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  1. #1

    Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    We are on our maiden voyage from Portsmouth, VA - south. Prior to leaving the yard replaced a section of bad hose on the hydraulic steering system section in the lazarette. It appears they did not bleed the system fully and we are having some issue with steering the boat.

    Can anyone help? I'm going to remove the cap up on the flybridge and turn all the steering wheels left and right to see if any air bubbles out. Not sure how to get the air out of the autopilot (if it's in there as well.

    Any assistance is greatly appreciated. We are anchoring for the night in about 30 minutes and will attempt to see what we can figure out.

    Thanks in advance to all who help out.

    J

  2. #2

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    do you ave hynautic steering?
    "Lady Beatrice"
    Rob Pettigrew
    1965 50' Flushdeck Hull#9
    Houma, La.

    https://www.samsmarine.com/forums/im...ine=1599353347

  3. #3

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    to be more clear, is your hydraulic steering system the "Hynautic" brand?
    "Lady Beatrice"
    Rob Pettigrew
    1965 50' Flushdeck Hull#9
    Houma, La.

    https://www.samsmarine.com/forums/im...ine=1599353347

  4. #4

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    On the SAMS Marine header page, on the column to the left side, click on the next-to-bottom "Tips & Tricks" section. This shows you a link to bleeding the Hynautic Steering system.

    Be sure your steering reservoir is 3/4 full. If you have fluid visible in the reservoir AND your pressure gauge shows any pressure then you do not have to open the reservoir. Open the bypass valve (labeled "relief valve" in the schematic shown at the end of the Hynautic explanation, , probably in the stern above the steering hydraulic ram. Turn your top (bridge) steering station 100 turns to the left, then 100 to the right. Same for lower steering station. Lastly, turn auto pilot all the way to right for a while (estimate 100 turns), then left, same.

    The bypass valve unit on mine is green, has 3 metal pipes going in. The first hex cap is a cover. Remove, don't drop! Beneath is a screw head but held at the base with a hex lock nut. Loosen nut, unscrew the slotted needle valve a bit. Afterwards reassemble, tighten all not too much.

    My boat has the very first Hynautic system ever put on a Hatteras--so it's old! However the basic principals apply. Loosening my needle valve in the "relief valve" lets all entrapped air route back to the reservoir. I have never had to bleed the steering ram itself. Yours may vary. I hate it when this happens!
    Last edited by Fanfare; 11-21-2020 at 06:50 PM.
    Jim Grove, Fanfare 1966 50MY Hull #22 (Delivered Jan. 7, 1966)

    "LIFE IS JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER." Frank Ward O'Malley, Journalist, Playwright 1875-1932

  5. #5

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    Back by your ram that moves the rudder you need to find the relief valve and open each valve up. Unscrew the nuts on top until they stop...they will not come out all the way. Don't force it. Then turn each wheel left a bunch, and right a bunch. Make sure resivore full of fluid and pumped up.

    Some will say turn the wheel hard and keep going and it will purge it. I don't recommend this as it is very hard on all the components and risks bursting something old and weak.

    If pic doesn't show, search Hynautic MSV21 for a picture.
    It looks like this

    Last edited by krush; 11-21-2020 at 06:38 PM.
    FTFD... i drive a slow 1968 41c381

  6. #6

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    A trick I learned was to use the auto pilot port and Starbord buttons to bleed the system.
    +++
    1984 61MY #353 with 9' cockpit extension.
    Sydney, Australia.

  7. #7

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    Thanks guys for the help.

    Tonight we went up to the flybridge and opened the vent cap. Installed a fitting with hose attached to a quart of hydraulic steering fluid.

    Turned both wheels and the autopilot about 100 times (seemed like 1,000) while holding the quart of new fluid inverted. Got tons of air out of the system and now the rudder indicator gauges move correctly and the wheels move about 5 turns from the center to each side.

    I didn't know if there was a reservoir as I hadn't seen one. I did not go down into the lazarette to the steering ram to look.

    We will run the boat tomorrow and see how things are working, but if not operating correctly. Will follow the suggestions here to locate the reservoir and perform the steps outlined.

    Thanks to all for the help.

  8. #8

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    I would not leave the dock without going down to inspect the reservoir and to look for leaks. You need to understand the system and make sure it has no leaks and that the reservoir has the proper fluid level and pressure.

    What you just did by opening up that system was to loose the pressure charge. At a minimum you need to repressurize the reservoir.
    Sky Cheney
    1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
    ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI

  9. #9

    Re: Help with bleeding steering 58LRC

    When I experienced total loss of steering, I went crazy and wasted hours looking everywhere for that reservoir and finally found it when I unlatched and tilted back the helm console. Look there first!
    My Hynautic reservoir has fluid sight windows on the side, making it easy to see the level without opening the cap.
    It showed full, however, I had air in the lines and at the rudder cylinder.
    After following the process for bleeding, the reservoir was half full and I ended up adding a qt. of fluid.
    It is a simple process but requires patience repeating turning the wheel and bleeding out the air.

    By the way, aviation hydraulic fluid is about $35 for 5 gal. pail and that SeaStar hydraulic fluid for Hynautic is $22.95 at Napa. I didn't know better at the time and spent over $50 for just 2 qts.

    Good luck and smooth sailing.
    "Lady Beatrice"
    Rob Pettigrew
    1965 50' Flushdeck Hull#9
    Houma, La.

    https://www.samsmarine.com/forums/im...ine=1599353347

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