Problem with Sea Star Stearing.

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CraigT

New member
My steering pump on my boat is a Sea Star. I don't know what make cylinder is but I believe it is a locally manufacted stainless steel one that is used on most Tom Cats.
In December I changed the seals due to some leakage out the cylinder and the steering seemed fine.
Two days ago I got on the boat and the stearing would work for half a dozen lock to lock and then just start slipping, a slight push on the motor in the direction of turn would activate the steering and it would work for half a dozen turns and then start sliping again.
I was sure it was the a pump problem and removed the helm and took it to a power steering repairer.
They tested it on a work bench and the steering tested to 5 bar no problem.
I then opened the cylinder and flushed the whole system with parifin.

Alot of dirty steering fluid came out and we cleaned it until only clean parifin was being flushed.
I changed the seals and primed system with clean sreering fluid. the system was also properly bled.
The roblem has not been resolved.
Steering works fine for +/- 10 full turns and then starts slipping on full lock.

Anybody know what might be the problem.
 
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MXDURO

New member
Sounds like a internal seal getting warm or the fluid (wrong type) gets thinner and "bypassing" somewhere. Leave it to cool down and see if it starts working again. Get both units serviced with new seals if the problem is not resolved.
 
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LawrenceF

New member
I also have a Tom Cat with that locally made ram but I think the make of boat is irrelevant. I do not know how old your boat is, but would doubt it is the ram causing the problem. The rams are made in KZN so you should be able to get spare seals or to have it checked etc. My boat is virtually new and when it sits on its mooring the two motors "flop" over to the side. This means a loss of pressure in the hydraulic system and was wondering if your problem is perhaps that. As you probably know that Sea Star unit has a pump and then also a non return valve. On some units that valve makes an audible hissing sound. As you have already tried the clean and bleed route, the likely culprit is the valve. I would be interested to hear if you come right.
 
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benniejordaan

Sealiner
I suggest you contact Nantes. He is a member here. He manufactures the locally made stainless steel cylinder. Ill give you his number later today.
 
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CraigT

New member
benniejordaan wrote:
I suggest you contact Nantes. He is a member here. He manufactures the locally made stainless steel cylinder. Ill give you his number later today.
Click to expand...
PM,ed Nantes this morning and he has allready contacted me.
I will be taking the power ram to him tomorrow and he is only to happy to check it out for me.
 
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FLUKE

Sealiner
While the symptoms do suggest the ram as the possible fault I must mention that a common misconception in hydraulics is that if you have pressure all is ok. In fact hydraulics requires oil pressure and oil flow. If your system operates at 10cc/rev @ 5bar new then what can happen is that as the pistons in the pump get worn they bypass oil. So now if tested it will register 5bar but maybe only deliver 1cc. What could be happening is that under full pressure the oil is bypassing the pistons as they move. I would therefore not necessarily consider the test that was done as absolutely conclusive.
 
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CraigT

New member
FLUKE wrote:
While the symptoms do suggest the ram as the possible fault I must mention that a common misconception in hydraulics is that if you have pressure all is ok. In fact hydraulics requires oil pressure and oil flow. If your system operates at 10cc/rev @ 5bar new then what can happen is that as the pistons in the pump get worn they bypass oil. So now if tested it will register 5bar but maybe only deliver 1cc. What could be happening is that under full pressure the oil is bypassing the pistons as they move. I would therefore not necessarily consider the test that was done as absolutely conclusive.
Click to expand...
I hear what you say but if your flow drops and you still have pressure it means that it will just take you longer to turn the motors lock to lock. My steering fails totaly feels like the steering is just slipping.
 
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FLUKE

Sealiner
Yes, but you are describing an intermittent fault. Seals in the ram even if damaged should give a consistent fault. Piston type pumps have valves that open to allow oil in on a suction stroke and stop it from getting out on the pressure stroke. If one of those valves are sticking you can get an intermittent fault.
When you re-sealed the cylinder did you also do the inside piston seal or just the shafts seals in the glands?
I agree with getting the ram checked out, all I'm saying is that there is a good chance the test done on the pump was not conclusive so if the fault persists get a 2nd opinion on the pump.
 
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CraigT

New member
Went to Nantes this morning with power ram.
He took one look at it and did a quick test on the cylinder and said "I bet you,that you put the incorrect section O ring on the piston".
He quickly striped the unit and sure enough we had put a 3.5mm o ring and it needed a 4mm.
He serviced and cleaned and repolished the cylinder and replaced all the seals.
Gave me a lesson on desassemble and reasemble as well a helpful hint on priming the system without messing ATF all over the place.
When all was over I asked him what I owed him and he refused to take any money saying he wanted his customers to be happy with his product.
All I can say is that it is a great product with the best bachup service I have ever experienced.
Drove back to Shelly Beach and mounted the unit and all is working 100%.
 
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Mariusvj

New member
CraigT wrote:
Went to Nantes this morning with power ram.
He took one look at it and did a quick test on the cylinder and said "I bet you,that you put the incorrect section O ring on the piston".
He quickly striped the unit and sure enough we had put a 3.5mm o ring and it needed a 4mm.
He serviced and cleaned and repolished the cylinder and replaced all the seals.
Gave me a lesson on desassemble and reasemble as well a helpful hint on priming the system without messing ATF all over the place.
When all was over I asked him what I owed him and he refused to take any money saying he wanted his customers to be happy with his product.
All I can say is that it is a great product with the best bachup service I have ever experienced.
Drove back to Shelly Beach and mounted the unit and all is working 100%.
Click to expand...
Please share the priming tip, we have a big system to do.
 
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CraigT

New member
Bit difficult to explain without physically seeing but here goes.
I dont know if it will work on all makes of rams but it works on the ones made by Nantes.
Connect you hydrolic steering hoses to your power ram.
Do not connect ram to the motors or to the transam.
Close all bleeder valves.
Have somebody at rear of boat that can hold and tilt ram from side to side.
Prim your helm reservoir and turn steering untill you start feeling the steering getting stiff or locking.
Now tell the person holding the ram to tilt the pressure side of the ram up. This will move any air in the presure side to the top of the cylinder where the hose enters the cylinder.
Now turn the steering in the opposite direction,and continue priming the helm.
The air will be forced out first up to the helm and out the system.
Continue the tiltling from one side to the other untill the oil level in the helm is constant.
The cylinder is now primed.
 
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barryfish

Senior Member
Craig T. thanks for that. I also have a nantes ram, got it sent down to cape town, no problems, works great and great back up!
 
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