Engine stalls turning left at idle.

[84EdH]

My boat stalls, or nearly stalls when I turn the steering wheel full left. While at low engine idle, when turning left just before you reach the limit of turning range, you can hear the engine start to labor, then stall. It has done this for a couple of years. I have learned to back off full turn while docking but this is annoying.

My engine is out of the boat and I have easy access to the steering apparatus now so I am hoping someone can help.

1979 Mercruiser with pre-alpha drive 228 Mercruiser setup.

also, with drive off and engine out, I can turn the steering by hand (with effort) if I push the gimbal ring back and forth. Doing this I noticed the ring assembly will turn farther left than right by an inch or so......is this normal?

 

[CV16]

Re: Engine stalls turning left at idle.

Hmmm, my dad has a 1980 228 and has the same problem. I'll be watching this thread

 

[84EdH]

Re: Engine stalls turning left at idle.

I have had no input to this problem. My thoughts are that the pump doesn't know which way it is turning......problem is probably in the steering cylinder or valve. can this be tested?

also, should the gimbal ring turn farther one way than the other, even with the drive off?

need help

 

[84EdH]

Re: Engine stalls turning left at idle. I still need help with this please

Re: Engine stalls turning left at idle. I still need help with this please

Re-stated. 1979 228 Mercruiser with pre-alpha drive.

The power steering pump labors at low idle when drive turned completely left. This can sometimes stall the engine. This only happens at low idle, as when docking. Only turning left.

My boat, underway, turns way more sharply to the left, than to the right. I have noticed the gimbal ring turns more to the left than to the right, even with the outdrive off. I wonder if the travel of the steering mechanism turning LEFT is greater than what was intended? Can this be adjusted? Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Ed

 

[firstboatbuild]

Re: Engine stalls turning left at idle. I still need help with this please

Re: Engine stalls turning left at idle. I still need help with this please

Power steering pump si going bad or one of the cylinders has more resistance than the other so the pump need more pressure to turn left and when the engine is at idle does not have the power so it stall out . May also be some crub the the line to the left cylinder.

 

[84EdH]

Re: Engine stalls turning left at idle.

I dont think the pump is bad, it works perfect in all other situations. More pressure in one direction than the other.......maybe.....what to do?

some crumb in the line? maybe........what to do?

I still would like to hear from someone that has installed steering in boats....it seems there must be a way to make the amount of turn left and right equal.......I still am leaning toward the greater amount of travel to the left, by the gimbal ring putting the mechanisms beyond there intended travel distance left.......how to know? how to adjust.

thanks for thoughts about it, but I still am looking for how to actually diagnose and solve this trouble.