1998 SCR3200 Port Engine Power Steering Question

[SummerBreeze]

Let me throw this out to you all for consideration...

In the process of tightening a hose clamp to resolve a PS fluid leak, I noticed that the PS pump on the Port motor doesn't seem to be responsible for anything, as only the Starboard motor's PS pump is responsible for power steering on this boat. I don't know if its the same thing on your boat, but I guess that's how it works on mine. Apparently on the port motor, the power steering pump is just pumping PS fluid in a big circle around the motor and ultimately back to the pump again. It looks like the reason there is a pump on this engine in the first place is simply to maintain the serpentine belt routing, and I was curious whether there is an idler arm assembly that might be able to replace that pump to maintain the serpentine belt routing, while reducing the drag on that motor, by eliminating the PS pump altogether. In fact, that would eliminate the need for some of the hosing and oil cooler at the rear of that engine that are used to run that fluid around the motor in a circle.

I figured that if I wrote to you first, you might have a brilliant answer for why that pump is being used anyway on the port motor...and if maybe there is an idler arm assembly that could potentially take its place.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts....
Jeff

[seapuppy]

actually...that's not uncommon....I have driven some boats that had the stbd engine go dead and the steering was like manhandling a bull in a china shop.....it flat out wore my butt out......I'm not sure why they didn't just throw in a pulley on the port engine....but that's the way they did it...the good knews is if your stbd steering goes out..then you can take the pump off and replace it with the port...haha..cheap spare..


SP

[BayBoy]

I have the 3200 SCR as well and same set up. The load on the engine from the pump is minimal since there is no real load on the pump. Simpler to leave is alone and, as previosly mentioned, it's a "cheap spare"