Recently picked up Mercury ITS Transom Assembly and the manual is stating I need a valve block assembly to complete the plumbing into my power steering system. Is the Mercury Valve Block Assembly the only one that will work ? are there any other options ?



Thanks,
Nick

You don't need that specific block setup, it was designed to try to make it easy to connect the standard power steering pump pressure line and the return to the cooler from the helm without any modifications to the hoses that would normally connect to the internal assist ram. The secondary block also included a check valve for multiple engine/pump configurations, the check valve is now in a fitting included on the pump of the Merc Racing engines, it can be purchased separately if needed. They no longer use those blocks and connect the pump and cooler returns as done on other full hydraulic helm configurations. The blocks did not really do anything different, just another way of making the connections. The one thing the main block did was give a location for the short hose connections to tee into the R & L from the helm, the newer ITS units have longer hoses to connect into a tee block away from the inner plate.

Awesome thank you for this response. So its looking like I need something like the kit below to complete this set up in my single engine boat and I would connect R & L from the helm to the hoses coming from the transom correct ?

https://www.hardin-marine.com/p-1152...ering-kit.aspx

-Nick

Is it a Merc Racing engine, if so, which model? Does the ITS have long or short hoses for the R & L lines? My guess is that you didn't get the ITS new, so some items may be missing. Answers to those questions clears up some things on exactly what you need.
Yes, that is probably a kit that can work, but the reservoir and replacement "p/s return cap" may not be needed if it has the Merc opaque off white large reservoir with the thread in cap. From the power steering cooler the line goes to the reservoir, which is already connected with the right size line if you have the correct Merc reservoir. You may need to figure out how to adapt the right and left ITS inverted flare steering hoses to the -6 hose fittings in the kit because I don't see anything in the kit for that.
You may want to check with either Hardin or maybe even Latham, they may know and have exactly what you need.

It’s a brand new transom assembly, and i have a 575sci engine going in. I already reached out to Hardin and got a very dismissive response which I thought was odd as I was preparing to spend 1300+ with them… oh well. The more research I do the more I think it would be better just to pick up a helm and have my local hydraulic shop make me up some lines.

When you go to bleed the system make sure you follow the instructions, pinching off the return to the pump is critical to force the fluid through the system, you can run clear lines from the bleeders to the reservoir tank to make sure all the air is out, good luck

Just wanted to post up encase this helps someone in the future searching. I found that the ITS transom steering lines have male 1/2-20 Inverted Flare end so I found some -6 AN to 1/2-20 Inverted Flare fittings so I can connect my lines from helm. Link is below of what I used but tons of options out there. 2x $13 is better then the $799 mercury wants .

https://pitstopusa.com/i-22955402-ru...er-female.html

-Nick