Recently while underway, I lost steering on the flybridge but not at the lower station. Does anyone have any ideas of what might cause this??
Is there a way to bleed the air out of the system?
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Thread: Lost steering on flybridge
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10-29-2008 04:36 PM #1Registered Member
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- Oct 2008
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Lost steering on flybridge
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10-29-2008 04:48 PM #2
Re: Lost steering on flybridge
Is the system a hynautic?
Scott
41C117 "Hattatude"
Port Canaveral Florida.
Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.
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10-29-2008 04:48 PM #3Senior Member
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- May 2007
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Re: Lost steering on flybridge
Interesting that you posted this. I had the same thing happen to me on Saturday. Very strange feeling!
If you have the older Hynautic style hydraulic steering (with air pressurized reservoir) in the starboard engine room, it is probably due to low air pressure. When I checked mine it had plenty of oil but the gauge was reading about 5 lbs. Pumped it back up to 35 lbs and I had steering again.
Now I have to go find where the air leak is as I couldn't find hydraulic fluid anywhere.
TimTim
Ex 1978 53' YF owner
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10-29-2008 04:51 PM #4Senior Member
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- May 2007
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Re: Lost steering on flybridge
PS to my reply. I permantely hooked up a hand pump to the air fitting to ease pressurizing the reservoir in the future. The pump is from West Marine and is sold to pump up fenders and screws directly onto the fitting.
Tim
Ex 1978 53' YF owner
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Re: Lost steering on flybridge
if Hynautics, you simply ran out of air pressure. just pump it back up (fitting on top of reservoir) with a bicycle hand pump to about 20 psi.
checking air pressure on Hynautics (steering or engine controls if equipped) is part of the preflight check.
once you pump it back up, turn the wheel to port until it re primes itself and locks, then back to stbd and you shoudl be fine.
could be a minor leak, just top it of once in a while, not worth hunting.Pascal
Miami, FL
1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
2007 Sandbarhopper 13
12' Westphal Cat boat
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10-29-2008 07:34 PM #6Registered Member
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Re: Lost steering on flybridge
Thank you all....very helpfull - I will try
Paul
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10-29-2008 09:15 PM #7
Re: Lost steering on flybridge
A 12V DC pump from Wal-Mart is cheaper than a hand pump. Besides, it is very hard to disconnect the hand pump from the Hynautic valve with out loosing considerable pressure. With the 12V you disconnect while the pump is still running and virtually loose no pressure. You may need however to rig a longer 12V cord or modify the cord with alligator clips to connect to your batteries.
Capt'n Bill
"People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, But people will never forget how you made them feel."
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10-30-2008 01:38 PM #8
Re: Lost steering on flybridge
If its just air your loosing. Then change the air valve on the canister. It's an air over oil system and the air is just there to keep the oil up in the system. If the system ran low on oil then you could have induced air into the system. Like said, do like Pascal said and get on with it. I have not had to add air or oil in 3 years. Any great or continual losses should be looked at.
BILL
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10-30-2008 02:26 PM #9
Re: Lost steering on flybridge
Where in the starboard engien room is the tank? I didnt even know it existed..gotta check mine.
Dave
"Saraswati" - 1980 53MY
Galesville, MD
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10-30-2008 02:34 PM #10Senior Member
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Re: Lost steering on flybridge
It's located just forward of the water tank, just below the shelf.
The hand pump is $5 and I leave it there permantently hooked up. The fitting gets screwed on and there is no air leaking.Tim
Ex 1978 53' YF owner