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Hello all, I have a 2001 Horizon 190 with the 5.0 Lt Gi and Volvo SX drive.
The issue I have is occasionally when turning to the right the power steering sticks until you have to pull fairly hard on the steering wheel and it all of a sudden lets go causing the boat to veer sharply to the right.
It doesn't do it all the time and seems to happen after you have been steering fairly straight and only have had to move the steering wheel slightly to either left or right that there is a restriction and doesn't want to turn.

The Power Steering pump has just been replaced. The steering cable is free. Turning left to right, lock to lock without the motor running is free and seems to help for a while after the motor is turned on so I'm not sure if there is an air lock developing, or whether the control valve in the power steering unit isn't returning to the centre??

Also not having had a stern drive before only a centre mounted inboard with a rudder I would have thought the steering would be a bit lighter. I don't expect it to be able to be turned with one finger, but a bit easier than what it is. Maybe the 2 problems are from the same issue.

Any thought's before I start pulling the Steering Control Valve/Cylinder apart.

Robert

Never had that one...that is a puzzle.

I would first make sure nothing is dragging or getting caught on the steering mechanism behind the engine, including the control valve mechanism, which moves with the steering linkage.

I also wonder about the steering pivot bearings in the gimble. It sound good that you can steer lock-to-lock with the engine off. What would happen if someone stood on the outdrive (engine off of course), and you tried to steel lock-to-lock. It should be a harder to steer, but not extremely hard.

The control valve seems to be a simple and reliable device. Have not heard of having to replace one, but anythings possible.
Airlock does not seem likely, because a couple times lock-to-lock should have pushed all the air back to the reservoir.

_________________

"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Sounds to me like the seals around the steering cylinder are worn. I say this because you mentioned it was a little better when warm. If you can remember the issues Genital Motors was having back in the 80's with power rack and pinion doing the same kind of thing when cold. We in the business called it "morning sickness".

When warmed up, the seals expand and fill the void. You wont see any leaks externally but the pressure leaks by the seals internally. If you can remove the PS belt and run it (as long as that belt doesn't run the alternator or circulating pump too) try that and see if it happens under load. If not, Bingo!!!

John

_________________
07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

thanks for the replys guys.
I'm starting to wonder if the fluid inside the control valve is pushing against one another but as you say it's a pretty simple system, and why does it do it only occasionally.

The back of the motor is pretty clear so I don't think anything is getting caught up, but if the slide is jamming on itself then I guess that's a possiblity. The way I see it the slide needs to move a small amount for the control valve to change direction so I will have another look at that to see if it could jam up. Maybe my doing the lock to lock thing in neautral is helping for a short time keep it moving. the problem is if it does it once it may not do it again for hours.

I don't think it's any different early in the day to later in the day and there's no consistency other than it does not happen during turning to left or right, just when it has been steering in the same direction for a while then trying to steer to the right it does it.

It has a serpentine belt so I can't disconnect it to test without the pump.
It's pretty dark way back there, but I will get some better light on to it. I was hoping it was a common problem but the control valve slide seems a good place to start, as well as having a look at the Steering Gimble bearings.

Again thanks for the help so far. Robert