mercruiser d3.6 power steering problem - HELP !

[birchwood330]

I have a Birchwood fitted with twin Mercruiser D3.6 engines. These are connected to 2 x Bravo 2 outdrives and fitted with power assisted steering.

Each engine is fitted with a power steering pump but only one is connected to the steering cylinder. We have had continual problems with the power steering belts either failing or coming off. We have tried many things and eventually last week , we changed the hoses over and fed the cylinder from the other engine and other pump. This ran for a few hours and then the belt failed on that engine too.


Is this a common problem and if so, is there a solution ? I can only think that the belts used are not large enough to drive the pump. Larger belts and pulleys eg or different type of belts and pulleys ?


Any advice would be gratefully received as this has been going on for 2 years now. The engine actually had no steering belt fitted when we bought the boat so it has obviously been an on-going problem.

Totally at the end of my tether with this and even considering fitting an electric pump to save the grief. Anyone else had this problem and found a solution ??

 

[volvopaul]

You dont normally get probs there, maybe the pulleys are that rusty there just chewing up the belts, or not in line withe each other causing the the belts to run out of true, are they set to the correct tension as at full lock the relief valve blows off, this could cause the belts to slip, are there any engine oil leaks causing oil to drip on the belts, id say its obvious whats wrong as both pumps are the same.

Another issues, do the drives swing free left to right when the ram is disconnected as the steering swivels could be partially seized causing the pump to work overtime trying to push the steering bar, plenty now to go at!

 

[birchwood330]

Thanks for these suggestions. I checked for leaks , cleaned up the pulleys etc on the starboard engine as they were a bit rusty. The ones on the port engine are like new and it still went. On full lock you do see the belt stopping for as split second now and then so maybe it is doing this when at sea ? The rv is only set at 1100 psi which isnt a lot really and I think the belts arent up to what they are being asked to do.

I will certainly disconnect the ram and see if the legs move freely. It has to be something like this as the fault is there on 2 engines and 2 pumps and the true-ness of the pulleys has been checked too.

I am also speaking to Cummins now to see if there is a conversion for a heavier belt or multi-vee