NO Power steering on 07 VIP boat

[Hok1964]

I just purchase a 07 VIP boat with 16 hours on the MerCruiser 3.0 Liter engine, I am having a problem with the power steering the boat is very hard to steer and feels like there is no power steering. I have checked the fluid level and the belt is tight on the power steering pump. I would find it hard to believe that the power steering pump or actuator is bad on a boat with 16 hours on it. Is there a steering cable I can check, If it was the pump or the actuator how could you tell which one was defective? Thanks for your help

 

[Don S]

Re: NO Power steering on 07 VIP boat

Hours doesn't mean anything on boats. Other than to tell you it sets around doing nothing most of the time, which is really not a good thing.
Remove the steering cable from the power steering unit on the transom shield. Many times the Stainless steel cable end corrodes inside the aluminum tube through the power steering actuator.