year or it is the ram.

Thoughts?

 

[scoflaw]

So you have 1 good side and 1 bad side? You switched pumps with no joy, looks like it's pointing to the ram.

 

[Wanderer 290]

So you have 1 good side and 1 bad side? You switched pumps with no joy, looks like it's pointing to the ram.

Thanks for time.

 

[scoflaw]

hope you figure it out.

 

[Wanderer 290]

hope you figure it out.

Or learn to live with it. $1000 for a new actuator is hard to justify.

 

[scoflaw]

Or learn to live with it. $1000 for a new actuator is hard to justify.

If that's actually the problem, they rarely fail but..
Just to clarify, 1 engine is fine other is not?

 

[Wanderer 290]

If that's actually the problem, they rarely fail but..
Just to clarify, 1 engine is fine other is not?

SB engine has the pwr steering pump that supplies the actuator. Port engine has a pump but the hyd circuit is a closed loop. I suspect this is done because parts standardization.
Twin 5.7 efi’s, B3’s. 2001 290 DA

 

[scoflaw]

Yes I remember now, single pump, single ram with a tie bar to both drives. Being the cheap bastard that I am I would be looking for a cheap ram on Craigs, Ebay or other sites.