496 HO Power Steering Problems
 

I posted this in the Sonic section but thought I may get more responses here in the General Q & A.

I have a 2007 Sonic 31SS with twin 496 HO's (totally stock). Last season a crimp fitting on the high pressure hose from the power steering pump (starboard engine) failed and emptied all of the fluid into the bilge. As a result the power steering pump burned up and I replaced the pump and high pressure hose, refilled and vented the fluid and the steering worked fine the rest of the season

Yesterday running at about 4,000 RPM the boat took a hard turn to port and I had no steering. When I opened the engine hatch power steering fluid was spewing from the "relief hole" on the reservoir cap (starboard engine). It emptied the entire reservoir into the bilge. I shut down the engines and refilled the reservoir with fluid. When I restarted the fluid was no longer spewing from the cap but I had no power steering. The fluid that leaked had a "burnt" odor to it any ideas on what caused this "spewing" and if you think I may have burned up the pump again ?

Thanks,

Steve

steering fluid cooler plugged?

I thought about that but the boat only has 80 hours on it and the "burnt" odor and discoloring of the fluid makes me think the darn pump went again. Is there a method to "flush" the hydraulic steering system ?

I don't know but you can back flush the cooler(s). Maybe there is a piece of impeller inthere or something. I'm not the expert but it sounds like the fluid is overheating.