Are these problems related?

LVChris · **Posted:** Sun Apr 19, 2015 3:15 pm

So I took my 1996 238 Vista out for a day with the family yesterday. And demons crept in. I did a lot of maintenance this year, new belts, new plugs, changed the oil, etc. I had her out a couple of times myself and she ran great. Yesterday she was idling very low...less than 1k rpm and I was having the steering intermittently freeze. Not become hard/difficult like no power steering, but completely lock. I have had that problem before when my tilt steering u-joint bolt broke, so I checked that first. It was fine. Came back to the ramp and checked the ps fluid, it's full. The belts were squealing pretty bad on takeoff as well? Could one of my pumps be out? Maybe power steering or water pump? I may even suspect the alternator because my brand new battery wouldn't Start her (had to switch to the double bank).

So do you think a bad pump may be causing the engine to idle low, and cause steering lockup at low speed/neutral?

I know it's a tough question to answer without actually being in the boat but i appreciate any input/plan...my mechanic friend said it sounds like a fuel regulator problem.

Thanks in advance,

Bliss36 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 19, 2015 3:20 pm

Try taking the belt off and spinning everything by hand. You should be able to tell whats binding up and I'm guessing it is the power steering pump. These problems are probably related

crossram · **Posted:** Sun Apr 19, 2015 6:11 pm

it could be the belts slipping a slipping belt will not let the alternator charge properly or spin the power steering pump fast enough at low rpms

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 19, 2015 7:40 pm

Your steering should not lock up without power steering.

How does steering work with the engine shut off?

How did you get it free? Did you feel any bumping... Air in system could cause similar symptoms.

My advise is stay at the dock until you figure this one out.

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:31 pm

It sounds like you might have a few things going on there. The steering issue might be more a problem in the mechanical side rather that due to a problem with the power assist. On my boat you can spin the steering wheel from lock to lock with the engine off. Are you sure the tilt steering is OK? How about the steering ram, has it been greased regularly? On the Cobra you are supposed to grease the steering ram and the steering actuator also has a grease fitting on it.
We has to replace a bad P/S pump on our older Jeep after about 155,000 miles and the steering still worked fine but it was getting noisy. When we took the pump off it was much stiffer to turn than the re man one we installed. It did not slow the engine idle at all. That is more likely to be a fuel system issue.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:12 am

IF it's the power steering pump they're only $40 at the auto parts store. I love how Volvo Penta charges $300 for them.

LVChris · **Posted:** Mon Apr 20, 2015 12:24 pm

Thanks for all the responses. The more I think about it, the less I think the power steering is the culprit. I am leaning more towards a cable or actuator problem. I greased the actuator ram last season but never found a grease fitting. Going to hunt for that again. If that isn't it I will inspect the tilt mechanism again, maybe a different part fail there.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:45 pm

Another thought...
Check for play side to side at the outdrive while some holds the helm wheel steady. Then climb inside the engine compartment with a bright LED flashlight while someone tries to move the drive from side to side, look for play in the steering arm/ram. I have heard that the bushings in the pivot mount/bell housing can wear out and cause play. I wonder if play can cause it to get jammed at times...

LVChris · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2015 11:19 pm

So to update...there are two collars on the tilt steering wheel...I was sure one was tight...never saw the other one...when I went to squirt some white lithium grease in it...I found the other bolt and it was lost all the way out! Lesson learned, tightened it...and back to normal, thanks all.

LouC · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2015 12:25 am

Good it was a simple fix...

LVChris · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2015 9:54 am

Yes it was a simple fix on that one. .. but the day didn't go so well after.. boat is stuck in reverse now. I mean reverse is reverse. . Forward is reverse. .. and neutral is reverse. .

LouC · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2015 10:46 am

Look under that plastic cover on the upper gear housing, did the retainer come loose on the shift cable with it in REV?
BTW, I'd put some lock tite on the bolts for that tilt steering, for sure. Can you imagine if that locked up heading toward the dock??

LVChris · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 4:24 pm

LouC wrote:

Look under that plastic cover on the upper gear housing, did the retainer come loose on the shift cable with it in REV?

Just checked, that wasn't it. I was really hoping it was that easy...Called Mechanic, said he'd get a new shift cable and while we're at it we'll replace the throttle cable as well.

Anything else we should do?

Thanks,

LouC · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 4:28 pm

Other possibility is that the shift cable may have broken at the remote control connection. Can you get a look behind the coaming panel where the remote control is mounted with a mirror to see what the cable is doing when someone moves the shift lever

Rick2752 · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2015 10:33 am

I'm not sure about your system but on my volvo penta duoprop. The cable runs under a plastic cover on top if outdrive. More the middle now that I think about it. 4 bolts. The cable attaches to a shift lever with a cotter key. I had your same issue and I took mine apart in the middle of Lake Erie and used a piece of wire as a key and ran the rest of the day. Also there is a small hole you can see the
Cable through with a small clamp on it. U could have lost it also. Allowing entire cable to move.

www.iFourWinns.com

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