www.iFourWinns.com

Hi,

Has anybody had stiffness in their power steering. I took my 8.1L 245 Sundowner for a bit of a cruise on Sunday and noticed that when I tried to steer to the left it was almost imposible. I had to struggle with both hands to turn it. Checked fliud level, that was ok as well as tension of belt. Steering cable is working fine as well.
Thanks

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Peter

2005 four winns sundowner
8.1L VP 375hp
http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/4winns/

As you say the engine is a 8.1, rather than a 496, I presume its a Volvo Penta you have. A simple thing first; are you sure the outside of the shift cable isn't binding somewhere in the boat/ where it goes through the transom shield? The shift cable is attached to the outdrive on the starboard side, turning the outdrive so the boat goes to the left means the shift cable is being pulled outwards from the boat.

More complicated; towards the end of last Summer the steering on my boat was starting to get heavy and there was a quite a loud squeaking sound each time the outdrive was turned. I checked all I could it whilst it was on the water and applied grease to the two pins, but I couldn't find anything obviously wrong. The transom shield on your 8.1 is probably the MHP type like on mine ( 2 anodes fitted) and a DPS drive, so maybe you have the same issue that I found (but strange it only happens when you turn left ).

I was recently doing the routine maintenence on the outdrive and noticed it was very difficult to move it and when it did move, it was squeaking badly. So, I've stripped the gimbal ring off the transom shield (technically very easy, but the VP manual is not quite right when it comes to the description of how to remove the ring from the steering arm; "lighly tap the assembly with a rawhide mallet " is a bit of an understatement regarding how difficult it was to remove!). There are a number of plastic shims at the lower pivot, ( one above the ring, more below) and a thrust ring / O ring at the top ; there was very little grease on any of them and the lower shims were quite scored. I'll replace them all when I reassemble it, which should sort out the stiffness/ squeaking. ( presumably it was more difficult to move the outdrive when out of the water as the bearing surfaces were dry, without even water to lubricate them).

Regards,

Graham

Hi,

Just had the power steering steering hydraulic unit changed on my 245 Sundowner. Was told that the old one had seized up due to salt water. Has anybody else had this problem, boat is only 3 years old and I find it strange that the unit should seize up. I am hoping the repairer, who is an authorised Volvo Penta dealer will be able to tell me if the unit was faulty in some way or another.

Happy boating everybody.

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Peter

2005 four winns sundowner
8.1L VP 375hp
http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/4winns/

If it's a DPS drive, the hydraulics of the power steering unit shouldn't experience any salt water as it's on the inside of the boat, mounted onto the inner transom shield! If the gimbal ring was getting stiff like mine did, maybe it put more load on the hydraulics, I wouldn't have thought it would be enough to wear out the hydraulics though.

If either of the 2 seals on the top of the outer transom had failed, salt water could get onto the steering arm/ shaft where it fits into the bushing/ bearing. It could then find it's way to the other end of the steering arm/ the end of the hydraulic ram, it's difficult to believe it could then get into the hydraulics.

It seems more likely the power steering unit was faulty.

Regards,

Graham

I agree.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I've been thinking about this; there is a way that salt water can get into the hydraulic oil; via the oil cooler. This is at the back of the engine and is raw water cooled. If it's leaking internally, salt water could mix with the hydraulic oil. If this is what happened then it will pretty quickly screw up the new pump as well! Might be worth getting it taken off and pressure tested ( easy access on a 2004/5 245 Sundowner with the 5.7 block, not sure about the big block).

Regards,

Graham

Thanks Guys,

I will be meeting up with the service person this afternoon to find out exactly what caused it to seize. He told me that he was going to dismantle the unit and have a good look at it.

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Peter

2005 four winns sundowner
8.1L VP 375hp
http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/4winns/

I received my bill in the post the other for the change over of my power steering unit.
Dealer (authorised Volvo Penta servicing agent) charged me AUD$385 for the replacement unit (which was not brand new) and AUD$1250 for labour (12 hours labour). I really think that 12 hours to take off unit inspect and replace with a reconditioned one is a bit too much. Would have thought about half of that to do the job.
The cause of steering unit seizing was due to salt water. He advised me to spray unit after each outing. I think that this is an issue that I should take up with Volvo Penta direct as this is not good enough for a 3 year old boat with only 122hours of use.
Any comments??

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Peter

2005 four winns sundowner
8.1L VP 375hp
http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/4winns/

I haven't had a steering ram replaced, but I'd think about 3 hours of labor ought to take care of it.

Spray it after each use? With what? Was the corrosion on the outside or the inside? If it was on the outside, how did it start there, since it shouldn't ever get wet? If it was on the inside, how is spraying it going to help?

I'm confused.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Hi Mike,

he told me to spray it with WD40 (lubricant). Corrosion could have been from salt water in engine bay.

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Peter

2005 four winns sundowner
8.1L VP 375hp
http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh117/4winns/

There shouldn't be any salt water in the engine compartment. I have a '04 Sundowner, there was an issue with rain getting in due to the poorly thought out design of the engine cover/ storage compartments ( when they filled with water, they overflowed into the bilge! The later mooring cover covers the storage compartments, so they don't fill with rain water. I don't know when this changed). I've sorted those rainwater ingress issues out on my boat. Those issues could conceivably allow rain water to drip onto the power steering unit, but it shouldn't cause such a corrosion issue to induce failure ( tempting fate, mine will probably fail in a couple of weeks!)

Regardless of what caused the failure, I would have thought a couple of hours would be more than enough to change it.

Graham

Yeah, 12 hours sounds to be a bit much, unless it is in a real bugger of a spot to get at. Even then, you could re & re an engine in that time...... Yeeesh!

Also, from what I understand, WD40 displaces water alright, but it is not the greatest corrosion inhibitor. I'm not an expert at this, but this is some info I have heard a few times in the past.

It sure wouldn't hurt to get in touch with Volvo, the worst they could say is "sorry it's out of warranty".

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

If it's like my '04 Sundowner, access to everything on the inner transom is very easy. If the engine lift cylinder is detatched from the engine cover by removing just 1 pin, the engine cover can be hinged open and then suitably supported in a vertical position.

Graham

I don't know if they modified it on later boats like your '05 model, but the '04 245 Sundowner engine cover does not have a seal fitted at the back; a very poor design, they could easily have incorporated a lip like there is on the other 3 sides of the opening to divert the water elsewhere.. Any water that finds it's way to that vertical gap goes into the bilge. Could be rain water running down from the cover/ engine hatch, could be salt water from tubes, people etc. I just checked on my boat, the power steering cylinder is directly under that gap, meaning it will get wet. Likewise the engine cover lift motor and a variety of electrical connections.

After the first season with a permanently wet bilge I fitted a foam rubber seal and a stainless steel rain gutter along the rear of the engine compartment, which drains any water that gets past the seal overboard. I also fitted drains in the 2 storage boxes in the engine cover, which feed water to the same gutter. Before that they used to fill with rain water ( because the '04 canvas does not cover the lids) and overflowed into the bilge

Graham