Another Sea star question

[glacierbaze]

Another Seastar question, but I don’t want to sidetrack the other post, because my question is not about steering but rather the unit itself. This 2000 OX66 is the first motor I have ever had with power steering steering. How loose, or how tight, should the cylinder itself be mounted to the front of the motor? I realize it has to pivot when the motor is tilted, but you can see mine moving slightly up-and-down, when the engine is running at idle, and it easily moves by hand.

 

[SkunkBoat]

what exactly is loose? The bolt thru the tiller bracket?

 

[seasick]

Post a picture of the joint in question. Depending on what type of hardware was installed, up and down movement may not be normal but I can't say for sure without more info.

 

[glacierbaze]

The end of the gray elbow, which is attached to the stainless rod, is the vertical pivot point on both sides of the engine. To be clear, the aft end of the el, where it attaches to the engine mounting bracket. Propably a quarter to a half inch of vertical movement on the front end.
The snapshot is from a video of it running, and moving, but apparently this site does not like videos

 

[seasick]

If I understand what you are describing to be the aft most part of the arm that attaches to the motor bracket is 'loose' and the port side ( right most side in your pic) of that bracket has up and down play, that doesn't sound right to me but I can't be sure since my linkage is different on my boat with Mercury motors.

 

[glacierbaze]

On the port side of the engine bracket, you see about an inch of exposed thread. On the end of that, behind the gray L bracket, is a large locking nut, on both sides of the engine. That connection to the threaded rod is not loose, in that there is no play in that connection, other than rotational movement on the threads. The threaded rod is the pivot point on both sides of the engine, and everything forward: bracket, stainless rod, steering cylinder, hoses, etc. wiggles up and down a bit.
I got caught in a thunderstorm while putting the boat away last weekend, and did not get to explore further. I think the first thing I need to check is the connection to the steering bracket above the hydraulic cylinder, and see if there is play there.
Maybe it is perfectly normal, I just noticed it for the first time standing there fishing last week.

 

[SkunkBoat]

so the elbows( I believe they are called Support Brackets) are pivoting? or rattling?
I've never seen them move other than pivoting with the motor.

This pic will give you an idea of what you have.(similar)
There is a rod running thru your motor with bushings on the ends and the elbows are held on the rod by nyloc nuts

 

[glacierbaze]

Is it just my boomer skills, or does this site not host video?
PM me a number, or an email, and I will send you a 10 second video of what it is doing.

 

[SkunkBoat]

looks to me like maybe its the motor shaking or the bolt on the top of the cylinder is loose allowing the whole thing to wobble.

 

[glacierbaze]

Yeah, these motors do shake, rattle and roll, when running on only 4 cylinders, but the movement is still there with the engine off. I'll know more tomorrow evening. Thanks.