Unable to turn motor

[Blue_Runner]

Thanks for the info Carl. Doesn't look like I'll get to work on it over the weekend. I'm going to Carolina beach with the family for the Memorial day weekend.

God bless our fallen soldiers.

[steplift20]

you have to remember envioment water salt sun cold etc, somethings have to screw up sometimes thats why they make wd40, vise grips and duck tape

[stuarbc]

Looks like you guys got this handled....but figured I would post my experience with mine this past weekend. My engine would turn the boat to the right just fine....but when I attempted to turn left....the steering rod would not go all the way into the tilt tube.....and if i forced it...it would get stuck.

I assumed that I had build up in the tilt tube so planned to remove the steering rod and clean with a pipe cleaner and WD-40 and reattached.

The issue I ran into...which probably was also helping to cause the problem....was that the hole that was cut in my splash well where the steering cable went through...was a few inches further toward the bow of the boat than the cable was...so the cable was bending slightly going through the hole in the splashwell. This was causing the rod to bind as it slid into the cable.....and putting pressure on the steering rod in the tilt tube.......and as I found out later....also kept me from being able to remove the rod out of the tilt tube.

I ended up having to cut the hole out larger so the cable would not bind....then I had to but a wrench on the rod and rotate it back and forth while I pulled on it to get it out. Bought a brass pipe cleaner from Lowe's for a few bucks....rigged it up to attach to my cordless drill.....and ran it through the tilt tube many many times....always spraying in WD-40 and marvel mystery oil.

Cleaned the stearing rod...filed down some of the marks I made with the wrench...greased it up....slid it back into the tilt tube....purchased and installed a grease fitting that screwed onto the other side of the tilt tube....reattched everything....and now I am golden! Steers better than ever

[Carl]

Hey Stuarbc - It's interesting that you mentioned that the hole in the splash well was not in alignment with the steering tube. Mine is the same way and I never did completely remove the steering cable and I did not want to enlarge the hole in the splash well. I wonder if this is a common problem - what year & type of wellcraft do you have? - Mine is a '78 cuddy v- 20

Carl

[Chomper]

Hey Carl, I have a 78 cuddy and I have to remove the outboard to remove the steering cable as well. I though about enlarging the hole or even taking a hole saw and cutting a smaller one just for the steering cable.

[Blue_Runner]

Great info fellas, thanks. My hole in the V21 is very small which does cause a little too much bend on the cable. All the more reason to go hydraulic which I really hate to have to do b/c $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!

[stuarbc]

mine is the 89 dual console. The real pain in the a$$ was due to the fact that I had to cut the hole wider with all the lines going through it since I couldnt budge the steering cable with is binding like that.....so I had to cut and ugly hole and then shape it up a little once i could move the steering cable. I plan to cut a piece of starboard to cover up the large hole and make it look nice.

[AJC]

I had the same problem with my motor last two years and had to use a torch to loosen it up.

What type of grease are you guys using, and what seems to work best on the motor fittings?

Also, how difficult is it to add another grease fitting to the top of the tube?

[parishht]

It seams this topic comes up every year at this time and every year there are numerous posts.

A quick search for steering will show the years of trials and errors.

Anyway, I had the problem one year and installed a grease nut in place of one end nut, pump it full o grease at the end of the year and the next, no problem.

Here's a link for the Davis Lube nut:

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/358500676.htm

Do a search for the nut, cause I think you can get it cheaper somewhere else, even direct from the manufacturer.

[Blue_Runner]

Nice!