Mercury has a kit available to allow you to plumb both power steering pumps to a valve that feeds a hydraulic assist steering set-up, Does anybody know what this part number is?

Thanks

Give IMCO a call. They have valving systems for twin application . Part # PT13 page 85 .

http://www.imcomarine.com/nvcatalog/imco_catalog.pdf

hyd assist power steering? by that you mean the stock inside boat pass car-style power steering? if so, what advantage to 2 pumps? i think spectras is thinking hyd steering, not cable-to-tiller PS.

Only advantage I can think of would be if you lose motor that has the pump you could somehow switch to the other motors pump.

Example: My boat drives power steering off of Port motor. When I lost the engine coupler, I had to limp back on the Starboard only. I was able to keep the Port motor running to use the power steering but what if there was a problem with that engine, bearing or rod failure? Then no power steering and with twins and dual rams... turning is a BIATCH!

exactly...if you lose the eng that has the only pump your screwed. my boat has the two pumps with the balance valve. the downside is if the balance valve is not functioning correctly the running pump will fart all the fluid out of the non running pump resivor so your screwed again. its great if its working right...

So the blaance vlves dont have a check valve? to stop that from happening?

they do, i was refering to when the ck valve fails, as mine did.

My boat has the cable to tiller via brazil valve hydraulic assist. One day I'll go full hydraulic when I have the energy to figure out to install the helm pump.Have a sliding door going behind the helm interfering with most helm pumps.I could do a surface mount one but that would decrease the distance between the wheel and bolster seat.don't want to move the seat back. Cables always have play in them, regardless if new or used but the dual ram set up keeps the drive/s steady by the applied pressure from the p/s pump .I'll be at Desert Storm and want to talk to the Imco guys about my situation. With twins my boat tracks well at speed with hands off ,it only wonders slightly at idle with the cable setup.



And yes ,I want to have the valve for two p/s pumps.I lost power to my starboard engine with the p/s assist due to drive breakage
and it was a sum***** to turn the wheel limping home.The added hydraulic steering also helped to keep the drive from pulling out completely,leaving the bellows intact, so no worries about water coming through the shaft bearing hole.

Here's the carnage

How did that happen?

Hitting a submerged log in the North Arm of the murky Fraser River going about 35-40 miles an hour. It's a hit or miss around log infested rivers here.I see boaters going full bore around ignoring it! I've been boating for over 40 yrs in the region and that was my first major blow, so it's not too bad I guess.It's not much better out in the ocean either since there're many logs floating out there too until getting water logged and sink.In the 70's 80's and early 90's beachcombers used to pick floating logs but not anymore since fuel costs more than the value of salvaged logs.lol.