Did I Screw Up? And How Do I Fix It?

Hunkydory · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 2:46 pm Post subject:

Pat, I can’t help you with the frozen steering though the suggestions offered should. The times my old ram system froze up it was due to the design allowing salt water into the movable shaft housing. Replacing to a new different ram solved that. With the Baystar helm pump, I have had the seal fail from over filling the reservoir & have leanrned like others mentioned not to fill to the top. The Seastar may be different as I’ve seen YouTube videos with them topping the Seastar right to the top.

Jay

thataway · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:26 pm Post subject:

One thing to be aware of is that you can score or damage the ram arms. These need to be checked very carefully when you replace the seals. If there is any damage or scoring of the arms, it will pay to just replace the whole ram as above.

T.R. Bauer · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 8:49 pm Post subject:

I'll just keep changing the seals. It's really not that hard now that I have all the tools to do it. Mine is more like a very slow weep at this point and they are on year 4 or 5 - that's around 500 hours. If it gets worse, I'll be doing it. And, it's going to get worse.....lol....I just hope I'm smart enough to choose to do it on a rainy day and not be forced to do it on the nicest day of the year, which is probably when it will fail knowing my own dumb luck. How much does that 1 man bleed kit cost? I didn't come across it.

chromer · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 9:18 pm Post subject:

In the 14 years of my C-dory, I had one seal kit installed. Last summer I had a new ram installed and helm seals replaced.

drbridge · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:18 am Post subject:

drbridge · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:57 am Post subject:

Some of you guys got me thinking about the fill level on the helm and what type of cap should be used on a baystar helm, so I called the teleflex tech support and asked them about it. They said on the baystar helm with balanced ram you can use either a vented or nonvented cap. It makes no difference as to how the system will work and both caps come with the kit. They don't recommend using the vented cap on boats with the helm exposed to the weather and washing as they see contamination to the fluid in these situations. Not an issue with a C-Dory so you can use either or it makes no difference. Ours has the vented cap on it.
The fill level is recommended to be from the bottom of the threads of the fill hole to 1/4" below the fill hole. However he said that it will not hurt anything to have it filled to the top. The only problem it can cause is that on a hot day it can puch out a little fluid if you have the vented cap or when you open it up. It will cause no harm to the system or the seals. If the level gets too low it can introduce air in to the lines and steering ram. I have had ours filled to the top and have had no problems with fluid seeping out the vented cap during the year it has been installed and 140 hours of use. It does not get that terribly hot where we live.
Their tech line can be reached at
six zero four-two four eight-three eight five eight

Hunkydory · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:27 pm Post subject:

From the techs mouth, but not always right in the application world. I have used the Baystar helm for 15 years & replaced it once 5 years ago.. Started with the venting cap & it would always vent fluid out & make a mess if filled to the top. Switched to the non venting cap about 5 years ago, filled to the top with more messes & blown helm seal. Now using the non vent cap & fill just below the top, then with the cap off, I turn the steering wheel slowly lock to lock, twice with a rag handy to catch the overflow that comes out. That process brings the level down about to about 3/8 to a 1/2 inch from the top with all good there after, until a leak or system change starts the process over.
To each there own, this works for me.

My blown seal with a non vented cap may have just been a coincidence with me not wanting to take a chance of repeating the seal change, but the overflowing if filled to the top with a vented cap is not.

Jay

thataway · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 1:45 pm Post subject:

My experience is the same as Jay's. There is a pressure rises and fluid rise in the pump chamber as you turn the helm. If the pump is full, it will burp out.

I also agree that it is more likely to blow the helm seals if too much pressure. I have rebuilt 2 helms, but this ram is the first one I have had to rebuild. Experience is about 17 years of use of these helms. There are other hydraulic helms which require a pressurized system with a reservoir . They are entirely different animals. I have also owned those type of systems. Our systems use relatively low pressure in comparison to some of the much larger boats.

drbridge · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:22 pm Post subject:

There is no substitute for experience, and I come here to learn. My first line of attack is always to do things by the book, and that usually works. Although I have not had any problems with any fluid seeping out of the vented cap, I think I will keep the level a little lower as even the Tech said that is acceptable and has worked from experience. I will also check it often to make sure it stays at that level.
I also have to wonder about what differences there are in the helms they are making now and the ones they were making 10 or 15 years ago. They do have different numbers on them. The one that came on our 2004 boat was not leaking when I replaced it and it had relatively low hours on it. By installing the entire kit at least I know that everything is new and that it all is compatible.

Thanks guys

BBlalock · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:57 am Post subject:

I went to the website and I see where it says not for auto pilot assisted systems. Does that sound right to you?
Benton

Hunkydory · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 1:50 pm Post subject:

Hunkydory · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 2:21 pm Post subject:

I just got off the phone with the guy, that did the video & sells the Bubble Purge system. The old one they sold, the Bubble G2 will not work well with an auto pilot, but either the Bubble Purge Pro SC for single cylinder rams & the Bubble Purge Pro DC for double rams will work with an auto pilot. He also explained to me how to quickly purge the system by adding new fluid at the same time, while using the Bubble Pro systems. A great guy to talk to with clear explanations.

Jay

drbridge · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 3:07 pm Post subject:

We have auto pilot and had no problem using the marine tech version that I posted earlier from amazon. I'm sure the guy knows what he is talking about concerning his product. You would want to make sure that the tubing was securely fastened to the fittings because the pump will send a lot of fluid fast and maybe that is the difference.
The whole concept of this system is a good way to go in my opinion. It allows you to get the job done with no help and sometimes good help is hard to find. Let us know what the process is for the purge and how it works for you.

BBlalock · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 3:25 pm Post subject:

Guys thanks for the information. I will be ordering the Pro. Also saw the short tube is used with filling the motor lift. That makes it a twofer.
Benton CoolSmile

colbysmith · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2021 11:55 am Post subject: