no steering 560 sedan bridge

E

earthmover17

New Member
Jan 3, 2008
706
land o lakes florida
Boat Info
560 sedan bridge
Engines
cat 3196
It appears my power steering has decided to quit working. I took the pump to a hydralic shop and they took it apart and said it was OK. I put it all back together and pulled the pressure line off the helm started the engine and no oil pressure.
Is it possible that the suction line has collapsed and I'm not getting oil to the pump? This is one of those oddball problems.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Jack
 
earthmover17 said:
It appears my power steering has decided to quit working. I took the pump to a hydralic shop and they took it apart and said it was OK. I put it all back together and pulled the pressure line off the helm started the engine and no oil pressure.
Is it possible that the suction line has collapsed and I'm not getting oil to the pump? This is one of those oddball problems.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Jack
Click to expand...


is there enough fluid in the system, any leaks?
 
There's no pressure up on the small plastic lines at the helm from the engine hydraulic pump. Those lines get pressure from the steering wheel and are the input pressures to the hydraulic system down on the rudders.

Do you have pressure in the clear glass reservoir down in the lazarette area/engine room? There should be a pressure gauge mounted on the top. If you took the pump off, you have to bleed the system to get all the air out and pump up the reservoir with a bicycle pump to 35 psi.

I had a line burst on mine... here's the thread:

http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5206&highlight=hydraulic

You may want to check for fluid in the bilge sump area against the transom... (assuming you didn't see any around the engine)
 
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I'm wondering what a 560 Sedan Bridge looks like. Are your lines 10 years old?
 
Four Suns said:
There's no pressure up on the small plastic lines at the helm from the hydraulic pump. Those lines get pressure from the steering wheel and are the input pressures to the hydraulic system down on the rudders.

Do you have pressure in the clear glass reservoir down in the lazarette area/engine room? There should be a pressure gauge mounted on the top. If you took the pump off, you have to bleed the system to get all the air out and pump up the reservoir with a bicycle pump to 35 psi.

I had a line burst on mine... here's the thread:

http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5206&highlight=hydraulic

You may want to check for fluid in the bilge sump area against the transom... (assuming you didn't see any around the engine)
Click to expand...
Gary,
Thanks for the reply. I don't remember seeing a shrader valve on the reservoir also I have filled that reservoir before and never had to pump it up.
I have no leaks but I did remove the lines off the steering wheel to get to something else and then I lost the steering.
There is no pressure on the gauge at the top of the reservoir.
How do you pump up the reservoir? And where does the steering wheel get pressure?
Thanks Jack
 
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Let me go see if I can find my manual...

There is a bleed screw on top of the steering wheel box at the helm and it sounds like you have air in the system at the helm steering wheel assembly since you removed the lines. YOU BROKE IT.

You should have a schrader valve next to the pressure gauge on top of the reservoir.. You just hook a bike pump up to the thing and pump it to 35 psi. When you bleed the system, the air pressure will go down and you need to refill and repump until it holds pressure and fluid level.

And people wonder why I have a bicycle pump mounted in my bilge.... Hey! That's a "cool mod"!!!!

Oh yeah... I forgot... You also have an autopilot pump probably under the helm... Can you steer it with the auto pilot?
 
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Gary,
Once again you have saved my evening and I will possibly sleep tonight.
I don't understand this system. If it is pressurized with air what's the sense in having a oil pump on the engine?
My trans shifters are a pressurized glycol system with no pump. Crummy system but works.
I guess I'm trying to understand how this whole system works. I am not an engineer but I did stay at a Holiday inn express last night.
Also what do I need to do to the autopliot as I have probably broken that too.
 
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The steering wheel is hooked to a box that is a pump.. You ever wonder what the black box is that the wheel is hooked to? When you turn the wheel, it pumps fluid to a big hydraulic system down by the rudders. The pump on the engine is hooked to that system (there is a hydraulic ram back by the rudders). The small amount of pressure coming from the steering wheel pump is basically telling the system down at the rudders which way to put all the pressure generated by the pump on the engine.

The pressure in the reservoir is pushing fluid down at it's base and into the low-pressure circuits. The reservoir also collects air in the system...

If you have air up in the steering wheel pump (which is the highest point in the system so it ain't going anywhere), turning the wheel will not move the fluid from the steering wheel down to the hydraulic ram control by the rudders.
 
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Four Suns said:
And people wonder why I have a bicycle pump mounted in my bilge.... Hey! That's a "cool mod"!!!!
Click to expand...
Sorry, got you beat there too, I've got a whole bicycle w/ pump in my engine room. It helps to limit the magnitude of my posterior dimension.
 
Four Suns said:
The steering wheel is hooked to a box that is a pump.. You ever wonder what the black box is that the wheel is hooked to? When you turn the wheel, it pumps fluid to a big hydraulic system down by the rudders. The pump on the engine is hooked to that system (there is a hydraulic ram back by the rudders). The small amount of pressure coming from the steering wheel pump is basically telling the system down at the rudders which way to put all the pressure generated by the pump on the engine.

The pressure in the reservoir is pushing fluid down at it's base and into the low-pressure circuits. The reservoir also collects air in the system...

If you have air up in the steering wheel pump (which is the highest point in the system so it ain't going anywhere), turning the wheel will not move the fluid from the steering wheel down to the hydraulic ram control by the rudders.
Click to expand...
Where does the steering wheel box get it's oil? Do I need to fill it also?
Thanks Jack
 
There is a plug (should have what looks like a thumb screw) on top of the black box your steering wheel is attached to. That is a filler plug. Also, the pressure in the reservoir keeps fluid pushed up to the steering wheel pump assembly... so if you pressurize that reservoir, the air can work it's way out as well (i.e. the air will end up in the reservoir)....
 
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Thanks Gary.
I have been beating my head against the wall all day over this and could not figure out why I could not get pressure out of this system. I appreciate you taking time to help me with this.
Jack
 
Here's the reservoir:

http://ww2.seastarsteering.com/PWR_STEER/Oil_Reservior.htm

Oil_Res.gif


Note the valve...

I have the manual/installation guide sitting in front of me... You can get it online... I'll see if I can find the link...
 
Wingless - Behave....nothing in this thread was direct toward you. Just because you have a bicycle in the bilge does not constitute one upmanship on Gary. :grin:
 
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